We believe that there is indeed one God. It is through the Bible, which is God's self-revelation, that we learn of Him.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33-36

He is almighty, infinitely perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing, unchangeable, all-loving, eternally merciful, gracious and infinite in holiness. He is Creator and sustainer of all creation and all life. He is the only being that exists that does so because He deemed it so, without cause. He was not created. He created all other things by His hand. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.

While all other life is a gift from God, God has life in and of himself completely. There can be found no want or need within Him. Nor does he have a need to grow or improve. While allowing His children to participate in His plan, He does not need such help. He alone is worthy of worship.

He alone is also deserving of being preeminent in all things, including but not limited to our affections. God remains without bounds or measure and He is always the same from beginning to end and for all eternity, never changing. His holiness is His distinguishing mark from all others. It defines His purity and majesty.

His holiness is the standard for all, and none can measure themselves against it nor claim any apart from whatever He gives. Since God is perfect in his knowledge of all things, which we define as his Omniscience, we cannot teach Him or hold him accountable. He also has no need to learn and, as such, cannot be surprised. His omnipotence defines His power, which is endless and knows no limit, such that he expends no energy that ever needs to be replenished, nor does He grow tired or weary.

Because God created time and knows no bounds, He truly is eternal. This is why He can see from beginning to ending as He is not defined or confined within the limits of time as man is. God’s faithfulness guarantees that He can never lie and, as a result, His word is always true. Because His love is an action and not an emotion, and God is indeed faithful, those who place their faith in Christ can be assured of eternal life.

God is triune, meaning that He exists in three distinct persons all being co-equal, self-conscious, fully divine and co-eternal. Scripture identifies these three personalities as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

For further studies:

Genesis 1:1,26-27,16:7-13; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4,32:6; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Isaiah 2:5,9:6-7,40:13-25,43:3,10,15,44:6,45:24,48:12-16, Jeremiah 10:10,32:17; Habakkuk 3:6; Matthew 6:9,12:28,28:19, John 5:26,14:16; Acts 1:7,Romans 8:14-15,1133-36:; 1 Corinthians 8:6,15:24; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:11, 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6, 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17, 1 John 5:7

The Bible is the Word of God.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

We also thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but actually as it is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

The Bible is the basis for all we believe. We hold to the truth that the Bible in its original manuscripts is the inerrant, infallible and completed canon of Scripture It was given through the Holy Spirit to the Prophets, Apostles and other inspired writers. Future versions remain true, and the reliable authority and the primary source for God’s message. Only those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, enabled by God’s grace will be able to sincerely seek, understand and apply the message of the Bible. We accept it as our manual for living. Because of this, our first question when faced with a decision is, “What does the Bible say?”

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.

Acts 4:11-12 NLT

Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, lived a sinless life on earth and voluntarily paid for our sins by dying on the cross as our substitute. This accomplished salvation for all who receive grace by trusting in Him alone. He rose from the dead and is the only mediator between God and us. He baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit and will return to earth to consummate history.

Upon Salvation believers are filled with the Holy Spirit.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14

The Holy Spirit is a person just like the rest of the Trinity. We are told in Scripture that the Holy Spirit is indeed God. He is the agent for impartation of the new life we now have in Jesus Christ. It is through the Holy Spirit that we find that the gift of salvation is applied and secured to each of those who have placed their faith in the sacrificial payment of Christ.

We hold to the truth that the Holy Spirit is a person with all the capabilities of the Father and Son. Because He is eternal and referred to as God, we see He has the attributes, qualities and deity of God. This evidence proves beyond a doubt the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity. At the moment of justification, we received all of the spiritual blessings God had and everything we needed to live this Christian life.

Because of the amount of discourse and differences of teaching on this topic we encourage you to be search the Scriptures for yourself. To aid in that we offer the following references to help.

For further studies:

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; Psalms 139:7; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 4:1; Matthew 12:28-32; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:10; Mark 12:35; Luke 1:35, 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 3:3-5; 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6,13-14; 19:1-6; Romans 5:5; 8:5-6,9-11,14-16,26-27,30; 1Corinthians 2:9-14; 3:16; 6:19-20; 12:3-11,13; 16:19; 2Corinthians 1:21-22; 13:14 Galatians 4:6; 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:3-4; 13-14; 4:30; 5:18; Philippians 2:10-11,16; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:8,14; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2-3,21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.

If you have further questions on this topic, we will be glad to speak with you.

