The Apostles’ Creed
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Holy Scripture
We believe the original manuscripts, that we now call the Holy Bible, (sixty six books) is the inerrant, authoritative and divinely inspired Word of God. Even as Jesus “opened the Scriptures” to the two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:32), so today we need the Holy Spirit to assist us by “opening the Scriptures” to our understanding without any private interpretation.
Doctrine
Jesus Christ is God’s only divine means and provision for salvation and eternal life. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He who has the Son of God has eternal life (John 14:6; I John 5:11-12, 20).
Human beings are born with a sin nature and are sinful and separated from God because of Adam’s disobedience and Eve’s deception, causing spiritual death for everyone. Human beings without Christ are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, are separated from the life of God, and are unrighteous in the sight of God. Human beings must have a spiritual rebirth (be born again) through Christ or go into eternal judgment after physical death (Romans 5:8-21 and Eph. 2:1-9).
Jesus Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins and taking our sin nature upon Him in His body as a sacrifice and atonement for sins once for all (II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Hebrews 9: 20-28; 10: 10-12).
Even though our sins are paid for by Christ’s blood, we must repent from living for ourselves and sinful desires, believe and trust in Jesus Christ, and surrender to Jesus Christ as our Lord. Then, what Christ has already done for us on the cross is activated and applied to our lives, and we become children of God, adopted in God’s family and have received the gift of righteousness (John 3:16-18; Romans 6:23).
We believe continued repentance and obedience is essential to maintaining a love relationship with Jesus Christ to abide in Him and grow in grace and intimacy with God. Continuing in Christ by faith is continuing in the grace of God (John 14:21; Romans 6:16-19; I John 2:3-6).
There are four major baptisms taught in the New Testament. The first is a baptism of repentance administered by JOHN THE BAPTIST that prepared the way for the Lord Jesus and is no longer needed. The second is a baptism into the universal Christian church by the HOLY SPIRIT at the time of acceptance and faith in Jesus Christ, making you a member of Christ’s body, the church (I Cor. 12:12-13). The third is a baptism in water by another CHRISTIAN, usually done by leadership, to identify with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to declare a new life in Christ. Water baptism is done because of having salvation in Christ and not to obtain salvation in Christ (Acts 8:36-39; Mat. 28:19-20).The fourth is a baptism in Holy Spirit and fire by JESUS CHRIST for empowerment to witness about the Lord Jesus Christ. This can happen at the same time of receiving Christ or after receiving Christ. It can happen before water baptism or after water baptism. There is one baptism in the Spirit and many fillings of the Holy Spirit (Mat. 3:11; Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:18).
The Holy Bible is a completed canon of truth and information about who God is, what He is like, what He has done and will do and how to know Him and fulfill our responsibility for living in His kingdom. God’s written Word (logos) is God’s will and testament expressed in old and new covenants. It is the standard and means to judge the authenticity of all revelation and teaching (II Tim.3:16-17; II Peter 3:19-21).
We believe the ministry gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher) given by Jesus Christ after His ascension are in operation today to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12).We believe the gifts of Holy Spirit are in operation today to build up the church and win the lost (I Cor. 12:4-11).
We believe every Holy Spirit filled believer has the ability to pray and speak with their spirit to God in a spiritual language for edification and a building up of their faith. This spiritual language is not the same as the gift of tongues, one of the nine gifts spoken about in I Cor. 12:10, that is to be interpreted for the edification of the church (I Cor. 14:2, 4, 14).
We believe Jesus Christ is returning to earth the second time in a resurrected, glorified body with angels and the saints who have died physically (Acts 1:10-11; I Thess. 1:7-10).
We believe that when a believer dies, his spirit and soul, which is the spiritual part of a human being, leaves his body and is consciously present with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8-9).
We believe in eternal judgment for the non-believer without Christ and eternal Life for the believer with Christ (Mat.25:41; Hebrews 6:2: John 3:15-18; 5:24; Rev.20:10; 20:15).
We believe in the resurrection of the body for the righteous and unrighteous (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Rev. 20:4-6; 20:12-15).
We believe that the Lord will make a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness shall reign supreme. Everything that came into the world because of the fall of the first Adam, such as death, evil, fear, rebellion to God’s rule, disease, the sin nature and every harmful thing to man will be eliminated and destroyed by fire so a new heavens and earth can be created. God will make all things new (II Peter 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1).
We believe the church (people of God) should be salt and light in this world. We believe the church has a mandate and commission to present, preach and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to everyone in every place. We believe the church is to go and make disciples of Jesus to all nations and ethnic groups until He comes again (Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Mark 16:19-20; Acts 1:8-9; II Cor. 5:11; Col. 1:7-29; Gal. 4:12; II Cor. 23-4).
UNITY AND DIVERSITY
We require unity in the essentials as stated in the Apostles’ Creed and the above view of Holy Scripture as the Word of God. We believe Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man and that the Holy Spirit is in our lives speaking to us and leading us every day as we yield to Him and follow the Lord. We allow for diversity in non-essentials, which can be beneficial in our growing experience and theology of God and His Word. We love and respect those Christians who disagree with us without becoming disagreeable. We will not be exclusive, assuming we have all truth, but will with meekness of heart examine and research all that God is saying to His entire Church worldwide. We know that all Christians have the availability of the prophetic word made sure (the Bible) according to II Peter 1:18-21.
