Doctrines & Beliefs 

We believe in one God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) existing as three distinct persons sharing one divine essence/nature. Each One is equal in divinity. We associate The Father as the first part of the Triune God. We believe this to be a primary doctrine.

Genesis 1:26 - Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7–8

We hold fast to the notion that Jesus existed from eternity past with the Father and The Holy Spirit. He took on human form while not relinquishing His divine nature. We believe He was the only One ever to live a sinless life in this fallen, depraved world. He is the Second part of the Triune God. We believe this to be a primary doctrine.

John 1:1,14 - Hebrews 1:8 - Titus 2:13

For some, the Spirit of God is referred to as it. We refer to the Holy Spirit as He/Him. He existed in eternity past with the Father and the Son. He is the Third part of the Triune God. We believe this to be a primary doctrine.

John 15:26 - Ephesians 4:30 - 1st Corinthians 3:16-17

Our soteriology leads us to believe that at the point of conception, humanity is separated from God due to a fallen nature. Therefore, humans are slaves to sin and need a Savior to bring about freedom. We believe that we have this liberation through the forgiveness of sins by placing faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, seeing that it is a gift. We believe in His death, burial, and resurrection as being the pillars of our faith. The finished work of the cross has granted us eternal life. This is a primary doctrine.

Acts 4:12 - Ephesians 2:8-9 - 1st Peter 3:18

We believe that faith is not only a matter of the mind but also of the heart. If someone believes that they are saved because of what Jesus did and yet their lifestyle is not parallel to the adherence to scripture, we would not consider such a person as a member of the household of faith. We do not hold to this doctrine and believe it is extremely harmful.

Matthew 15:8-9 - Titus 1:16 - Matthew 7:21-23

 We believe one can be in a backslidden state or commit apostasy by falling away from the faith. Some contend that if that were the case, such a person was never saved to begin with. We respectfully disagree. We believe we can fellowship with one who holds this teaching, as long as their life is consistent with the faith. We believe this is a harmful doctrine.

Hebrews 10:26-29,39 - James 5:19 - Romans 11:20-22

Annihilationism is the theological doctrine that the wicked will be permanently destroyed and cease to exist after death, rather than suffering eternal conscious torment in hell/the lake of fire. It is also known as "conditional immortality" or "extinctionism." We believe that the judgment of God will be upon those who are not His people, and it will be an everlasting punishment. We consider this an extremely harmful doctrine.

2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9 - Revelation 21:8 - Matthew 25:41

We do not subscribe to any of the five points of the Tulip doctrine. We believe that these are harmful teachings. If one confirms Tulip, we believe we can still engage them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

1st John 2:2-6 - 1st Timothy 2:3-6 - 2nd Peter 2:1

We believe in original sin; however, our interpretation differs from the reformist/calvinist worldview. Even though all men have a sinful nature, the power of sin can be eradicated by placing faith in Christ Jesus. This, in turn, leads us to despise the notion of infant damnation and abhor the thought of such a thing.

Romans 5:12 -19 - 1st Corinthians 15:21-22 - Genesis 8:21  

The Word expository means: "intended to explain or describe something." It serves to set forth, expound, or clarify a subject, such as with expository writing or expository dialogue. We believe that you can exposit "topical sermons". In churches that hold to "expository preaching," messages are preached weekly, verse by verse. We believe that as long as we have the proper hermeneutics, the church will be edified.

2nd Timothy 2:15 - Acts 17:11 - 2nd Timothy 3:16-17

In our substitutionary atonement section, you can see we believe that we are saved by grace and grace alone. With that said, we hold fast to repentance of our sin after receiving the gift of salvation. It is not only beneficial to live a holy life, but also necessary. 

Acts 5:32 - Luke 9:23-26 - John 8:31

Church discipline is the process of correcting sin and restoring church members. It can be informal or formal, and the goal is to help the offender repent and reconcile with God first and foremost, as well as the body of Christ. We are adamant that everyone should be held accountable, and this starts with leadership. Even though we believe that God has granted our leaders the grace to exercise judgment, our overseers are here to guide people towards God. We are not here to mistreat or have rule over the life of another person. There is only one Lord, and that is Jesus Christ.