You must be born again.

When anyone becomes a Christian, he becomes a new person inside. The old passes away, a new life has begun.

2 Corinthians 5:17 LB

Jesus: "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life."

Matthew 16:25 NLT

God created humans to have fellowship with Him, but they defied God by sinfully going their own way. As a result, we need God's saving grace to end our alienation from Him. Salvation comes only through God's grace - not human effort - and must be received personally by repentance and faith. At the end, everyone will experience bodily resurrection and the judgment. Only believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God.

Everyone is uniquely designed by God as a man or woman.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Genesis 2:18-22

But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

1 Corinthians 7:2-5

Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.ß

Ephesians 5:25-33

We believe that God uniquely designed gender equality and His original intention is there be two genders, man and woman. We also believe that marriage is a covenant representative of our covenant with God.

We hold that men and women have been created in the image of God. They were created perfectly, equally and differently. They were created to be complimentary to each other and necessarily to each other. Any deviations or derivatives from the original creation as man and woman are a result of a fallen world and the sin that now encompasses and controls that world. Gender equality is not only a gift, but to be considered as part of the original design and specifically intended for each individual.

We also believe this extends to their roles in the covenant of marriage as exhibited by man’s original parents and part of God’s original intended purpose of design and creation. It was part of the original design that this covenant would be a pattern of the covenant that would be formed between the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the church).

For further studies:

Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1:1-6; Psalms 8:3-6, 14:2-3, 32:1-5, 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; 64:6; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; John 6:44,65; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 2:12; 3:9-18,22-23; 5:6,12-19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1–3,12; 2:8-9; 4:18; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:8-10;

The Law is that which tells us who God is, what He is doing and has done. Along with serving as a guide for believers and mirror of our sin.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge.

2 Peter 1:4-5

In simple terms the law is what God has told men to do and what not to do. As a result He enabled him to live in fellowship with Him for all eternity.

In an expanded term it is that which God gives which holds back evil, disorder and brings civility to men. It is that which condemns, accuses and judges. Shows us the character of God, along with how God designed life to work. The Law drives us to the beautiful One, the gospel tells us about, and then shows us how to reveal that same beauty to others.

Looking back at that paragraph, we see that the Law has three purposes.

1. It’s A Mirror – It accuses us and shows us our sin. Driving then to find life outside of ourselves in Christ. (Romans 7:7-12, James 1:22-25)
2. Society’s Standard of Conduct – It keeps order in the world. Consider it like you might a policeman. (Exodus 20; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 1:2-3O)
3. A description, painting of what the Christian life looks like for Christians – It shows us as Christians how to live in a way that reveals that we have been placed “In Christ”. While there are many passages one could specifically use here The guide always demands perfection. (2 Peter 1:4-10)

The law always robs us of any ability to earn a smile, nod, wink or ability to please God by our efforts. While at the same time showing how to live in a way that expresses a heart of gratitude. Any law that does not do this is not the law of the Bible. The law always breaks us of all self-righteousness, self-absorption, self-reliance, independence, and the ability to find within it the ability to find our identity in our performance

The gospel tells us of Christ’s performance so that we didn’t have to perform.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

We can clarify the gospel as God's plan through the Christ event, to showcase his glory, goodness, riches, grace and to bring those he Holds dearest back to Himself, telling us how He is changing us into what He designed us to be.

The gospel is a lot more than a decision we make or getting our golden ticket to paradise. While the law shows us how to live, the gospel is the air we breathe and where what we believe starts and ends. In the gospel we find all that we can possibly know about grace. Beginning with that grace doesn't come to us because we repent but rather, we repent because we have been grace enabled.

The gospel has been defined as Christ's performance on our behalf so that we would not have to perform. It should always be defined as that which God has said, about Who He is, what is He has done, is doing and will do. Where the law says what we must do to live, the gospel always declares what God has done so that we might have life.

The gospel is not behavior modification or a measuring stick for how we are living. The gospel is not about being a better person, though God is changing us through His Spirit. The gospel is not about using Jesus life as a model way to live.

The gospel is what Christ did for us, not what we are doing for him. The gospel always brings good news, not instruction. The law instructs us in how we might say thank you and show gratitude for the gospel. Anytime that law is mixed with the gospel it turns the gospel into nothing more than a drink that has been sitting too long with ice in it, and as a result has now lost its flavor.

