The Triune God

We believe in the Tri-unity of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is one living and true God, eternally existing in three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each Person is fully and truly God, equal in divine nature, power, glory, and majesty, yet the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. These three Persons are one in essence and constitute the one true God, who alone is worthy of all worship, honor, and glory.

— Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:21–22; Matt. 28:19; John 1:1–3; 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14

The Holy Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. The Scriptures are God-breathed and therefore completely trustworthy and true in all that they affirm. They are the supreme and final authority for faith, doctrine, worship, and Christian living.

We further believe in the sufficiency of Scripture: everything necessary for God's glory, salvation, faith, and obedience is either expressly stated in Scripture or may be necessarily concluded from it. No human tradition, church authority, private revelation, or philosophy possesses authority equal to or above the written Word of God.

— Ps. 19:7–11; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; 1 Thess. 2:13

God the Father and His Sovereignty

We believe that God the Father is personal, transcendent, eternal, holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, and absolutely sovereign over all creation. He created all things from nothing and continually upholds, directs, and governs all things according to the counsel of His own will and for His own glory.

We believe that from eternity God sovereignly decreed whatsoever comes to pass, yet in such a manner that He is neither the author of sin nor does He violate the responsibility of His creatures. Nothing occurs outside His sovereign providence, and His purposes cannot be frustrated.

— Isa. 45:5–7, 21–23; 46:9–10; Dan. 4:35; Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28; 11:33–36; Acts 2:23; 4:27–28

Humanity, Sin, and Total Depravity

We believe that mankind was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. Through Adam's disobedience, however, sin entered the world and death through sin. As the representative head of humanity, Adam's fall brought guilt, corruption, and death upon his descendants.

Therefore, all mankind is sinful by nature and by choice, spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, hostile toward God, and justly under His condemnation. Fallen humanity possesses neither the desire nor the moral ability to reconcile itself to God apart from His sovereign grace.

Salvation, therefore, does not originate in man's wisdom, goodness, works, or autonomous will, but in the gracious initiative of God.

— Gen. 1:26–27; 3:1–19; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; John 6:44; Rom. 3:9–18, 23; 5:12–19; 8:7–8; Eph. 2:1–3; 1 Cor. 2:14

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, truly God and truly man, one Person possessing two distinct natures without confusion, change, division, or separation. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life in complete obedience to the Father.

Jesus willingly offered Himself upon the cross as the substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. On the cross He bore the wrath of God due to His people, satisfying divine justice and securing their redemption through His blood.

We believe that Christ physically and bodily rose from the dead on the third day, demonstrating His victory over sin and death. He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, reigns as Lord over all things, and continually intercedes for His people.

Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, and there is salvation in no other name.

— Isa. 53:4–6; Matt. 1:18–25; John 1:1–3, 14; 8:58; 10:30; Acts 1:9–11; 4:12; Rom. 3:24–26; 4:25; 5:8–10; 1 Cor. 15:3–4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 1:15–20; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:15; 7:25; 9:11–12; 1 Peter 2:24

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully and eternally God, equal in divine nature and glory with the Father and the Son. He is a divine Person and not merely an impersonal force or power.

The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He sovereignly brings spiritually dead sinners to life through regeneration, granting them new hearts and enabling them to repent and believe the Gospel. This new birth is a work of God's sovereign grace and is not produced by man's natural ability or will.

The Holy Spirit permanently indwells every true believer, seals believers for the day of redemption, sanctifies them, produces spiritual fruit within them, empowers them for service, and progressively conforms them to the image of Jesus Christ.

— Ezek. 36:26–27; John 3:3–8; 6:63; 16:7–11; Rom. 8:9–14; 1 Cor. 6:19; 12:3; Eph. 1:13–14; 2:4–5; 5:18; Titus 3:5–7

God's Sovereign Grace in Salvation

We believe that salvation is entirely of the Lord and is a work of God's sovereign grace from beginning to end. Before the foundation of the world, God graciously chose in Christ a people for Himself, not because of foreseen faith, works, merit, or any goodness within them, but according to His sovereign purpose and grace.

Those whom the Father has chosen are redeemed by the Son and effectually called by the Holy Spirit. Through this gracious calling, God gives spiritual life to those who were dead in sin, granting repentance and faith so that they willingly and freely come to Christ.

We therefore affirm the biblical doctrines historically known as the Doctrines of Grace: man's radical or total depravity, God's unconditional election, Christ's definite and effectual redemption of His people, the Holy Spirit's effectual calling, and God's preservation of His saints.

All glory for salvation belongs to God alone.

— John 6:37–44, 65; 10:14–16, 26–29; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28–30; 9:10–24; Eph. 1:3–6, 11; 2:1–10; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:3–7

The Atonement

We believe that Christ's death was substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive. Jesus did not merely make salvation hypothetically possible; through His death He actually accomplished the redemption of those whom the Father gave Him.

Christ bore their sins, satisfied God's righteous judgment against them, obtained their redemption, and secured every saving blessing necessary to bring them finally and completely to God.

The Gospel is nevertheless to be freely and sincerely proclaimed to all people everywhere, commanding all people to repent and believe upon Jesus Christ. Everyone who comes to Christ in genuine repentance and faith will be received and will never be cast out.

