WE BELIEVE: Our Declaration of Faith

This confession of faith is the foundation of our ministry and reflects our understanding of biblical truth, based on a consistent, literal, grammatical-historical interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.

1. The Holy Scriptures (Bibliology)

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The original manuscripts were written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and are absolutely inerrant and infallible. The Bible is our supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe in the literal, grammatical-historical method of biblical interpretation. This means that every word should be given its normal, customary meaning, taking into account the historical context, grammar, and literary genre, without allegorizing prophecies or historical events.

2. The Triune God (Theology Proper)

We believe in one living and true God, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three Persons are consubstantial, equal in power and glory, and possess the same divine attributes, yet execute distinct but harmonious functions in the great work of creation, providence, and redemption.

3. Jesus Christ (Christology)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived an absolutely sinless life and voluntarily offered Himself as a substitutionary, unblemished sacrifice on the cross, bearing the penalty for the sins of all humanity. We believe in His physical, bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, fulfilling His ministry as our High Priest and Advocate.

4. The Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person. In this present age, He convicts the world of sin, regenerates believers, and at the moment of salvation, baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ. He permanently indwells every believer, sealing them unto the day of redemption. We believe that certain spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues, healings, and prophecy, were sign gifts intended for the apostolic age to authenticate the new revelation, and their operation ceased with the completion of the New Testament canon.

5. Man and Sin (Anthropology and Hamartiology)

We believe that man was created by God in His image and likeness, but through Adam's sin, all humanity fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became spiritually dead, alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and completely unable to save himself by his own efforts, works, or religious ceremonies.

6. Salvation and "Free Grace" (Soteriology)

We believe that salvation is solely a gift of God's grace and cannot be earned or maintained by human works. The sole condition for salvation (justification) is personal faith (trust) in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. We believe that every born-again believer possesses eternal security in Christ and cannot lose their salvation under any circumstances. We draw a clear distinction between the gift of salvation and the call to discipleship. Faith in Christ saves from hell, while dedication, obedience, and good works are the fruit of sanctification, a matter of discipleship, and the basis for receiving rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema Seat). A lack of visible good works in a Christian's life leads to the loss of rewards and divine discipline in this life, but does not prove an absence of salvation.

7. The Church and Israel (Dispensationalism and Ecclesiology)

We believe in a system of dispensations (God's stewardships) through which God administers human history. We believe that the Church and national Israel are two completely distinct groups in God's plan. The Church (the Body of Christ) is a heavenly people, which began on the Day of Pentecost and is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. The Church has not replaced Israel. God preserves His unconditional covenants with national Israel (the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants) and will literally fulfill all the promises made to the Jewish people in the future, including their restoration to the land and the Messiah's rule on the throne of David.

8. Future Events (Eschatology)

We believe in the imminent, personal, and bodily return of Jesus Christ for His Church. We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture: The Church will be caught up to heaven before the beginning of the seven-year period of the Great Tribulation, which will be poured out upon the earth. We believe in the Pre-Millennial Second Coming of Christ: After the Great Tribulation, Christ will physically return to earth with His saints to save the remnant of Israel, defeat the Antichrist, and establish His literal Millennial Kingdom on earth, centered in Jerusalem.

9. The Eternal State

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all people: the saved to eternal life in glory and joy in the presence of God on the New Heaven and New Earth; and the unsaved to judgment at the Great White Throne and conscious, eternal punishment in the lake of fire.

Amen.