What we believe.

The Authority of the Bible:

 

We believe the Bible, consisting of sixty-six books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books), is the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, and is God's complete and final revelation. (Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

 

The Triunity of God:

 

We believe there is only one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who are co-equal in their essential nature, attributes, and perfection; and each of Whom is to be honored and worshiped as God. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 18:30-31, 147:5; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Luke 3:22; John 4:24, 5:23, 10:30, 14:9; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3)

 

The Person of Jesus Christ:

 

We believe Jesus Christ is God the Son, the promised Messiah, conceived in the flesh by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, true God and true man, without sin, and the only mediator between God and Man. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:13, 14, 29, 5:18, 8:58, 10:30; II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:2-9, 2:14-15; I John 5:20)

 

The Work of Jesus Christ:

 

We believe Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, paid for all sin, completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God against sin, and provided redemption and forgiveness for all who believe. After His death, Jesus Christ arose bodily from the dead, was seen by over 500 people during a period of forty days, and then ascended into Heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God as our Advocate and High Priest, from which place He will someday return to establish His Kingdom on earth. (Isaiah 53:5-6; Luke 24:36-43; John 1:18, 3:16, 20:25-28; Acts 1:6-11; Romans 3:21-26; I Corinthians 15:3-8, 20-23; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 1:13-14; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; I Peter 1:18-19, 2:24; I John 2:1-2; Revelation 20:6)

 

The Salvation of the Individual:

 

We believe eternal salvation from sin, death, and hell is the free gift of God's grace and is based solely upon man's personal faith and belief in Jesus Christ. He voluntarily died as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins and arose bodily from the dead, thus guaranteeing our own resurrection to eternal life. This salvation is not received by, nor based on, any sacrament, merit, or good work on our part. The person who receives Christ's salvation is eternally secure. (John 1:11 13, 3:16, 5:24, 10:28-30, 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:23-26, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:24-25; I Peter 1:18-19, I John 5:11-13)

 

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit:

 

We believe the Holy Spirit is that Person of the Triune Godhead who convicts us of sin, causes spiritual birth, indwells, seals, sanctifies, guides, equips, teaches, and fills the believer, thus enabling us to walk in obedience to God and His Word. (John 3:5, 14:16-17, 26, 15:26-27, 16:7-15; Acts 1:8, 5:3-4; Romans 8:9, 14; I Corinthians 2:10-11, 6:11, 19, 12:4-13; II Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, 5:18-21)

 

The Creation and Fall of Humankind:

 

We believe God created men and women in His own image and are not the product of evolution; humankind fell into sin through personal disobedience to the revealed will of God; and as a result, all mankind is sinful in nature and practice, is unable to save oneself, and faces eternal separation from God. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:7, 18-24, 3:1-24, 9:6; Matthew 19:4; Mark 7:21-23; John 8:42-44; Romans 1:18, 3:10, 23, 5:1; Ephesians 2:1-3)

​

Satan and Spiritual Principalities:

​

We believe in a real/literal devil, called Satan, who, along with all his fallen angels, demons, and evil spirits are destined to spend eternity in hell, and now seek to deceive the world, defeat the believers, and destroy the work of God, but can be resisted by believers, who are protected by God, the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Genesis 3:1; Job 1:6-12; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 22:31-32; 1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:10)

​

The Destiny of All Humankind:

 

We believe that heaven is a real place where the saved will dwell forever, and that hell is a literal place of torment where unbelievers will suffer forever. At death, the redeemed pass immediately into the presence of Christ, and they remain in joyful fellowship in spirit until their bodily resurrection is unto life. The unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades, where they are kept under punishment until their bodily resurrection, resulting in eternal, living damnation. (Daniel 12:2; Luke 16:22-23, 23:43; John 14:1-3; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 3:10, 11, 21; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8; 22:5)

 

The Nature and Organization of the Church:

 

We believe the Holy Spirit immediately unites all who have placed their faith in Christ in one spiritual body, the church, of which Christ is the Head. In addition, the members of this one spiritual body are directed to associate themselves together in local churches. (Matthew16:18; Acts 2:46-47; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:25)

