Beliefs

What I Believe:

THE CHURCH - I believe that the Church is the Body of Christ. I believe the church to be more than just a building or a gathering of people. It is a body living in relationship and harmony under the direction of the head, Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:15; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Romans 16:5; 1 Peter 2:4-5; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 4:11-16.)

GOD – I believe there is one God, manifested in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the Creator of all things and the Ruler of the Universe (Philippians 2:6; Matthew 3:16-17; John 10:30).

JESUS CHRIST – I believe Jesus Christ is alive. He is Son of God and Lord of the Church. He existed from the beginning, came to earth through a virgin birth, fully God and fully man. He was crucified and He rose again three days later, providing salvation for all mankind. (John 1:1; Isaiah 9:6, Acts 1:9-11).

The HOLY SPIRIT - I believe the Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of all believers. He gives us the power to live the Christian lifestyle, guides us into what is right, and is the revealer of all truth (John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 3:17, Ephesians 1:13).

THE SCRIPTURES – I believe the Bible is the inspired infallible Word of God. It is our final authority in determining what we believe and how we live (2 Tim. 3:16; I Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

SALVATION – I believe that because of sin, all men are separated from God and in need of salvation. The free gift of salvation is made possible through Jesus Christ, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. Salvation is available to all, received by grace through faith, and no other way. (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 5:12; John 3:3-5)

WATER BAPTISM – Jesus commanded that His followers be baptized in water to symbolize their identification with His death, burial and resurrection. I believe that when a person is water baptized, it symbolizes the passing away of their old life and the beginning of their new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Acts 8: 36-39; Colossians 2: 9-13).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT – The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift from God as promised by Jesus and is available to all believers. A spiritual prayer language, or “speaking in tongues”, is released through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers believers to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ. (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38, 39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4).

COMMUNION – I believe communion was established to represent the new covenant between God and His people. Jesus died and his body was broken and blood shed in order that we may enter into covenant with God. The body being broken is represented by the bread at the communion table and the blood shed is represented by the wine (juice). We regularly receive communion in order to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. (Luke 22: 19-20; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-30).

DIVINE HEALING – I believe God desires people to be whole. Salvation provides healing to the whole man- spirit, soul and body. I believe in the power of prayer and faith in God to bring about healing in every area of a person’s life (Mark 16:18; James 5:25; I Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4, 5).

THE GREAT COMMISSION – I believe it is the mission of the church to advance the kingdom of God by making disciples of all nations. It is the responsibility of every believer to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16-20; Acts 1:8).

Five Fold Gifts -

I believe Christ gave the gifts of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher to be active until His coming.

Ephesians 4

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:

      “ When He ascended on high,
      He led captivity captive,
      And gave gifts to men.”

 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.