Statement of faith

The Bible is Our Final Authority

We believe the Christian Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God, which is normative for our faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21;1 Thessalonians 2:13). In forming theological conclusions, we may make use of many sources of knowledge (history, reason, experience), but the Bible is the final authority over us and usurps all claims to know, feel, or experience something.

There is One God in Three Persons

We believe there is one God (Isaiah 43:10-11), eternally existent in the loving communion of three persons, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). This God, who is from all eternity, created all things, both seen and unseen, by his Word, who is his Son (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:16). 

Jesus Christ is the Son of God

To magnify the glory of his great love, God the Father sent his Son to earth as the person of Jesus Christ and endowed him with the Spirit (John 1:14, 32). Christ was conceived as a man within the virgin’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Concerning the nature of the Son of God, we affirm the biblical accuracy of the best of the ancient Christian confessions, that he is, from all eternity, “the only-begotten Son of God,” that he is “very God of very God,” and “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.” And concerning the man Jesus, we believe that he is “truly God and truly Man” and “like us in all things, apart from sin,” that he, as one person, both body and soul, is both human and divine.

Christ, who lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), was baptized by water and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17), and then inaugurated his eternal kingdom (Matthew 4:17). His mission was a supernatural ministry of evangelism, healing, deliverance, and signs and wonders (Luke 4:16-20) to undo the works of Satan (1 John 3:8; Acts 10:38). This same Christ suffered and died by a Roman crucifixion under Pontius Pilate; he was buried and on the third day he rose again with an immortal body (Matthew 27-28; John 19-20). After his bodily resurrection, he appeared to the Apostles and many others for 40 days, and then he ascended bodily to the authority of God’s right hand. He will return to judge the living and the dead (Acts 1:11; 10:42).

These quotations are taken from the Ecumenical Councils which produced the Nicene and Chalcedonian Creeds. Nicene:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed Chalcedonian:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcedonian_Definition

Christ’s work in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension unites mankind back to God (what Christians call atonement). For believers, Christ accomplished the forgiveness of sins (1 Cor. 15:3; Ephesians 2:7-8), which frees them from God’s just wrath over sinners (John 3:36; Rom. 5:9) and makes possible eternal life, both now and forever (John 5:24). The atonement provides deliverance from the strongholds of Satan (Col. 1:13; 2:13-15; Eph. 2:1-6) and makes alive those who are dead in sin (Col. 2:13; Eph. 2:1-6; John 5:24). The atonement provides believers with powerful access to Gods’ presence and answers to prayer (Eph. 3:12; Heb. 4:14-16; John 14:12-14). Physical healing is also made available because of Christ’s atoning work (Isa. 53:5; Matt. 8:14-17).

Mankind was Created by God,  Fell into the Power of Sin and Satan, and is Saved by Faith

God created the first man and woman uniquely and supernaturally and not by an evolutionary process (Genesis 2:4-25). He created them in his image to rule over the creation (Genesis 1:26-28), but they rebelled by following Satan and introduced sin and death into the world (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21). 



Outside of Christ, mankind is hopelessly dead in sin, under the power of Satan, and within the kingdom of darkness (Romans 3:23; Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 1:13). God declares righteous those who repent, put their trust in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26; 4:5), are baptized (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 3:26-27) and experience regeneration by the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:3-7). Conversion to Christ is essential for salvation in the afterlife and from the coming judgment at Christ’s return (Acts 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; Luke 23:39-43). 

God Created Sex and Marriage with Purpose and Boundaries

God created man and woman as unique biological persons, and he instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society (Genesis 2:18-25). God’s plan is expressed within the context of a lifelong covenant, that is, marriage (Matt. 19:3-12; Mark 10:1-12; Mal. 2:13-16). Covenantal marriage is an antetype which points to Christ’s committed and covenant relationship to his people, the church (Eph. 5:22-33). We believe marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female; aberrations to this order are condemned in Scripture (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9). God’s plan for human sexuality is for our good and his glory. By falling away from his order, mankind continues to self-destruct and cuts itself off from a happier existence. 

The Bible Teaches Male Headship 

Man and woman are of equal value as image bearers of God and believers in Christ (Genesis 1:26-28; Galatians 3:28). Man and woman relate to one another differently, however, so as to compliment their unique creational differences and enable them to better rule the world in a unified way (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18). Man is the head of his wife and of his household, just as Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Genesis 5:2). To honor the creation model of male headship, we believe that, when possible, a man should be the lead pastor of the local church, who also serves as its primary teaching function (1 Timothy 2:11-15). 