Local, independent churches have been given the needed authority and scriptural guidelines for administering the order, discipline, and worship that Christ, the sovereign Head, has appointed. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the church are pastors (elders) and deacons. (Acts 6:1-6, I Corinthians 14:40; Ephesians 4:11-12; I Timothy 3:113; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-5)

 

The Ordinances of the Church:

 

We believe two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord's supper. After accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a believer is baptized in water; full immersion is the biblical example. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take, proclaiming his or her faith in public. Baptism illustrates a believer's identification with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Being a command of Christ, this ordinance is recognized as a prerequisite for partnership in Formed For Christ Church. (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 2:41, 10:47-48)

 

Likewise, the Lord's supper, also known as communion, was instituted by Christ so that we could observe His death, burial, and resurrection until His return, as we confess our sins before taking communion. (Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29)

​

Men and Women Created Equal:

 

We believe men and women are equal in the sight of God. Women can be leaders in the church and the home. The one distinction for man, submission for woman, is that God has placed the head of the church on the man. Women can lead in the church, but the head pastor is a role for a mature male. (1 Corinthians 11:3-12, 14:34-35, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and Titus 1, 2)

 

All People (Cultures): 

 

We believe all people, regardless of skin color, are equal in Jesus Christ. All humankind descended from Adam and Eve. After the great flood, God dispersed various groups of people with varying languages during the Tower of Babel event, when humankind raised a tower toward Heaven. God makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile, offering Salvation through Jesus Christ to all humankind. (Genesis 1:27; 11:8-9, Acts 10:24-35; Romans 10:12).

 

Definition of Marriage:

 

We believe, as defined by Scripture, marriage is the blessed union of one man and one woman who have entered into a lifelong covenant. Men and women are both commanded to submit to one another before God. Submission does not mean becoming a doormat to be walked over, but mutual submission to one another and God to honor and build the relationship. Furthermore, solemnizing a marriage between men and women of the same sex is contrary to the Word of God and is a sin before God. (Genesis 2:18; 24; Romans 1:21-27; Ephesians 5:21; 31-32).

 

Discipline of Believers: 

 

We believe a church must adhere to biblical discipline; a church can't have love without discipline. Individuals (brothers and sisters) who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior must hold fellow believers, not the unsaved, accountable. Scripture clearly specifies the process for disciplining one another. However, we are to judge ourselves and make amends first before confronting another, which is always done with humility. "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church leadership; and if they refuse to listen even to the church leadership, a non-repentant believer must be released from the Church." (Matthew 18:15-17). 

 

Israel Chosen:

 

We believe the church has not and will not take the place of Israel. We believe that the nation of Israel has a special place in God’s plan, and that all of the promises of God to Israel will be fulfilled both now and in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in His millennium. (Genesis 12:3; Psalm 122:1)

 

Future Events:

 

We believe the coming great event in the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the church is the personal, bodily return of the Lord to remove, also known as the rapture, from the earth His waiting church from the coming Tribulation and to reward each saint according to their works performed since salvation. (John 14:2-3; Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 3:11-15, 15:5153, II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; Titus 2:11-13; Revelation 3:10)

Once the church is raptured, a seven-year period called the Tribulation will ensue, during which the judgments of God will be poured out upon the unbelieving world. These judgments will climax with the return of Christ and the Army of saints to reign. Jesus will destroy His enemies and restore Israel to her land. (Daniel 9:27, 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:15-31, 25:31-46; II Thessalonians 2:7-12; Revelation 16:1-19, 21, 19:1-21)

Christ will then establish His thousand-year kingdom, the millennial reign, in which the saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth. (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:1-16, 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Revelation 19:11, 20:1-6)

At the close of the thousand-year reign, the unsaved dead will be raised and committed to eternal, living punishment. (Mark 9:43-48; I Corinthians 15:24-28; II Thessalonians 1:9; II Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-4, 22:5, 11)