The Rapture of the Church: The next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the personal, bodily coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus. At that exact moment, every believer will be conformed unto His image. This event is the blessed hope set before us in Scripture and we are encouraged to be constantly looking for it (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 3:2; John 14:1-3).

The Tribulation Period: After this removal of believers from the earth, the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon the unbelieving world. These judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth, at which time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will also be raised and the living be judged (Revelation 6:1-9; 22:12-13; Daniel 9:27; Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12).

The Millennium: After this judgment Christ will establish His Messianic Kingdom in which the resurrection saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth for one thousand years (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:1-16; 65:15-17; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Revelation 19:11-14; 1:1-8).

The Eternal State: At the close of the millennial reign, the unsaved dead will be raised and judged and committed to eternal punishment and the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God. Having fulfilled His redemptive and kingdom missions as the Son of Abraham and the Son of David, Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father that the Triune God may reign forever in all spheres (Mark 9:43-48; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-4; 22:5).

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Its Mission: We believe the church as the Body of Christ has a four-fold mission:

1) Worship - The highest privilege and responsibility of the church both gathered and scattered is worship and adoration of our great God, the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord through the eternal Holy Spirit (John 4:23-24; 16:13-14; Acts 2:42; Revelation 4:11; 5:12-13).

2) Instruction - The central life line of the church is the Word of God. Therefore, one of the prime responsibilities is the nurture of the believer through the instruction and admonition of our Father’s Word (Colossians 1:28; Acts 20:28-32; 2 Timothy 2:2; 3:16).

3) Fellowship - Since the believer is a part of a body and not simply an isolated individual, one of the primary responsibilities of the church is to so order its corporate life that genuine fellowship is precipitated among believers (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:24-25; Philippians 2:1-4; 1 John 1:3).

4) Evangelism - The last command of the risen Christ was for His followers to make disciples permeate the entire world in a continuous effort to disciple men (Matthew 20:28; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15-16; Colossians 1:28).

Its Authority: These local assemblies have been given the needed authority for administering that order, discipline, and worship which Christ the sovereign Head has appointed. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders and deacons (Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 6:1-6; 1 Corinthians 14:40; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5).

Its Spiritual Gifts: We believe that every member of the Body of Christ has been given at least one spiritual gift at his conversion according to the sovereign will of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are to be developed and used in the local assembly to the end that every believer will become completely mature in Christ. Their specific purpose is the mutual edification of the saints.

Its Ordinances: We believe the church as the Body of Christ has two ordinances:

1) Baptism - We believe that baptism by immersion is an outward sign and confession of identification with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. We do not believe that salvation is obtained by baptism nor is baptism required for salvation. Baptism is not an act of removing sins (Romans 6:3-6; Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 2:4-6; Acts 2:38-41; 10:48).

2) The Lord’s Supper - We believe the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s body which was broken for us and of His blood that was shed for our sins. There are two requirements that must be met before a person can partake of the Supper. First, a person must be born again, for one who is not saved cannot show forth the Lord’s death when he has been unwilling to accept the Savior and His atoning work for him. Secondly, a Christian must examine himself to determine if he is in right fellowship with the Lord. We are warned of the consequences of partaking unworthily. When these two requirements are met the believer is free to participate. We believe it is the Lord’s table and as such is open to all believers who are in right relationship with God, regardless of denomination. Not only is the Lord’s Supper a memorial of what Christ has done on the Cross, but it shows our faith in that past work and faith in His anticipated return (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-30).

The Fall of Some: One of the angels, Lucifer, fell through the sin of pride, thereby becoming Satan, and influenced a large company of angels to follow him, who thereby became demons (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-15; Luke 10:18; James 2:19; 2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 3:18; Revelation 12:7-9).

Satan’s Work: The work of Satan and the demons is the attempted subversion and supplanting of the work of God. By a subtle suggestion, Satan accomplished the moral fall of the progenitors of the human race, subjecting them and their posterity to his own power (Genesis 3:1-7; Job 1:12; 2:6; Zechariah 3:1-2; John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 2:2).

Satan continues as the enemy of God and the accuser of God’s people and persistently seeks to counterfeit the works and truth of God (2 Corinthians 2:10-11; 11:13-15; Ephesians 6:12-16; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10).

We believe that Satan was judged at the cross, and that at the second coming of Christ, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and after the thousand years, he will be loosed for a little season and then the judgment will be executed by his being “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,” where he shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (John 12:31; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:1-3, 10).

1) Sanctification is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Christ’s position. Since the believer is in Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God.

2) We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. When Paul says your “old man” is crucified with Him in Romans 6:6, he is not saying that the old nature is eradicated or annihilated. Paul is saying that since the old man was crucified he is no longer powerless, ungodly, a slave to sin, and an enemy of God. The regenerated man has been declared righteous from sin, acquitted and perfect in Christ. However, provision has been made for victory over the sin nature. He is no longer a slave to sin but a slave to righteousness. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is not more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, consequently, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to “grow in grace,” and to be changed by the unhindered power of the Spirit.

3) We also believe, that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him” (1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:10-14; Romans 6:1-5; John 17:17-19; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 4:24; 5:25-27; Hebrews 12:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (resurrection).

Romans 10:9-10 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught [it], but [it] [came] through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2; John 3:5; John 1:12-13; Romans 3:24).

The purpose of salvation is that the believer might glorify God in his body through a life of fellowship and service for the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:13; 12:1-2; Colossians 3:17; Revelation 4:11).

The consummation of salvation will occur at the Rapture when the believer shall be delivered from the presence of sin, at which time he will also be glorified, being conformed to the image of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:1-3).

We believe that because of the eternal purpose of God toward the objects of His love, because of His freedom to exercise grace toward unworthy mankind on the grounds of the propitiatory blood of Christ, because of the very nature of the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending intercession and advocacy of Christ in heaven, because of the immutability of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, once salvation has transpired it is eternal and unchangeable. (John 3:3; 3:8; 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:16-17; 17:11; 17:15; Romans 8:29-39; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2; 5:3; Jude 24; 2 Timothy 1:12).