About Us

Our Purpose

Constitution and Bylaws – Article 3. Purpose

This church exists to glorify God (Eph 2:10, Matt 5:16) by building up the saints (1 Thes 5:11, Eph 4:12-13) and reaching the lost. (Acts 1:8).

Congregational Authority

Constitution and Bylaws – Article 7: Authority and Government

The government of this church shall be inherent in the congregation, independent of external ecclesiastical authority, submitted only and enthusiastically to Christ and the Scriptures. The form of government for this church shall be elder-led and affirmed by the congregation.

An Elder-Led Congregation

By adhering to an Elder-Led structure, instead of a single pastor/priest, we follow the prescription of scripture for church body organization. Bestowing a special title, such as “Pastor” too often results in replacing Christ as head of the church (Matt 23:9), inflation of ego and pride (1 Tim 3:6),  and showing partiality (James 2). Elders are to be examples of servant leaders and to focus on teaching the word and prayer (Acts 6:4). All members of the body are to use their spiritual gifts for edification of the body and do not shift this responsibility to one man.

Doctrine

Constitution and Bylaws – Article 4. Doctrine

The Importance of Doctrine:

This church is committed to the historic fundamentals of orthodox, evangelical Christianity. While recognizing the legitimacy of differences of opinion on minor points, we hold that the following truths form an essential framework for any clear understanding and practice of the Christian life. Elders must subscribe to these truths without reservation, while members and friends covenant to teach nothing contrary.

The Doctrinal Statement:

  1. Anthropology (The Doctrine of Humankind) We believe Man (not excluding Woman) was created to have fellowship with God but this was broken when man chose to disobey God, and he is now a fallen being subject to death, and headed for certain punishment. Apart from the redemption which has come from the cross of Christ, humanity is without hope and headed for eternity in a place of punishment called Hell.
  2. Human Sexuality.
    • We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery, pharmacological drugs, or appearance. (Gen 2:24, 13, 19:5, 26:8-9, Lev 18:1-30, Rom 1:26-29, 1 Cor 5:1, 6:9, 1 Thes 4:1-8, Heb 13:4)
    • We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman for life, or until one or the other, through violence or infidelity, renders the marital covenant null and void, and all with the understanding that Christ has forgiven even such sins. (In such cases it is highly recommended that both parties seek reconciliation prior to dissolution of their marriage.) (Mark 10:1-13, I Cor 7:9-15, Mat 5:31-32, Mat 12:7)
  3. We believe the Scriptures, the 66 Books, of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak (2 Tim 3:16-17). While we do honor the “Authorized Version,” often called the King James Bible, we are not opposed to more modern translations of the Scriptures in so far as they have been translated correctly by a scholarly committee of legitimate translators. While other ancient writings of the Jews (often called the apocrypha and the pseudepigrapha) might be of some assistance in understanding the Old and New Testaments, and have even been published in some Bibles, these are not to be confused with Scripture, are not inspired, and carry no special authority in this body.
  4. We believe in one God, externally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen 1:1, 1 John 5:1-8, John 14: 25-26)
  5. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man (John 8: 58-59, 11:35, Heb 4:15, Matt 8: 23-27, 21:18)
  6. We believe that man was created in the image of God, that man sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and that in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed (Gen 1:26-27, Rom 3:23, 5:12, Eph 2:1-3, 12)
  7. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of all mankind according to the Scriptures as a representative and a substitutionally sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him as Lord are justified on the ground of His shed blood (1 Pet 1: 3-5, 2: 24, Eph 1:7, Rom 3:24-26, Luke 24:27, Rom 10:9) As such, we do not accept any theory of a so-called “Limited Atonement” where some sins are not covered in the blood atonement of Christ.
  8. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, and in His ascension into Heaven, and His present life for us as High Priest and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10, Heb 9:24, 7:25, Rom 8:34, John 2:1-2)
  9. We believe in “that blessed hope” the personal return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (1 Thes 1:10, 4:13, 5:9, Zech 14:4-11, Rev 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6)
  10. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (1 Cor 3:6, 12:12-14, Rom 8:8-9, John 16: 7-11, Eph 1:13-14) We deny any theory of redemption that excludes any human being from the possibility of being redeemed. We believe that Christ on His’ cross made all people eligible for salvation by their own personal act of placing trust in His ability to pay for all their personal sins. He did so by the shedding of His blood. This is often called “receiving Christ.” “To as many as received Him gave He the right to be called the children of God….” (John 1: 12)
  11. We believe that Christ left the church two ordinances to be observed:
    1. Upon profession of faith, converts are to be baptized in water (Rom 6:4, Acts 8:35-37)
    2. The Lord’s Supper is to be held regularly in memory of His death for us (1 Cor 10:16-17, 11:23-27, Luke 22: 17-20, Matt 28:19)
  12. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. (Matt 25:46, John 5:28-29, 11:25-26, Rev 20:5-6, 12, 15)
  13. We believe that all who are born of the Holy Spirit belong to the one true Church, the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12-27)