We believe that the Scriptures, interpreted in their natural, literal sense, reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations—the law, the church, and the kingdom—are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture.
Gen. 1:28, I Cor. 9:17, II Cor. 3:9-18, Eph. 1:10, 3:2-10, Col. 1:24-25, Col. 2:27, Rev. 20:2-6
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; That he was active in the creation; that is His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; That He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
Jn. 1:33, Jn. 3:5-6, Jn. 14:16-17, Jn. 14:26, Jn. 15:26, Jn. 16:8-11, Jn 16:13, Matt. 3:11, Matt. 28:19, Heb. 9:14, Lk. 1:35, Lk. 3:36, Lk. 24:49, Gen. 1:1-13, II Thes. 2:7, II Thes. 2:13, Acts 5:30-36, Acts 11:16, Eph. 1:13-14, Mark 1:8, Rom. 8:14, Rom. 8:16, Rom 8:26-27, I Pet. 1:2
We believe that the gift of tongues, as cited in Mark 16, Acts 2, 10, 19 and I Cor. 12-14, was indeed a ministry of the Holy Spirit to serve as a sign to Israel of the official change made by God from the Old Testament Jewish economy to the New Testament Church Age economy; and that therefore, with the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem in AD 70 (demonstrating God’s judgment on national Israel) and the completion and adequate distribution of the New Testament scriptures very soon after AD 100, there is no longer a need for, or an occurrence of this ministry by the Holy Spirit during the Church Age. Therefore, this Church shall not tolerate, by any of its members at any time, the so-called “speaking in tongues”, or any other counterfeit demonstration of the sign gifts as is associated with the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement.
Mk. 16:14-18, Acts 10:11-18, I Cor. 13:8-12, I Cor. 14:21-22, Is. 28:9-13
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy, the lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all the powers of darkness—destined however to final defeat at the hand of God’s Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice of Hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Is. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:14-17, Rev. 12:9, Jude 1:6, II Pet. 2:4, Eph. 2:2, John 14:30, I Thes. 3:5, Matt. 4:1-3, I Pet. 5:8, Zech. 1:3, I John 3:8, Matt. 13:25, Matt. 13:37-39, Luke 22:3-4, Rev. 12:10, II Cor. 11:13-15, Mark 13:21-22, I John 4:3, II John 1:7, I John 2:22, Rev. 13:13-14, II Thes. 2:8-11, Rev. 19:11, Rev. 19:16-20, Rev. 12:7-9, Rev. 20:1-3, Rev. 20:10, Matt. 25:41
We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development through interminable periods of time form lover to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.”
Gen. 1:1, Ex. 20:11, Acts 4:24, Col. 1:16-17, Heb. 11:3, John 1:3, Rev. 10:6, Rom. 1:20, Acts 17:23-26, Jer. 10:12, Neh. 9:6, Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 2:21-23, Gen. 1:24
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners not by constraint, but of choice, and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
Gen. 3:1-6, Gen. 3:24, Rom. 5:12, Rom 5:19, Rom. 3:10-19, Eph. 2:1, Eph. 2:3, Rom. 1:18, Ezek. 18:19-20, Rom. 1:32, Rom. 1:20, Rom. 1:23, Gal. 3:22
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever, or can ever be born of woman; and that he is the Son of God, and God the Son.
Gen. 3:15, Isa. 7:14, Matt. 1:18-25, Luke 1:35, Mark 1:1, Gal. 4:4, I John 5:20, I Cor. 15:47
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience; and by His death made a full an vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; That, having risen from the dead, he is now enthroned in Heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Saviour.
Eph. 2:8, Acts 15:11, Rom. 3:24, John 3:16, Matt. 18:11, Philip. 2:7, Heb. 2:14, Isa. 53:4-7, Rom 3:25, I John 4:10, I Cor. 15:3, II Cor. 5:21, John 10:18, Philip. 2:8, Gal. 1:4, I Pet. 2:24, I Pet. 3:18, Isa. 53:11, Heb. 12:2, I Cor. 15:20, Isa. 53:12, Heb. 9:12-15, Heb. 7:25, I John 2:2
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that in the new birth the dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life.
