What we Believe

The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, truth without error, clear and powerful in its message, sufficient for all of our needs, and final authority for faith and life. We believe the Bible has 66 canonical books; 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. These books were originally inspired and given by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Scripture is sufficient, inerrant, infallible, and to be believed and obeyed as the written Word of God, acting as the supreme authority in all matters of faith and life.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 7:24; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32, Belgic Confession Articles 3-8)

The Triune God
We believe in the triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — These three persons are one God, the same in substance, equal in power, glory and honor. The Triune God is holy, loving, good, wise and almighty. He has created all things by His Word out of nothing. He sustains, provides for and rules all things. He is our only redeemer and Who will judge all people.

(Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:5-6; Revelation 22:13, Belgic Confession Articles 9-10, Heidelberg Q&A 26,29,53)

Jesus Christ
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, Who added full humanity to His perfect deity, obeyed God perfectly, died for our sins on the cross, rose again to defeat Satan and returned to heaven to intercede for His people. We believe in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary and atoning death on the cross covering the wrath of God on our behalf. We believe in Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension, and that he is now seated at the right hand of the Father where he rules over and intercedes for the Church. We believe that Jesus will personally return in power and glory.

(Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30-31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; 1 John 1:8-2:2; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Acts 1:11, Belgic Confession Articles 11,18-19)

Humanity
We believe that God created men and women in His image and likeness for fellowship with Himself. Just as Adam and Eve sinned and that by their disobedience, so the entire human race has been alienated from God, depraved and totally lost, incapable of living holy lives on our own. In His wisdom, God created humanity as male and female, both uniquely different from the other in order to compliment each other’s gifts. God has given to us the unique and exclusive relationship between one man and one woman with the gift of the covenant of marriage. All sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage is sinful.

(Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23, Genesis 1:27, Mark 10:6-9, 1: Corinthians 6:15-18, Belgic Confession Articles 14-15)

Salvation
We believe Salvation is a gift from God to man. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin’s penalty. Through God’s grace and mercy, eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into His life by faith. We believe in the Holy Spirit Who has been sent to complete and perfect in us all of the works that Jesus did for us. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates, sanctifies us, gifts us for ministry and assures us of our salvation.

(Romans 5:1; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, John 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26Mark 1:15, John 3:16, Belgic Confession Articles 20-24,26, Heidelberg Q&A 15-19)

Last Days
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ to this earth where he will come to rule over His Kingdom with all authority and majesty. We believe in the bodily resurrection and final judgment of all people, the eternal salvation of the saved, and the everlasting, conscious punishment of the lost.

(Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21-22; Revelation 20:10, 14-15; Matthew 25:21; Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28)

The Church
We believe the church should live for the glory of God and be marked by Christ-likeness, prayerfulness, joyful obedience, and love of God and neighbor. The mission of the church is one of word and deed as salt and light, seeking to save the lost, making disciples, working for righteousness, and caring for the hurting and needy in joyful obedience to the Great Commission.

(1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 5:1-2; Romans 12:11-13; John 14:15; Matthew 22:37-40; 1 Peter 4:11; Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 John 3: 16-18, Belgic Confession Article 27-29)

The Sacraments
Sacraments are defined as holy ordinances instituted by Christ Jesus which function as signs and seals of the New Covenant. They are given for the benefit of God's people to strengthen us. There are two sacraments in Scripture: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is a rite of initiation which replaces circumcision, a sign of the Old Covenant with Israel, as the unique mark placed upon God's people and their children. Baptism is a sign and seal of the New Covenant given in Christ Jesus and also of entrance into the visible church. The Lord’s Supper, on the other hand, is a rite of fellowship. Bread and juice represent the body and blood of Jesus. Worthy receivers of this meal are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. By faith in Christ alone, believers spiritually feed on Christ and receive nourishment as they partake of the elements.

(Col. 2:11-12, Acts 2:39, 1 Cor. 11:26-30, John 6:35, 53; 1 Cor. 11:26, Heidelberg Q&A 65-86, Belgic Confession Articles 33-35 )

Reformed & Confessional
We believe the gospel should always center its attention on our savior, not on ourselves. Reformed theology places great emphasis on the doctrines of God, His work throughout the ages and within our lives, and the doctrines of Grace (Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints). We are a confessional church. This means that we affirm specific statements of belief called creeds and confessions. These statements are biblically based and were written to respond to issues by explaining in detail what the church believes about those topics. We adhere to the Apostle’s Creed, The Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We also adhere to several written confessions of faith that we believe to be a good and accurate summary of the Bible's teaching. Our confessional standards consist of The Heidelberg Catechism, The Canons of Dort and the Belgic confession and the Great Lakes Catechism on Marriage and Sexuality. We believe these creeds and confessions to be a good and accurate summary of the Bible's teaching.

(Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 1:4-6, John 6:37-40, John 6:44, Romans 8:29-30, Heidelberg Q&A 1,The Canons of Dort)

Pastors, Elders, & Deacons
Our church is led and governed by our consistory. The consistory is made up of elders and deacons. An elder is a biblically qualified man who has been nominated, trained, examined, and ordained to oversee the affairs of the church. The pastor serves as a teaching elder. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 gives explicit qualifications for such men. A deacon is a biblically qualified man who has been nominated, trained, examined, and ordained to minister to the physical needs of the church. The Apostles appointed the first deacons so that the Apostles could better attend to prayer and the ministry of the Word. 1 Timothy 3:8-13 gives explicit qualifications for deacons.

(Jeremiah 3:15, 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 2 Timothy 4:2, Acts 6:1-7, Belgic Confession Articles 30-32)