Beliefs

The Old and New Testament are verbally inspired by God, the only written revelation from God to man. The Bible is infallible and the authoritative rule of faith and conduct for mankind (II Timothy 3:15-17, I Thessalonians 2:13 & II Peter 1:21).

Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). By a voluntary act of the will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). That first sin had several repercussions: Man was excommunicated from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23), a curse was pronounced (Genesis 3:14-19), the process of physical death began (Genesis 2:17) and man died spiritually (Romans 5:12-19). Sin separated humankind from God (Ephesians 2:11-18) and left man in a fallen and sinful condition (Romans 3:23).

God is called by many different names because of the different dimensions of His personality, but God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is super-dimensional and eternally self-existent (John 8:54-59). God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1 & 2). While God is one, He has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

The only means of salvation is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12 & John 14:6). He died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins (I Peter 2:24). He offers each of us a pardon for our sins (Hebrews 9:26) and wants us to become children of God (John 1:12).

When we put our faith in Christ, it triggers a spiritual chain reaction. We become the Temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19). Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 3:5). We become citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20-21). We are given eternal life (John 3:16). We are adopted and become children of God (Gal. 4:4-7). Our sins are forgiven and forgotten (Heb. 8:12). We are credited with the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 4:4-5). We are born again (John 3:3). God takes ownership of us (I Cor. 6:20). We receive an eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14 & I Peter 1:3-5).

The evidence of salvation is two-fold. The internal evidence is the direct witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). The external evidence is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). We become a new creation (II Cor. 5:17) and are transformed into the image of Christ (II Cor. 3:18).

The Church is the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-27) and has a three-fold purpose: to evangelize the world (Acts 1:8 & Mark 16:15-16), to worship God (I Cor. 12:13) and to equip for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16 & I Cor. 12:28, 14:12).

The nine fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) are the by-product of a Spirit-filled life and evidence of spiritual maturity. The nine gifts of the Spirit are different manifestations of the Spirit to build up the body (I Cor. 12:1-11). We are instructed to diligently seek the gifts (I Cor. 12:31, 14:1), but they must be exercised in an orderly way (I Cor. 14:26-33) in the context of love (I Cor. 13:1-13).

Isaiah 53:4–5 [KJV / NIV]
Matthew 8:16–17 [KJV / NIV]
James 5:14–16 [KJV / NIV]

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father — the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire — according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts, and their uses in the work of the ministry.

Luke 24:49 [KJV / NIV]
Acts 1:4 [KJV / NIV]
Acts 1:8 [KJV / NIV]
1 Corinthians 12:1–31 [KJV / NIV]

This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.

Acts 8:12–17 [KJV / NIV]
Acts 10:44–46 [KJV / NIV]
Acts 11:14–16 [KJV / NIV]
Acts 15:7–9 [KJV / NIV]

With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:

an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37–39 [KJV / NIV]; Acts 4:8 [KJV / NIV]

a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43 [KJV / NIV]; Hebrews 12:28 [KJV / NIV]
an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42 [KJV / NIV]

and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost, Mark 16:20 [KJV / NIV]