Statement of Faith

I believe…

1. There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of his personality. The Father sent His only Son to become the redemption for lost mankind. The Holy Spirit was sent to continue the mission of Christ through individuals and in His body, the Church.

2. Jesus Christ came in the flesh, fully God and fully man, yet without sin. As God and the Son, He came to earth as a man, born of a virgin, and fulfilled all He was sent to accomplish. He died on the cross for the sins of the world, after three days he rose from the dead, and He rules today at the right hand of God the Father. He will return in the clouds on the appointed day of the Father to call up all those who have been washed and regenerated by the atoning work of the cross of Christ. Jesus Christ is central to all true mind renewal and freedom. “Apart from Him we can do nothing” (John 15:5).

3. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He lives within the heart of the true Christian, providing the power to obey God’s word, convicting of sin, teaching and leading into all truth, renewing the mind, providing comfort in times of distress, and unifying all true believers in a bond of love. The Holy Spirit is the way that God communicates with His people through inspiration of the written Word and through inner communication of the heart. It is believed that the Holy Spirit is the One who reveals truth to the person during a CHRIST IN ACTION PRAYER session. The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of spiritual birth, and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power, and control are made available in the believer’s life by faith. Every believer is called to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh, but will bear fruit to the glory of God.

4. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and “is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Tim. 3:16 NLT). It is timeless and relevant for all circumstances and without error in its original form. It is the fullness of God’s divine inspired revelation to man. The Word of God must be allowed to interpret itself by itself in its accurate historical and literary context

5. Man was originally created in the image of God. He sinned by disobeying God; thus, he was alienated from his Creator. This original fall brought all of mankind under divine condemnation. Man’s original nature is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God in his fallen flesh. Every man is in need of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. The salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight. It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based on any kind of human merit, but is produced by the witness of the Holy Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written word. Since all people are born in a fallen state, separated from God, those who do not respond in faith to God’s gracious free gift through Christ live in a fallen state and will be eternally separated from God in an eternal hell. Those who come to Christ in faith are made new creatures and will live in heaven for all eternity. Jesus took on our sin that we might become His righteousness. God is actively at work through the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, renewing his mind and maturing his Spirit “ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13–14 NIV).

6. Sanctification is the “setting apart” of the believer from a life of sin unto a life of godliness and holiness.  Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. Sanctification includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.

A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart through the power of the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior.

B. Justification is God’s gracious and merciful acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the transforming presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerated person’s life.

D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

8. Salvation is an ongoing process. We were saved when we came to Christ in faith(we became new creatures, redeemed, made right with God). As we seek the healing power of the Holy Spirit, those lies that we believe in our hearts, our minds, our self-will and our emotions are being redeemed and transformed by Him into the nature and character of Christ.

9. The Church is made up of all people who believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins and who are partakers of the divine nature. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the determining factor of one’s authentic faith relationship with God, not one’s denomination, religious practice, or performance in Christian disciplines.  For “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Rom. 8:9). The primary call and mission of the church is to go forth and proclaim the good news of freedom in Christ to all the world (Matt. 28:19–20), to bring truth to those held captive by the kingdom of darkness, and to prepare the way for His second coming by making ready His bride (Luke 4:18).