John 3:3, II Cor. 5:17, Luke 5:27, I John 5:1, John 3:7, Acts 2:41, Acts 16:30-33, II Pet. 1:4, Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:1, II Cor. 5:19, Col. 2:13, John 3:8, John 1:12-13, Gal. 5:22, Eph. 5:9
We believe in God’s electing grace that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
I Thes. 1:4, Col. 3:12, I Pet. 1:2, Titus 1:1, Rom. 8:29-30, Matt. 11:28, Isa. 55:1, Rev. 22:17, Rom. 10:13, John 6:37, Isa. 55:6, Acts 2:38, Isa. 55:7, John 3:15-16, I Tim. 1:15, I Cor. 15:10, Eph. 2:4-5, John 5:40, John 3:18, John 3:36
We believe that the great gospel blessing, which Christ secures to such as believe in Him, is justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but, solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed to us.
Acts 13:39, Isa. 53:11, Zech. 13:1, Rom. 8:1, Rom. 5:9, Rom. 5:11, Titus 3:5-7, Hab. 2:4, Gal. 3:11, Rom. 4:18, Heb. 10:38
We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time, heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.
Acts 20:21, Mark 1:15, Acts 2:37-38, Luke 18:13, Rom. 10:13, Psa. 51:1-4, Psa. 51:7, Isa. 55:6-7, Luke 12:8, Rom. 10:10-11
We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors, or elders, and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; we believe that the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to reach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost with the authority of the local church to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:36-39, Matt. 3:6, John 3:23, Rom. 6:4-5, Matt. 3:16, Matt. 28:19, Rom. 6:3-5, Col. 2:12, Acts 2:41-42, Matt. 28:19-20, I Cor. 11:23-28
We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.
John 8:31-32, Col. 1:21, I John 2:19, Matt. 13:19-21, Rom. 6:23, Matt. 6:30, Psa. 121:3, Heb. 1:14, I Pet. 1:5, Phil. 1:6, John 10:28, John 10:29, John 16:8, Rom. 8:35-39
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse, and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
Mal. 3:18, Gen. 18:23, Rom. 6:17-18, Prov. 11:31, I Pet. 4:18, Rom. 1:17, I Cor. 15:22, Acts 10:34-35, I John 2:29, I John 3:7, Rom 6:16, I John 5:19, Gal. 3:10, Rom. 7:6, Rom. 6:23, Prov. 14:32, Luke 16:25, Matt. 25:34-41, John 8:21, Luke 9:26, John 12:25, Matt. 7:13-14
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God”; “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven” –bodily, personally and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”’ that the living saints “shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; “That the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David”; and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet.”
Matt. 28:6-7, Luke 24:39, John 20:27, I Cor. 15:4, Mark 16:6, Luke 24:2, Luke 24:4-6, Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19, Rev. 3:21, Heb. 8:1, Heb. 12:2, Heb. 8:6, I Tim. 2:5, I John 2:1, Heb. 2:17, Heb. 5:9-10, John 14:3, I Thes. 4:16, Matt. 24:27, Matt. 25:13, Jam. 5:8, Matt. 24:42, Heb. 9:28, I Thes. 4:16, Matt. 24:27, I Cor. 15:42-44, I Cor. 15:52, Isa. 32:1, Isa. 11:4-5, Psa. 72:8, Rev. 20:1-4, Rev. 20:6
The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches. Matt. 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Mark 16:15: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
John 20:21: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Romans 10:13-15: “ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the Faith.
II Cor. 8:7: “Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.”
We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse (common treasury of the Church) upon the first day of the week.
I Cor. 16:2: “Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
Under grace we give, and do not pay, the tithe – “Abraham GAVE a tenth part of all” – “Abraham GAVE the tenth of the spoils” – Hebrews 7:2,4 – and this was four hundred years before the law, and is confirmed in the New Testament; Jesus said concerning the tithe, “These ye ought to have done” – Matt. 23:23.
We are commanded to bring the tithe into the common treasury of the Church.
Acts 4:34, 35, 37: “And brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostle’s feet…Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostle’s feet.”
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support this local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
Gen. 14:20, Prov. 3:9-10, II Cor. 9:6-7, Gal. 6:6, Eph. 4:28, I Tim. 5:17-18, I John 3:17
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the Church; 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.
Rom. 13:1-7, Eph. 5:22-24, Heb. 13:17, I Pet. 2:13-14