The gospel is the power to life. One never finds within the gospel the message of “let’s make sure that we get some action in the game in order to get the golden ticket.” Rather, it is an offering to all of those who are incapable of getting any action in the game, letting them know the golden ticket can still be yours.

In the gospel we find our identity and significance as it tells us that we have been United to Christ. The word gospel means good news and it surely brings nothing but good news as it tells us of all that we have been given when we were made joint heirs with Christ. There is no biblical support for terms like hard gospel/soft gospel.

The Bible tells us that as believers we will know suffering because we are human and broken.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6-7

Within Jesus we find all that it means to be fully human. Through Christ we see that sin is not what we do or don’t do but who we are apart from God, a nature that continues to reveal itself even after we are saved. This is why success in the Christian life is not found in us but outside of us in Christ and by placing our faith in that.

Faith is understanding that because this world is broken, that all reality begins and ends with God. Reality is not found in avoiding suffering but in knowing suffering. We come to understand that all of suffering is intended to awaken feelings in us that move our aim higher, increase our view of God and His holiness.

When our view of God and His holiness is increasing we are moved from thinking that all of life begins and ends with us to desiring greater and sweeter communion with the God who is Holy, Holy, Holy, and who now calls us His precious jewels, and tells us how great His love is towards us. This is why scripture tells us that in the gospel is found salvation, a salvation that is not just a ticket to paradise but one that impacts every area of our lives and every moment of our lives, one that places the atonement as the climax and center of our world.

The gospel creates an understanding that God is not found primarily in our successes, strengths or what we feel our best qualities are. No, scripture tells us that God is most reliably present in our brokenness. Through our brokenness He is bringing us to greater understanding of what it is to be human. In the path to discovering our humanity is found more brokenness as we experience the pain of letting go of those things that we once thought made us human, gave us purpose, significance and identity.

This is why it is true that God is most reliably present and working where our lives are falling apart and where we are discovering our limits instead of our possibilities. He is not changing our circumstances in order to make us more like Jesus but working in and through our circumstances. Hope is not found in our circumstances improving but rather in the gospel that tells us that it is found in spite of our circumstances outside of us In the living Christ.

This is what we see most predominantly played out in the life of Christ at the cross, the parables and his preference of outcasts, sinners and hypocrites. Paul’s writings and life continue to reflect the same consistent of truth. As seen through his writings on wisdom, foolishness, Christ crucified and his insights on the life of Christ being worked out through our weaknesses.

For further studies:

Psalm 34:19;119:71, Isaiah 6:1-13,53:3, John 16:33, 2 Romans 5:3-4; 8:18,28,35, 1 Corinthians 1:3-4;4:17, 2 Corinthians 1:8;4:8-10;11:23-33;12:8-10, Philippians 3:10, Colossians 1:24, 2 Timothy 3:12, James 1:2-4, 12, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 2:19-21, 3:14; 4:1,12-13; 5:10, Revelation 21:4

We believe that God loves to lavish gifts on His children.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

God’s love always flows bountifully one-way, His gifts always are given freely and unconditionally. God the giver of all good gifts loves to give gifts that are miraculous, prosperous, bring healing and are answers to prayers. Gifts that exhibit His sovereignty, not man’s ability.

This is why Isaiah was right Christ’s stripes did indeed purchase the guarantee of healing for all those who God chose before the foundation of the world to be his sons and daughters. What precious and comforting promises did the sovereign God give to Jeremiah for His fellow Jewish captives that God did indeed have plans for them, they would prosper, and all would be restored.

Paul and John wrote of promises given by a proactive sovereign God who gives to exhibit His grace and mercy. They encouraged their readers and us with the promise of a purchased inheritance. An inheritance discovered through the gospel and only fully realized in a time to come.

All who are “In Christ,” are given the same hope of that purchased inheritance. Nonetheless, all of these promises must be considered in the following light; Those who wrote these promises were often in captivity (Philippians is considered to be the happiest book in the Bible, it was written in prison.). The captivity of both old and new testament believers. The suffering of all believers who lived at the time the promises were given and those who suffer today. The promise of suffering for all who are in Christ. That this world we currently live in is broken, distorted and ruled by another.

All of scripture is one continuous story of redemption of God bringing his chosen close to him to enjoy the relationship they were designed to have and to fulfill the purposes they were created for. On these grounds these promises are gifted to the entire body of Christ through grace, not merit. When these promises are fulfilled, all those “In Christ,” will experience their fulfillment. Nor will the richness of them be experienced in individuality but in connection to the body.

