Assurance means that you, a believer in Jesus Christ, have confidence that you are in the
family of God and therefore have eternal life. Assurance looks at our eternal salvation from

man’s viewpoint. The central passage is 1 John 5:13. Each clear verse about eternal
salvation, such as John 3:16, stresses the basis for assurance because God keeps His Word.

We believe the New Testament teaches at least three baptisms. First, there is the baptism
whereby the repentant sinner, upon trusting Jesus Christ as his Savior, is baptized by the
Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13). Secondly, there is water baptism
by immersion for believers only. This we believe to be an ordinance of the church,
whereby the believer experiences the reality of co-crucifixion and co-resurrection with the
Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-6). Thirdly, there is the filling or
baptism in the Holy Spirit by the Lord Jesus Christ, which may occur at or subsequent to
conversion. We believe that speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance is the
normative evidence of this baptism. Further, we believe that by the believer’s continued
submission to the Holy Spirit, his very weakness is transformed into strength to witness for
Jesus Christ in power, and to live according to the will of God (Acts 1:5-6; 10:46; 11:28;
19:6).

Baptism by immersion shall be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have
repented of their sins and have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of their souls
and who give clear evidence of their salvation (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5;
Colossians 2:12). Those who have become partakers of Christ by faith in His shed blood are
commanded to be water baptized (by immersion) into Christ. In this act of faith we
participate in Christ’s burial and resurrection and receive a circumcision of the heart
(Genesis 17:1-4; John 3:1-6; Romans 2:28-29; | Peter 3:18-22; I John 5:8).

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a necessary and vital experience for every believer and is
evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives
utterance. Those who seek the fullness of the Spirit shall receive prayer for the baptism in
the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15-17; 19:2-6).

The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together
with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and the
blessed hope of the church (I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13; I
Corinthians 15:51).

Christian service is serving God and believers through the power of the Holy Spirit, mainly
in the area of one’s spiritual gift, through godly love, when abiding in Christ, and to God’s
glory. This is the application and expression of the Christian life john 15:1-5; 1 Peter 4:10-
11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

1. Of the World: God spoke into existence the world and all things that it contains, for
His own pleasure, and the enjoyment of His creatures (Revelation 4:11; I Timothy
6:17).

2. Of Man: God created man in His image according to Genesis 1:26 as a triune being
consisting of spirit, soul (which is made of the mind, will, and emotions), and a body.

The dedication of children is the presentation of a child to God, and therefore establishes a
covenant between God and parents. God promises blessing and protection to the child
whose parents are faithful to rear him/her in the services of the Lord. Such a child is made
holy and is part of the covenant family of God by the faith of his parents until he/she
reaches the age of accountability, whereupon he/she becomes responsible as an individual
before God and is commanded to repent (Psalms 34:11; Isaiah 54:13; Matthew 19:14; Mark
10:13-16; Luke 18:15-16; I Corinthians 7:14).

The need for deliverance is manifested by an inability to be free from bondage: e.g. mental (emotional), physical, or spiritual normally associated with demon activity. It is God’s
desire to bring deliverance to His people (Job 5:19; Psalms 91:3; II Timothy 4:18; Hebrews
2:15; II Peter 2:9). We have been granted the authority in the name of Jesus to bring
deliverance to others (Mark 16:17; John 14:12; I Corinthians 12:8-11). We must
understand that our warfare is with the forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), our weapon is the
Word of God, our authority and power are from Jesus Himself (Mark 16:17; Acts 1:8) and
that the battlefield is in the spiritual realms (Ephesians 6: 10-18; II Corinthians 10:3-5;
Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:22-23).

The Eternal Covenant leads to the Covenant of Grace. Whereas the Eternal Covenant was
made between the Father and the Son, the Covenant of Grace is made between God and
man. This latter covenant is where God promises eternal salvation to man based upon
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The manifestation of that covenant occurs in our world ina
sequence of additional covenants that God made with individuals: Adam (Gen. 2:15-17),
Noah (Gen. 9:12-16), Abraham (Gen. 17), the Israelites at Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28), and
believers in the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-37).

Evangelism, the communication of the gospel message, includes a warning, an explanation,
and a call. Evangelism includes warning people about sin and the consequences of sin
(John 16:8; Acts 24:25; Revelation 20:11-15). It includes an explanation of God’s remedy
for sin—the gospel (Acts 8:29-35; Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21), and it includes the
clear call to repent (to turn from sin and to turn toward God) and believe the gospel, by
faith (Mark 1:15; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 17:29-31; Romans 1:17; Romans 10:9-13).

Believers may fast as long as our motive and attitude is right before God: humility,
recognition and expression of our dependence and need for God in our lives, intercessory
prayer for others and ourselves, and focusing ourselves on God’s will and our ministry for
Him.

a. To show genuine humility, repentance, confession of sin, and need of the Lord (1
Samuel 7:6; Jeremiah 36:9; Ezra 10:6; Nehemiah 9:1-2; Joel 2:12; Daniel 9:2-20;
10:2-3).

b. To pray for others, especially those ill (Psalm 35:13; 2 Samuel 12:15-23).
c. To pray for guidance and safety (Esther 4:3, 16; Ezra 8:21-31).
d. At the hour of one’s death (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12; 3:35).
e. To concentrate on service for the Lord (Acts 13:1-4; 14:23).

The nine gifts of the Spirit set forth in ] Corinthians 12 should be and must be operative in
the church to enjoy the fullness of God. These gifts are imparted by the sovereignty of the
Holy Spirit and only work or are operated by this one and the self-same Spirit (I
Corinthians 12:11).