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Holy Scripture
We believe the original manuscripts, that we now call the Holy Bible, (sixty six books) is the inerrant, authoritative and divinely inspired Word of God. Even as Jesus “opened the Scriptures” to the two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:32), so today we need the Holy Spirit to assist us by “opening the Scriptures” to our understanding without any private interpretation.
Doctrine
Jesus Christ is God’s only divine means and provision for salvation and eternal life. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He who has the Son of God has eternal life (John 14:6; I John 5:11-12, 20).
Human beings are born with a sin nature and are sinful and separated from God because of Adam’s disobedience and Eve’s deception, causing spiritual death for everyone. Human beings without Christ are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, are separated from the life of God, and are unrighteous in the sight of God. Human beings must have a spiritual rebirth (be born again) through Christ or go into eternal judgment after physical death (Romans 5:8-21 and Eph. 2:1-9).
Jesus Christ died on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins and taking our sin nature upon Him in His body as a sacrifice and atonement for sins once for all (II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Hebrews 9: 20-28; 10: 10-12).
Even though our sins are paid for by Christ’s blood, we must repent from living for ourselves and sinful desires, believe and trust in Jesus Christ, and surrender to Jesus Christ as our Lord. Then, what Christ has already done for us on the cross is activated and applied to our lives, and we become children of God, adopted in God’s family and have received the gift of righteousness (John 3:16-18; Romans 6:23).
We believe continued repentance and obedience is essential to maintaining a love relationship with Jesus Christ to abide in Him and grow in grace and intimacy with God. Continuing in Christ by faith is continuing in the grace of God (John 14:21; Romans 6:16-19; I John 2:3-6).
There are four major baptisms taught in the New Testament. The first is a baptism of repentance administered by JOHN THE BAPTIST that prepared the way for the Lord Jesus and is no longer needed. The second is a baptism into the universal Christian church by the HOLY SPIRIT at the time of acceptance and faith in Jesus Christ, making you a member of Christ’s body, the church (I Cor. 12:12-13). The third is a baptism in water by another CHRISTIAN, usually done by leadership, to identify with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to declare a new life in Christ. Water baptism is done because of having salvation in Christ and not to obtain salvation in Christ (Acts 8:36-39; Mat. 28:19-20).The fourth is a baptism in Holy Spirit and fire by JESUS CHRIST for empowerment to witness about the Lord Jesus Christ. This can happen at the same time of receiving Christ or after receiving Christ. It can happen before water baptism or after water baptism. There is one baptism in the Spirit and many fillings of the Holy Spirit (Mat. 3:11; Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:18).
The Holy Bible is a completed canon of truth and information about who God is, what He is like, what He has done and will do and how to know Him and fulfill our responsibility for living in His kingdom. God’s written Word (logos) is God’s will and testament expressed in old and new covenants. It is the standard and means to judge the authenticity of all revelation and teaching (II Tim.3:16-17; II Peter 3:19-21).
We believe the ministry gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher) given by Jesus Christ after His ascension are in operation today to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12).We believe the gifts of Holy Spirit are in operation today to build up the church and win the lost (I Cor. 12:4-11).
We believe every Holy Spirit filled believer has the ability to pray and speak with their spirit to God in a spiritual language for edification and a building up of their faith. This spiritual language is not the same as the gift of tongues, one of the nine gifts spoken about in I Cor. 12:10, that is to be interpreted for the edification of the church (I Cor. 14:2, 4, 14).
We believe Jesus Christ is returning to earth the second time in a resurrected, glorified body with angels and the saints who have died physically (Acts 1:10-11; I Thess. 1:7-10).
We believe that when a believer dies, his spirit and soul, which is the spiritual part of a human being, leaves his body and is consciously present with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8-9).
We believe in eternal judgment for the non-believer without Christ and eternal Life for the believer with Christ (Mat.25:41; Hebrews 6:2: John 3:15-18; 5:24; Rev.20:10; 20:15).
We believe in the resurrection of the body for the righteous and unrighteous (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Rev. 20:4-6; 20:12-15).
We believe that the Lord will make a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness shall reign supreme. Everything that came into the world because of the fall of the first Adam, such as death, evil, fear, rebellion to God’s rule, disease, the sin nature and every harmful thing to man will be eliminated and destroyed by fire so a new heavens and earth can be created. God will make all things new (II Peter 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1).
We believe the church (people of God) should be salt and light in this world. We believe the church has a mandate and commission to present, preach and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to everyone in every place. We believe the church is to go and make disciples of Jesus to all nations and ethnic groups until He comes again (Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Mark 16:19-20; Acts 1:8-9; II Cor. 5:11; Col. 1:7-29; Gal. 4:12; II Cor. 23-4).
UNITY AND DIVERSITY
We require unity in the essentials as stated in the Apostles’ Creed and the above view of Holy Scripture as the Word of God. We believe Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man and that the Holy Spirit is in our lives speaking to us and leading us every day as we yield to Him and follow the Lord. We allow for diversity in non-essentials, which can be beneficial in our growing experience and theology of God and His Word. We love and respect those Christians who disagree with us without becoming disagreeable. We will not be exclusive, assuming we have all truth, but will with meekness of heart examine and research all that God is saying to His entire Church worldwide. We know that all Christians have the availability of the prophetic word made sure (the Bible) according to II Peter 1:18-21.
