WE BELIEVE:

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1. That YHWH, the singular God of the Bible, is the one and only true God, the creator of heaven and Earth and of all that exists.
    

2. That in order to fill existence with meaning and purpose, God chose to give human beings free will - that is the ability to choose not to follow God's will. This free will led to Adam and Eve's disobedience and continues in the choices that we all make today.
    

3. That the act of disobedience perpetrated by Adam and Eve introduced sin, decay, pain, evil, sickness, and degradation into God's perfect creation.
    

4. That the universe we live in is governed by systems that God established (gravity, weather, reproduction, etc), but is not directly and completely controlled by God. Free will means that our choices have unintended and even unknowable ripple effects and consequences that are often far away from God's perfect plan.
    

5. That beginning with the temporary and imperfect Old Testament system of law and sacrifices, and culminating in the final ransom paid by Jesus, God has worked to reconcile us back into relationship with Him.
    

6. That Jesus Christ was the Son of God, a real person, born of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was fully God's son and also fully Mary's son, both diety and human, subject to the limitations, sufferings, and temptations of humanity. He lived a sinless life and was unjustly crucified on a cross.
    

7. That Jesus' death on the cross paid the price of sin for all of humanity, for all time, offering each and every person the opportunity to be reconciled to God and deemed righteous not through personal goodness or good deeds, but only through faith in Jesus and submission to Him as Lord and Savior.
    

8. That Jesus rose from the dead three days after His crucifixion, and in doing so, conquered death and gave every person the opportunity to enjoy the promise and reality of eternal life with God.
    

9. That after Jesus returned to heaven, God sent His Holy Spirit to fill and inhabit every person who puts their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit leads and empowers each individual believer to be free from slavery to sin and to mature into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
    

10. That through the Holy Spirit, every follower of Christ has purpose in God's plan, a function within the Church, and one or more gifts of the Holy Spirit meant for the support and growth of the Church and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world.
     

11. That Jesus will return again, signaling the final judgment of all humanity, past and present, at which time only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will enter into eternity with God. And those who have not will spend eternity in anguish and separation from God and all things good.
     

12. That every person is made in the likeness and image of God, is loved by God, and God desires to be restored in relationship with them. Because of this, we believe that every person inherently deserves to be treated with extravagant love, abundant grace, unending mercy, and the highest level of dignity and honor, regardless of their outward or inward characteristics, actions, or beliefs.
     

13. That the Bible defines the heart of God towards human behavior, specifically defining what is sin or providing clear parameters to determine if a behavior is sin. Regardless of popular opinion, the logic of humanity, or the desires of our heart, sin is sin and must be abandoned in pursuit of the standard of Jesus.
     

14. That we are all sinners fallen short of the glory of God, and that we cannot save ourselves. There is no sin so small it does not condemn us outside of faith in Christ and no sin so big it cannot be forgiven through faith in Christ - except for the rejection of the Holy Spirit, without whom we have no hope of freedom from sin.
     

15. That we are saved by grace through faith and not by works, but also that faith without works is dead. We believe that a person can accept the Gospel fully and with joy and come to a place where they walk away from that faith and forfeit the promise of salvation and eternal life. Therefore, we believe that what we do with the gifts and time that God gives us in this life matters in eternity.
     

16. That the Church is not given the mission or mandate of judging or condemning the world, but instead is called to love people to God.
     

17. That the Church's mission is not to accumulate wealth, land, or property. It is not to control politics, governments, or any other man-made institution. It is not to force the standards of Christ on those who do not yet acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior. 
     

18. That the primary mission of the Church, the Body of Christ, is to make disciples by preaching the Gospel of Jesus, baptizing them, and teaching them to know, obey, and live out the teachings and commands of Jesus Christ.