STATEMENT OF FAITH

Article One: The Inspiration of the Scriptures

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

Article Two: The One True God

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind.  He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; Matthew 28:29; Luke 3:22).

Article Three: The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  The Scriptures declare:

     a) His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31,35).

     b) His sinless life (Hebrews 7:36; 1 Peter 2:22).

     c) His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38).

     d) His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

     e) His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4).

     f) His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9,11; 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1-3).

Article Four: The Fall of Man

Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”  However, man by voluntary transgression fell then thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26,27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).

Article Five: The Salvation of Man

Man‘s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

     a) Conditions to Salvation

          1) Salvation is received through repentance towards God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.

          2) By washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, being   justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Luke 24-47; John 3:3, Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).

     b) The Evidence of Salvation

          1) The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16).

          2) The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).

Article Six: The ordinances of the Church

     a) Baptism in Water

          1) The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures.

          2) All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized.  Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4).

     b) Holy Communion

          1) The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements – bread and the fruit of the vine – is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26) and a prophecy of His second coming and is enjoyed on all believers “till He Comes!”

Article Seven: The Baptism in The Holy Spirit

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promises 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 come the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:29; Acts 1:4,8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31).  This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9).  With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as the overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His word and for the lost (Mark 16:20).

Article Eight: The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4).  The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (I Corinthians 12:4-10,28), but different in purpose and use.

     a) Continuing Evidence

          1) Since the gifts of the Spirit are used for the edification of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) it is vital to continually participate in them.

Article Nine:  Sanctification

Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 12:1,2; Hebrews 13:12).  The Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).  By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15,16). Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection and by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-11,13; 8:1,2,13; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 1:5; Philippians 2:12,13).

Article Ten: The Church and Its Mission

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission.  Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the Assembly which are written in the Lamb’s Book (Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23). Since God’s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the priority reasons for being part of the assembly is:

     a) To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16).

     b) To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (1 Corinthians 12:13).

     c) To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:12).

Article Eleven: The Five-Fold Ministry Gifts (Ephesians 4:11)

A divinely called and scripturally ordered ministry of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor & teacher have been provided by our Lord Jesus for the purpose of building up the local assembly in the unity, faith and knowledge so that the local assembly will attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  All of these gifts should minister together in the local church.

Article Twelve: Restoration of the Church

The church is being restored as the one true Israel and the New Testament church is the spiritual reality of the Tabernacle of David on Mount Zion.  Hence, the church is the Zion of the Lord, the tabernacle or dwelling of His presence (Amos 9:11, Isaiah 16:5; Acts 15:16; Hebrews 12:22; 1 Peter 2:9).

Article Thirteen: Restoration of Davidic Worship

God is restoring Davidic worship to the local church, which includes instruments of all kinds, clapping of hands, singing, shouting, dancing (including choreographed), lifting up of hands and bowing (1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 149; 150; Acts 15:16-18).

Article Fourteen: Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God will manifest itself in force through God’s restorative plan, prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Christian world, with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, should make preparation for the Lord’s return by actively building the Kingdom of God here on earth (Acts 2:34-35; 3:21,22; Matthew 6:10).

Article Fifteen: Divine Healing

Divine Healing is an integral part of the gospel.  Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:14-16).

Article Sixteen: The Lord’s Return

The Lord Jesus shall return to take dominion and to reign forever upon the earth (1 Corinthians 15; Acts 1:11; Revelation 21; 22).

Article Seventeen: Restoration of Truth

There shall be a continuous restoration of truth as from the beginning of Martin Luther’s times until the coming of the Lord, therefore we will prayerfully be open to receiving more revelation from the Word of God since we believe in progressive revelation (Joel 2).