STATEMENT OF FAITH

A. THE SCRIPTURES. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. we accept the New Covenant as recorded in the New Testament as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (II Timothy 3:16, I Thessalonians 2:13, II Peter 1:121).

B. THE GODHEAD. Our God is one, but manifested in three persons--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Phillipians 2:6, Matthew 3:16-17).

God the Father is the source and begetter of the Word (logos) (John 14:28,16:28, 1:14) Jesus is the Son of God, one with the Father, the incarnate Word, the Begotten One, and has existed with the Father from the beginning (John 1:1, 1:14, 10:30). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and Son and is eternal. (John 15:26).

C. MAN, HIS FALL, AND REDEMPTION. Man is a created being, made in the image and likeness of God; but through Adam's transgression, sin came into the world. As it is written, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil. He gave his life and shed his blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Romans 5:12, 3:23, 3:9-10, 1 John 3:8, Galatians 3:13-14). This salvation is God's gift to man, separate from works and the law. It is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8).

D. ETERNAL LIFE AND NEW BIRTH. Man's first step toward salvation is: Godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The new birth is necessary to all men, and when fulfilled produces eternal life. (II Corinthians 7:10, I John 5:12, John 3:3-5).

E. WATER BAPTISM. Baptism in water by immersion is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39).

F. BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to those who are believes in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit himself gives utterance (Matthew 3:11, I Corinthians 1:30).

G. SANTIFICATION. The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the doctrine of santification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of our salvation (Hebrews 12:14, I Thessalonians 5:23, II Peter 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, I Corinthians 1:30).

H. DIVINE HEALING. Healing is for the physical ills of the human body, and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and it is the privilege of every member of the church today (Mark 16:18, James 5:14-20, I Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5).

I. RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD. The angels said, "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner." His coming is imminent and when he comes, "the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Following the tribulation, he shall return to earth as King of kings and the Lord of lords, and together with his saints, shall reign a thousand years Revelation 20-6).

J. HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION. The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and therefore has no further opportunity to hear the gospel, or for repentance. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in noting the duration of the joy and ecstasy of the saints in the presence of God (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 19:20, Hebrews 6:1-2).

K. COMMUNION - THE LORD'S SUPPER. We partake of the Lord's Supper to show forth his death until he comes again (I Corinthians 11:23-31). The bread symbolizes the Lord's broken body (Isaiah 53:5, I Corinthians 11:24). The cup represents the New Covenant in his blood which provides us with forgiveness and restores our relationship with God (Hebrews 9, I Corinthians 11:25). We must examine and judge ourselves (I Corinthians 11:28030) for we know that if we receive communion unworthy, we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (I Corinthians 11:27).

L. LAYING ON OF HANDS. This is the belief that power or anointing or any other necessary quality can be transmitted from a believer through the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands was practiced by the Levitical priesthood. In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus practiced it as a means of blessing the children. This is our grounds for the dedication of babies instead of water baptism. The laying on of hands is also used with prayer in the ministry of healing (Mark 5:22-23, 5:42, 5:28-31, Acts 19:11-12); to confer office (Acts 6:2-6) to receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8L16-18); to impart an anointing and to cultivate the anointing (I Timothy 4:14); for ordination; consecration and to receive the necessary spiritual tools for ministry (I Timothy 4:14).

M. FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY. According to Ephesians 4::9-11, Jesus Christ gave ministry gifts to the body of Christ as extensions of his own ministry to his church. "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers..." Ephesians 4:12 states that the purposes of these gifts are for the perfecting or maturing of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying or building up of the body of Christ. According to Ephesians 4:13-16, the end result of these ministry gifts is the bringing of the church into the unity of the faith, unto a perfect and mature man and unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.