Biblical giving is the giving of self and wealth to God and His work, and doing so voluntarily
and out of love for God and His work.

Central passages of Scripture for giving: Matthew 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians
8-9; Galatians 6:6-8; Philippians 4:10-19, 1 Timothy 5:8, 17-18; 3 John 5-8.

We believe that the Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, were written by holy
men inspired by the Holy Spirit and are God’s revealed word to man. They are the
sufficient, infallible rule and guide to salvation and all Christian worship and service (II
Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 3:15-17; I Thessalonians 2:13). The Bible is the inspired Word of
God, equally in all parts and in the whole; it is totally inerrant in the original manuscripts.
It is the supreme revelation from God and of God, superior to conscience and reason,
though not contrary to them; and it is therefore our infallible rule in all manners. All the
Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ and hence, no portion is properly read nor
understood until it leads to Him.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man
Jesus was born miraculously of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1: 23; Luke 1:31, 35).
He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22).

He came into the world to save men from the guilt and condemnation of sin (John 3:16),
offering His blood as atonement (I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21) and making it
available to all who exercise faith in Him.

He resurrected from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; I Corinthians 15:4).
He is exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9, 11; 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1-3).

His divinity is proved from His titles, His attributes, and His works (John 1:14; Luke 1:26-
35; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31).

He is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for His redeemed.

We also acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord over all things in Heaven, and in Earth, and
under the Earth (John 1:12-14; I Timothy 3:16; Acts 7:37-38; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews
7:25).

Justification is the legal act whereby God declares the sinner to be innocent of his or her
sins. It is not that the sinner is now sinless, but that he/she is “declared” sinless. This
declaration of righteousness means the person is justified before God. This justification is
based on the shed blood of Jesus, “…having now been justified by His blood…” (Rom. 5:9)
where Jesus was crucified, died, buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-4). God imputed
(reckoned to our account) the righteousness of Christ at the same time our sins were
imputed to Christ when He was on the cross. That is why it says in 1 Pet. 2:24, “And He
Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” Also, 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “He made Him
who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in
Him.” Additionally, we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1) apart from works of the Law (Rom.
3:28).

Missions are the whole task, endeavor, and program of the Church of Jesus Christ to reach
out across geographical and/or cultural boundaries by sending missionaries to evangelize
people who have never heard or who have little opportunity to hear the saving gospel.

Repentance means to decide to turn from one’s sin; it is not a condition of salvation; faith in
Christ as Savior is the only condition for salvation (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the only Son of
God. Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus
Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by
grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life. The
inward evidence of salvation is direct witness of the Spirit and the outward evidence to all
men of a life of righteousness and true holiness (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15;
Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7; Romans 8:16; Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).

Salvation is an inclusive word, which gathers into itself all the redemptive acts and
processes, i.e., justification, redemption, deliverance, imputation, sanctification,
glorification, etc. The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of
deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is by grace through
faith, is a free gift, and wholly without human works (Romans 3:27-28, 4:1-8, 6:23,
Ephesians 2:8). Salvation is in these three tenses:

1. Condition of Salvation – The grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to
all men, through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord
Jesus Christ; man is saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
Ghost, and, being justified by grace through faith, he becomes an heir of God
according to the hope of eternal life (Romans 10:13-15; Luke 24:47; Titus 2:11; 3:5-
7; Ephesians 2:8-9).

2. Evidences of Salvation – The inward evidence to the believer, of his salvation, is the
direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life
of unconditional love, righteousness, and true holiness, demonstrated by the fruit of
the Spirit (John 13:35; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:24).

3. Final Result of Salvation – The spirit of the believer who dies in Christ immediately
goes to be with the Lord (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 23:42-43; II Corinthians 5:8).

Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we become partakers of
His holiness; that it is begun at regeneration; and that it is carried on in the hearts of
believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the continual use of the appointed
means, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer
(I Thessalonians 4:3; I John 2:29; Romans 8:5; Philippians 2:12-13). Sanctification is an act
of separation from that which is evil, and a dedication unto God (Romans 12:1-2; I
Thessalonians 5:23; 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 Ghost we are able to

obey the command: “Be ye Holy, for ] am Holy’ (I 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 dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6: 1-11, 13; 8: 1-2, 13; Galatians
2:20; Philippians 12:12-13; ] Peter 15).

The ministry of the Holy Spirit emphasizes function in our lives. One needs the Holy Spirit
to live correctly. A believer is either spiritual or carnal. Personal sin takes one out of
spirituality and into carnality. Confession of sin changes one from living by the flesh and
puts one into living by the Holy Spirit. We continue on living by the Holy Spirit by faith.
Spirituality is attained through a believer’s walk with the Spirit, by not grieving the Spirit ,
and by quenching not the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 5:16-6:1,
1 John 1).

The Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Spirit the acts and attributes of an intelligent being. He
guides, knows, moves, gives information, commands, forbids, sends forth, reproves, as the
instrumental segment of the God Head in the liberal dispersion of spiritual gifts, and can be
sinned against (John 16:13; I Corinthians 2:11; Genesis 1:2; Acts 10:19; 13:2; 16:6; 13:4;
John 16:8; Mark 3:29; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30; I Corinthians 12).

The works of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit; creation; inspiration, giving of life, and
sanctification (Job 33:4; II Peter 1:21; I Peter 3:18; I Corinthians 6:11).