 We affirm the articles of the Christian confession called the “Nashville Statement” about human sexuality and marriage:

https://cbmw.org/wp content/uploads/2017/08/Nashville-Statement-with-Scripture-Ref-1.pdf

Christ Commissioned His Church to Advance God’s Kingdom by the Spirit

At Christ’s ascension to heaven, He began his mission to baptize the nations in his Spirit to continue his kingdom ministry to the world (Acts 1:1-8; 2:17, 33). The church continues his universal mission by making and maturing disciples (Matt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15-20; Acts 1:8). 

His church has been entrusted with the administration of the graces of water baptism (Matt. 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper  (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). We baptize by immersion only those who express faith in Christ, not babies (Acts 2:38). Children should be baptized, like adults, after they experience conversion, confess Christ, repent, and put their trust in him. 

Christ makes his kingdom manifest today by the power of the Spirit in partnership with his people. His ministry today is like his earthly ministry in the ongoing works of conversion (John 3:1-8), transformation (Gal. 5:22-24), deliverance (Matt:12:28; Acts 8:7), healing (Matt. 4:23; Lk. 10:9; Acts 8:7), spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11), empowerment (John 20:21-23; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4), and other signs and wonders (Lk. 10:19; Mark 16:20). We believe those works still make the kingdom manifest today, and we encourage all believers to partner with Christ to operate in his same supernatural ministry (John 14:13). 

We believe and welcome all the gifts of the Spirit  because Scripture promises the duration of these gifts until Christ’s return (1 Cor. 1:4-7; 13:8-13; Eph. 4:7-16). We understand that all of His gifts, whether in leadership or in prophecy, are “manifestations of the Spirit,” and are therefore supernatural (1 Cor. 12:4-11). The five gifts of Ephesians 4:11 (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers) are gifts and callings alive within the church today, and they are essential to the church’s maturation into christlikeness (Eph. 4:11-16). We have no affiliation with what some call the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation). 

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit  or Holy Spirit infilling. Christ is the Spirit-baptizer, and everything he does to advance his kingdom is connected to that identity, including the gift of repentance and conversion (John 1:29-34; 3:1-8; Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:4-5; 5:30-32; Mathew 3:11). Conversion to Christ can itself can be considered a baptism of the Holy Spirit, but in the Bible, Spirit infilling more often refers to encounters with the Spirit after conversion (John 20:22; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 2:17; 4:8, 31; 8:14-17; 9:17; 13:52; 19:1-7). God commands his church to pursue the Spirit’s infilling even after conversion to receive empowerment for his mission and greater virtues like holiness and love (Ephesians 3:14-19; 5:18-20). 

We believe that encountering the Spirit comes through prayer (Luke 11:13). These infillings manifest in a variety of exciting ways especially in peace, love, and joy (Rom. 5:5; 8:15-17; Acts 13:52). But it is also clear in the Bible that Spirit infilling manifests in special gifts like tongues (ecstatic speech) and prophecy (Acts 2:4, 17; 10:46; 19:6). Christ is the Spirit baptizer, and encountering him is essential to conversion, growing in holiness, and receiving gifts of empowerment to advance the kingdom of God. 

The gift of speaking in tongues  is not universally the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but rather, the initial evidence of Spirit baptism might best be considered conversion itself, even as we still pursue subsequent experiences of empowerment. We believe that the gift of tongues should be celebrated as one of the many gifts of the Spirit, and so we treat this gift as normal, but not normative for all (1 Corinthians 12:30). As for our church’s worship practice, we welcome all to speak in tongues in worship from where they stand, but we do not address the church publically in tongues unless we seek an interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:1-25). 

Christ will Return to Consummate His Kingdom 

We believe that Jesus Christ will return bodily to consummate his kingdom which he inaugurated in his earthly ministry (Acts 1:11). We are open to various interpretations of the end times, but we believe that only at Christ’s return will Satan be bound and death and its causes be destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24-25; Rev. 20-22). During this age the kingdom will continue to manifest in power, and the church will effectively fulfill its mission to make disciples among all nations (Matthew 24:14; 28:19). However, even as the kingdom advances in this age, the kingdom will not be consummated or progressively eliminate all effects of sin and Satan; only at Christ’s return will these things take place (Matthew 13:24-30; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28). 



We believe that Christ will return to consummate his kingdom which he inaugurated in his first coming (1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Revelation 20). After this he will cause mankind to rise from the dead with new bodies. Those who are saved will be resurrected for eternal life, but the unrighteous will be resurrected for damnation (John 5:28-29; Matt. 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:2-10; Rev. 20:11-15). The elect will reign with Christ eternally in the New Heaven and the New Earth (Revelation 21-22). We understand that the final state of this judgment is eternal (Matthew 25:46).