— Isa. 53:10–12; Matt. 1:21; John 3:16; 6:37; 10:11, 14–15; Acts 17:30; Rom. 3:24–26; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:25–27; Heb. 9:12; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev. 5:9–10

Repentance and Faith

We believe that God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel. Saving repentance involves a genuine turning from sin toward God, and saving faith rests upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

Repentance and faith are inseparable graces granted by God and exercised by the sinner. Neither repentance nor faith merits salvation; rather, through faith the sinner receives Christ and His righteousness as God's gracious gift.

— Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3; John 3:14–18; Acts 2:38; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:25

Justification by Faith Alone

We believe that sinners are justified before God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Justification is God's gracious judicial declaration by which He pardons the believer's sins and declares the believer righteous solely on account of the righteousness and finished work of Jesus Christ.

Our works form no part of the basis of our justification. Christ's perfect righteousness is credited to believers, and His sacrificial death completely satisfies the penalty owed for their sins. Faith is the instrument by which Christ and His righteousness are received, not a work by which salvation is earned.

Good works necessarily flow from genuine saving faith as its fruit and evidence, but never constitute the ground of our acceptance before God.

— Rom. 3:21–28; 4:4–8; 5:1, 18–19; Gal. 2:16; 3:11; Eph. 2:8–10; Phil. 3:8–9; 2 Cor. 5:21

The Perseverance and Preservation of the Saints

We believe that all whom God has genuinely regenerated, justified, and united to Christ will be preserved by His power and will persevere in faith until the end.

True believers may experience seasons of weakness, temptation, doubt, and serious sin; nevertheless, God will not finally abandon those whom He has adopted as His children. Christ loses none of those whom the Father has given Him.

Our security rests ultimately not in the strength of our grip upon Christ, but in the faithfulness of God, the finished work and continuing intercession of Christ, and the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit.

— John 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Rom. 8:29–39; Phil. 1:6; Heb. 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3–5; Jude 24–25

Sanctification and Christian Living

We believe that everyone whom God justifies He also progressively sanctifies. Although believers are declared righteous solely through the righteousness of Christ, the Holy Spirit progressively transforms them into the likeness of Christ.

Good works and obedience do not earn or maintain our justification, but they are the necessary fruit and evidence of genuine saving faith. Believers are called to pursue holiness, put sin to death, love God and neighbor, and live lives that glorify God in every area.

— John 14:15; Rom. 6:1–14; 8:12–14; 12:1–2; Gal. 5:16–25; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:12–13; Heb. 12:14

The Church

We believe that the Church is the Body and Bride of Christ, expressed both universally and through local congregations. Jesus Christ alone is the supreme Head of His Church, and every local church is ultimately accountable to Him and governed according to His Word.

The universal Church consists of all God's redeemed people throughout history who are united to Christ by faith. The local church consists of professing believers who covenant together for worship, biblical instruction, fellowship, prayer, the ordinances, evangelism, discipleship, discipline, and mutual encouragement.

We believe that Christ has given the local church the biblical offices of elders—also described in Scripture as pastors or overseers—and deacons, whose qualifications and responsibilities are established by Scripture.

— Matt. 16:18; 18:15–20; Acts 2:41–47; 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 1:22–23; 4:11–16; Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9

Baptism and the Lord's Supper

We believe that Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances for His Church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

We believe that baptism is for those who personally repent of their sins and profess faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is administered by immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It signifies the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and publicly identifies the believer as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Baptism does not regenerate, justify, or save.

We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for His Church as a continual remembrance and proclamation of His sacrificial death until He returns. The bread and cup do not become the literal body and blood of Christ, nor is Christ sacrificed anew. Rather, believers partake in faith, remembering Christ's once-for-all sacrifice and proclaiming His death until He comes.

— Matt. 28:19–20; Acts 2:38–41; 8:36–39; Rom. 6:3–4; 1 Cor. 10:16–17; 11:23–26; Col. 2:12; Heb. 10:10–14

The Five Solas

We joyfully affirm the great biblical truths recovered and emphasized during the Protestant Reformation:

Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone: The Bible is our supreme and final authority for faith and practice.

Sola Gratia — Grace Alone: Salvation is entirely the gracious gift of God and cannot be earned.

Sola Fide — Faith Alone: We are justified before God through faith alone, apart from works.

Solus Christus — Christ Alone: Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and mankind and the only way of salvation.

Soli Deo Gloria — To the Glory of God Alone: All things—including creation, redemption, and the Christian life—exist ultimately for the glory of God.

— Isa. 42:8; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 3:28; 11:36; Eph. 2:8–9; 1 Tim. 2:5; 2 Tim. 3:16–17

The Return of Christ, Resurrection, and Final Judgment

We believe that Jesus Christ will personally, visibly, and gloriously return. At His coming, the dead will be raised, and all mankind will stand before God in final judgment.

Those who are in Christ will enter everlasting life in the presence of God, while those who die apart from Christ will face everlasting conscious punishment under the righteous judgment of God.

We therefore eagerly await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the consummation of His Kingdom, when sin and death will be finally defeated and God's redeemed people will dwell with Him forever in the new heavens and new earth.

— Matt. 25:31–46; John 5:28–29; Acts 1:11; 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:20–28, 50–57; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; 2 Thess. 1:7–10; Rev. 20:11–15; 21:1–5

Our Theological Convictions

We stand within the historic Protestant and Reformed Baptist tradition and affirm the doctrines commonly summarized by the Five Solas of the Reformation and the Doctrines of Grace.

While Scripture alone is our infallible and final authority, our theological convictions substantially reflect the historic Reformed Baptist faith expressed in the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.

Above all, we believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.

Soli Deo Gloria.