The promises of both Old and New Testaments were given to those who had nothing to give, had lost everything and they were given not for profit, to beat on like a pinata or to hold God hostage but to provide hope. These promises of gifts were to increase worship not to bring feelings of entitlement. Having enough faith could never bring surety to these promises as no man has ever had enough faith that he could place God in his debt. Our faith itself is a gift from God, we don’t create faith.

God totally delights in the giving of good gifts but the greatest gift he gave us was when he brought us near, rescued us from the dead, gave us new life, made us joint heirs with Christ and called us the praise of his glory. God’s objective through these gifts is the same today as it was then, restoration. When scripture says, “all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” it is not telling us that God is changing circumstances but that the restoration God is doing in us is for our good.

God finds great delight in exemplifying Himself through giving. All that he gives, he gives to bring glory to Himself and will share His glory with no one. Anything done in the name of God that does not leave Him as the primary focus may simply be signs and wonders empowered by Satan in order to keep one from believing in the love of God and discovering deeper truths on the gospel.

The gospel is not made true by signs and wonders but by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This is why the gospel is not impotent but powerfully standing alone. The issue for most believers is that God is merely a concept that works out their dreams, aspirations, life and agenda. They have not had a God encounter but rather have just a God concept.

A concept that comes from the belief in a theology that teaches that within lies the ability to bring about God’s promises in life. Such a theology leaves one finding life in the combination of God and themselves. Erroneously those holding to these beliefs have been led to believe that lying within them is the ability to turn the spicket of God’s blessings wide open based on their performance or faith. Sadly, such mistaken beliefs rob them of experiencing that which they are hoping to discover through God’s promise of gifts, His love and grace.

Those who teach such theology place a tremendous burden on the broken and only create more brokenness. A theology that places God as an employer paying us with blessings for our obedience or faith is not only false but creates a false God, enslaves others and destroys the effectiveness of those who believe in such a false gospel. “Reap what you sew,” is karma, not gospel.

A theology that leaves the believer the center of their own universe instead of Christ has no power within it at all. The gospel brings good news that tells us that faith places us in the center of doing God's will. Only fake news places God in the position of serving us as the bringer of our dreams, force behind our life and the one who fulfills our aspirations. It is a shameful thought to think that we can put the HOLY God in a position of owing us something, demanding something from Him or placing expectations on Him as a result of our performance or having enough faith.

A gospel that does not tell us first of the greatness of God, what he is doing and that we are merely the benefactors of that which he is doing to bring praise and glory to Himself is not of the Bible. The gospel must always tell us that God is not giving us good gifts because he is making most of us but that He is doing all for His sake, purpose and glory. This is why the gospel must always increase our knowledge and awe of the one that the angels declared as Holy, Holy, Holy in order that His love continuously everyday breaks through, overwhelms us and brings us to greater worship in action and word.

Truth is not found in our faith, abilities, understanding or feelings but in the gospel. External circumstances do not make the gospel true. The good gifts that God gives do not make the gospel true but only reveal to us how deeply God loves.

For further studies:

Exodus 4:11;9:16 Deuteronomy 6:4-8,30:6;32:29, 2 Samuel 7:23;12:15;18,20-22,Job 2:7,10,42:2; Psalm 23:3,25:11,31:3,103:5,106:7-8,135:7,147:18,138:1-2; Proverbs 16:33; Ecclesiastes 2:1-11,7:13-14,22:36-40; Isaiah 6:1-13,30:8,43:6-7,25,45:7,46:9-12,48:9-11,49:3; Jeremiah 10:23,13:11,14:7,30-34; Ezekiel 36:22-38; Daniel 4:35; Amos 3:6; Matthew 5:16,6:19,24,7:11,8:20,11:29,12:38-39,16:1-4,19:16-30; Luke 4:8,12:15; John 4:48,9:3,13:32,16:33,17:1; Romans 1:5,16,5:8,8:15,28,9:16-17,22-23,11:36; 1 Corinthians 2:9,10:31,15; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10; 2 Corinthians 4:17,12:7; Galatians 3:18,4:13-14;Ephesians 1:4-6,11-14,2:4-10; 5:5; Philippians 1:9-11,29,3:8; Colossians 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:9-11; 1Timothy 3:3,6:6-12; 2Timothy 4:20; Hebrews 12:28,13:5; 1 Peter 2:12,4:11-19,5:7; James 1:2-4,5:14-16; Revelation 21:3-5