Who We Are

We are simply a group of Christians, members of Christ's body, His church, nothing else.  Jesus said, "Upon this rock I will build My church" (Matthew 16:18). He accomplished this purpose, and purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28).  After Jesus' resurrection, Peter taught the people in Jerusalem about the salvation offered through Christ's death, "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).  We are members of that church.

Our Authority

We believe the Bible is the voice of God: "All scripture if given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).   We therefore look only to the Bible as our source of authority.

The bible clearly forbids following the commandments of men, no matter how pious and sincere they may seem: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" (Matthew 15:8, 9). If we will set aside our preconceived notions and take God at His word, we can understand His will for us today.  As the apostle Paul explains, “By revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:2-4).

The Mission of the Church

The bible shows the church’s prime directive to be simply teaching the gospel: “The power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16).  Paul characterizes the church as, “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).  Our goal is heaven, and our focus is Christ.  He has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).  If we will teach His word and people will accept it and follow Him, God promises forgiveness and eternal life: “If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father.  And this is the promise which He has made to us: eternal life” (1 John 2:24, 25). 

The Church’s Organization

Scripture indicates that Jesus is the head of the church: “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Ephesians 1:22, 23).  We have no councils or synods where men decide what the church is to do.  All legislative authority belongs solely to Christ in heaven.  Morever, as there is only one head, Christ also has but one body.

Only in regard to various local bodies does the Bible speak of a plurality of churches.  However, this is not to say they are churches of a different type. They all have the same divinely appointed head, mission, teaching, practice, and organization as 1 Corinthians 4:17 clearly shows: “I have sent to you Timothy,… and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.”

On the local level, the executive government of churches rests upon qualified elders among those bodies within scriptural limits: “Therefore, I exhort the elders,… shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God” (1 Peter 5:1-2).

Deacons, or special servants, are also part of a scripturally organized church (1 Timothy 3).

Our Message

The bible teaches that a man is separated from God when he sins.  Therefore, mankind has a common need: the forgiveness of sins.  Our simple message for people is to obey the gospel. The gospel leads people to Christ and explains God's conditions for forgiveness. Upon our faithful obedience, God adds us to His group of saved people (the church).

We believe that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).  The grace of God, demonstrated in Christ’s death on the cross, is free, but there are conditions required of those who would receive it.  Here is what the Bible says:

Belief:  The word describes trust or faith.  It is a total reliance upon God, not just mental acceptance of facts.  “And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).  True faith is willing to act upon what is believed: “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?... For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:14, 26). Faith is obtained by listening to God’s word (Romans 10:17). 

Repentance:  This is a change of mind that brings about a change in behavior.  The scriptures plainly teach that our conduct must not be habitually sinful: “Therefore, bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8).   Repentance is a command and hence a condition for salvation: “God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent”  (Acts 17:30).

Confession:  Believers must not be ashamed of their faith.  Jesus said, “Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32,33).  This obviously identifies confession as a condition for being saved.

Baptism:  We contact the life-giving blood of Christ in the waters of baptism: “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3, 4).  Furthermore, the apostle Peter distinctly indicates baptism as essential to salvation: “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).