What We Believe
WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, inerrant in its original documents, and is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and without error in all that it affirms (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).[1]
CREATION
We believe that the heavens and the earth were created by the triune God out of nothing in six literal 24-hour days. Therefore, all things that exist had a beginning, except God Himself (Genesis 1:26; Exodus 20:11; Psalm 90:2; Colossians 1:16-17).
GOD
We believe there is one God, existing from eternity past to eternity future in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6). God is sovereign over all things, and all things will be for His glory (Daniel 4:34-35; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 1:17).
JESUS CHRIST
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human, born of a virgin and without sin. His substitutionary death was voluntary and was made for the forgiveness of every person who would ever believe. He rose bodily from the dead and ascended to His Father’s right hand where He now ministers as the believer’s Great High Priest (John 10:15; Acts 2:22-23; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24-25).
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person, the third Person of the Godhead. He convicts the world of sin, and indwells, seals, and places into the body of Christ all believers at conversion (John 16:8; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30).
MAN
We believe that Adam and Eve were created perfect in the image of God, but when Adam sinned, it brought both physical and spiritual death to all mankind. Therefore, man is totally depraved and is subject to the wrath of God (Genesis 1:26; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:18; 3:23; 5:12-14).
SALVATION
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins through the shedding of His blood on the cross. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone and not on the basis of human merit. Only those who repent and trust Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord are born again and have eternal life (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). We also believe that those who are truly born again have been elected by God and will persevere in their faith to the end (John 10:27-29; Acts 4:12; 13:48; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:1-2).
THE CHURCH
We believe that the church began on the Day of Pentecost and is the Bride of Christ. (Acts 2:37-47; Ephesians 5:25-27). We also believe that all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ become part of the church. The local church is the gathering of believers for worship, prayer, edification, and witness. Government and discipline are divinely-given responsibilities to the local church, under the leadership of elders. The Lord Jesus Christ is the giver of spiritual gifts for ministry in the church, such as evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc. These gifts are given so that the believers may be equipped for His service and that the church may be built up (1 Corinthians 12:4-27; Ephesians 4:11-16).
ORDINANCES
We believe there are two Christian ordinances, believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism signifies that the believer, having died with Christ, is buried with Him and is also risen with Christ to walk in the newness of life (Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 2:12). The Lord Himself instituted the Lord’s Supper; and in the observance of this supper, believers retell the message of the Lord’s death until His return. We celebrate the breaking of bread each Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
LAST THINGS AND JUDGEMENT
We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Those saved are eternally blessed in Heaven, while the lost experience everlasting, conscious, eternal punishment in Hell (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41).[2]
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that all people are accountable before God. The Christian will desire to live for God’s glory by faithful stewardship, maturing in Christ, growing in grace, and reflecting God’s light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Ephesians 4:1-3; Colossians 1:9-10; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:3-6).
MARRIAGE
We believe that God created man and woman as male and female. God instituted marriage between a man and woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is a life-long covenant and exclusively the union of one male and one female (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:4-9; Romans 1:26-28; Ephesians 5:31).
COMPLEMENTARIANISM
We believe that God uniquely created male and female as complementary expressions of the image of God. Yet God has specifically given men, who are deemed to be qualified by the church, the task to serve as elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). It is also the biblical role of husbands to lead their wives and children (Ephesians 5:22-33).
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE
We believe that life is a gift from God and that all life is precious from conception to natural death. Therefore abortion, suicide, murder, and euthanasia oppose the desire of God. Since each person is made in the image of God, we grieve and oppose such practices (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; Psalm 139:13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
[1] We teach a literal interpretation that focuses on the “plain meaning” of the text, considering the grammatical and historical context and avoiding interpretations that rely on figurative language or symbolism unless it is explicitly clear.
[2] We teach that the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His church is imminent (1 Thessalonians 4:17), followed by the outpouring of God’s wrath on earth, known as the tribulation (Matthew 24:21-28). After the tribulation, there will be a future thousand-year Millennial Kingdom where Christ will rule on the earth (Revelation 20:1-6), followed by an eternal kingdom where there will be a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4).