2nd Corinthians 1:24 - Matthew 18:15-17 - 1st Timothy 5:19-21

We believe that God has appointed a man to be a pastor, bishop, elder, and deacon. We understand that this is how God orchestrated the functioning of church administration as we strive to do things with decency and order. We believe that women have vital roles in ministry as well. We seek to encourage women whom the Spirit of God leads to use their time, talents, and giftings in evangelism, discipleship, and teachings towards other women and children.

1st Timothy 3:1-13 - Titus 1:5-9 - Acts 1:20 - 26

Biblical marriage is defined as a sacred, lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, instituted by God, involving a public leaving of parents and a "one flesh" union. According to scripture, the only things that constitute divorce are adultery and death. If there is spiritual, emotional, or physical abuse taking place, and the one who commits these offenses does not repent, then separation is warranted in the hopes of eventual restoration.

Genesis 2:21-24 - Matthew 19:3-9 - Ephesians 5:22-33 

We believe that, as Christians, we are commanded to give. However, many churches and church leaders have preyed on their congregations, filled with covetousness and eyes full of greed, causing extreme damage to the body of Christ at large. We will never manipulate anyone into giving or tithing. Although the word "tithe" appears in the New Testament, we believe it is an Old Testament practice. If someone chooses to tithe, that decision is based solely on that individual's convictions and understanding of scripture. We just encourage that, when a person gives, they do so with a charitable heart. 

2nd Corinthians 9:7 - Hebrews 7:2,4-5 - Exodus 25:1-2

 We do not believe this is the initial requirement for obtaining salvation; however, we are instructed to do so, thereby honoring God. This should be done after a true conversion of a believer takes place. Regarding infants, we believe in baby dedication and in raising a child in the ways of the Lord, in the hope that as they grow older, they will not depart from biblical teachings

Matthew 28:19 - Colossians 2:12 - Acts 8:36-37 

We believe that partaking in communion is only for the believer. It's truly to remember our Lord, who offered his body as a sacrifice and his blood as an offering. We will attempt to do this monthly or as the Lord leads. We encourage Christians to do this with other believers outside of normal church gatherings.

Luke 22:17 - 20 - 1st Corinthians 11:23-26 - 1st Corinthians 10:16-17 

We believe that the biblical gift of speaking in tongues was a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit, whereby believers were enabled to speak in languages they had not naturally learned, so that people from different nations and languages could hear and understand God's message in their own native tongues. We believe this is not a primary doctrine, thereby enabling fellowship with those who hold the alternative view. 

Acts 2:4-11 - 1st Corinthians 14:27-28 - 1st Corinthians 12:10

Eschatology is the study of end times. At the core of this teaching is the return of the Lord Jesus. In mainstream Christianity, the pre-tribulation rapture stance is the most popular view. We hold the opposite of that belief, seeing the post-tribulation/pre-millennial viewpoint as the correct one. We believe that we can still have fruitful relationships with those who disagree.

Matthew 24:29-31 - 1st Corinthians 15:51-52 - 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2

We believe that Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath, shifting its focus from a strict requirement of the Mosaic Law to the spiritual rest and freedom found in Christ. If someone chooses to worship on the traditional sabbath day, as long as it's a matter of preference rather than obligation, we can view them as brothers and sisters in the faith.

Colossians 2:16-17 - Romans 14:5-6 - Galatians 4:8-11

Universalism teaches that we are all God's children, whereas Christianity makes the distinction that we are all God's creation. We believe that to be a child of God, one must adopt and adhere to the teachings of scripture, which fundamentally begin by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. If anyone holds to this view, we do not consider them to be of the household of faith. This is an extremely harmful doctrine. 

John 14:6 - Revelation 20:15 - 2nd Corinthians 6:14-16