Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Our Beliefs
GOD
We believe in the One, True God who is perfect, immutable, ageless, and self-revealing. He is the Creator of all things and manifests Himself in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His character is holy, loving, and faultless in wisdom. He is everywhere, all the time, in full power. [Deuteronomy 6:4, 29:29, Hebrews 6:17, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:3, Psalm 98:2, Isaiah 43:11-12, John 17:6, 1 John 4:16, 2 Corinthians 13:14]
JESUS
We believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God. Born of a virgin, He lived a perfect life and proclaimed God’s redemptive plan [Prophet]. Upon the cross, Jesus died an atoning death, by which salvation was made available to those who believe in Him. After His death on the cross, Jesus rose from the grave after three days, conquering death and ascending to heaven, where He intercedes for us before the Father [Priest]. In the end, He will return to overcome evil and will bring righteous judgment to all mankind, both living and dead [King]. [Matthew 1:22, 16:16, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 4:25, Philippians 2:9-11, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Colossians 1:15-20]
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit as God’s abiding presence with His children. As our Counselor and Comforter, the Holy Spirit convicts, restores, sustains, guides, and enables us to discover and utilize our spiritual gifts for the glory of God, the benefit of the Body of Christ, and the pursuit of the Great Commission. [John 14:16-17, 26, Romans 8:26-27, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 1:13-14]
BIBLE
We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, perfectly communicate God’s redemptive plan for His people. Thus the Bible is our standard and authority for faith and life. [Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Psalm 12:6, 119:11]
MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God, invited into a perfect relationship with Him, and appointed as steward over creation. However, because of our disobedience and sin, mankind has become separated from God and spiritually lost. Now all Creation suffers, our souls are corrupted, and evil abounds. [Genesis 1:26-30, 6:12, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 24:5, Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:22]
SALVATION
We believe that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins through His sacrificial death on the cross. Through His atoning work, Christ created the only way for mankind to be reconciled into a right relationship with God. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and proclaims Him as Lord will discover real and eternal life. Salvation comes as a gift of God’s grace and love, not by our good works or ability. [Acts 4:12, Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26, 5:1-3, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Timothy 3:14-15, Titus 2:11-14, Galatians 2:20-21]
ORDINANCES
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacred activities in which all Believers are to share. Water baptism symbolizes the spiritual reality of our commitment to Christ and makes our salvation known to others. The Lord’s Supper encourages us to remember Jesus’ death and to anticipate His return. While significant and expected of Believers, both baptism and the Lord’s Supper follow salvation. [Romans 6:1-4, Matthew 3:13-15, 28:19-20, Acts 2:38-39, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26]
CHURCH
We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, consisting of all who believe in Jesus and have been reborn by the Holy Spirit through faith. The purposes of the Church are to love God completely and to reflect God’s love to others. As the Bride of Christ, the Church works to reveal the Kingdom of God on earth and faithfully awaits Christ’s return. [1 Corinthians 12:27-28, Ephesians 4:11-13, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10]
SATAN
We believe that Satan stands opposed to God in character and intent. While Satan has temporal control of earth and mankind, Jesus Christ has conquered the powers of sin and death through His death and resurrection. Ultimately, Satan will be defeated and destroyed by God. [1 Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7-8a, 1 John 3:8, Luke 10:18, Revelation 20:1-3, 10]
END TIMES
We believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth as Conquering King and Righteous Judge. He will punish evil and will judge all mankind, both living and dead. All those who chose to follow Christ will be united with their King for eternity while those who rejected Him will be forever separated from God. [Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-4, 1 Peter 1:3-6, Matthew 25:31-34]