What we Believe (Longer Version):

We believe

1.The Scriptures, both Old & New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of humankind, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. We believe the bible contains all things necessary to salvation, so that whatever is not found in it, nor may be proved by it, is not to be required of anyone, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought necessary to salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the sole rule of faith and practice.

2.There is only one living and true God, Creator and Preserver of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

3.Jesus is truly God and truly human. The Son, the Word of God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and of one substance with the Father, took on Man's nature. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. The two perfect natures, his Godhood and Humanity, were joined in one Person, never to be divided. The Son has two natures in one Person, distinct yet not divided, united yet not mingled. It was this one Christ, truly God, truly Man, who suffered, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, and reconciled His Father to us, according to the Scriptures. He rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven. He sits at the right hand of the Majesty on High, far above all rule and authority and all powers in the spiritual realm. He now is our High Priest and Advocate. He will return from heaven to judge both the living and the dead.

4.The Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son. He is truly God. He is personal, not an impersonal force as certain sects teach. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

5. Humanity was created perfect in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost. Only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can people be saved. The condition of human beings after the Fall is such that we are not able, by our own natural strength and good works, to bring ourselves to faith in God, or to do anything to earn salvation.

6.The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe. Living a good life according to a person's own religion is not sufficient for salvation. Truth about God and Salvation is not relative and subjective. There is not "one truth for you and another for me." Since religions contradict each other at a fundamental level, they cannot all be right. There are not many paths to one heaven, but only one path, through the Christ who said clearly "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no person comes to the Father except by me."

7.The true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the head. The visible Church is a congregation of the faithful, in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are observed according to Christ's ordinance. Water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation, but as outward symbols of inward spiritual truths.

Inasmuch as they are in accord with Holy Scripture, we affirm what is written in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, the Athanasian Creed, and the Westminster Confession of Faith and Shorter & Longer Catechisms.