We believe that God gives life through his written Word, the Bible. Therefore, we believe that the main diet of weekly teaching in the local church must consist of the live exposition of God’s Word to God’s people—that is, the main preaching event in the life of the church should each week consist of reading, explaining, and applying a portion of the Bible. 

We are Baptist in our understanding of baptism and polity. This means that we stand with Baptists throughout history in affirming that the Bible teaches that baptism is a personal and public declaration of one’s faith in the Lord Jesus, and therefore its only proper subjects are those who personally and credibly profess faith in him. Likewise, the only proper candidates for membership in a local church are those who have been baptized as believers.

We are Reformed in our understanding of salvation. That is, we stand with Christians in the Reformed tradition in affirming that the Bible teaches that God is entirely sovereign in salvation, and at the same time that we as human beings make real choices for which we are morally responsible. We understand that throughout history those who affirm God’s sovereignty in salvation have been accused of neglecting the Bible’s command to make disciples of all nations. However, we are convinced by Scripture and history that far from undermining missionary zeal, a conviction of God’s sovereignty in salvation is the fuel which drives us to proclaim the gospel to the world with unshakable confidence—knowing beyond doubt that God will open doors for gospel proclamation and then open hearts to repent and believe.

We believe the New Testament teaches that the terms “elder” (presbuteros), “overseer” (episkopos), and “pastor” (poimēn) refer to the same office. These are not distinct roles, but different terms describing the same group of leaders. This is evident in the parallel qualifications for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and for an elder in Titus 1:6–9. Accordingly, the consistent and normative pattern in the New Testament is that each local church is shepherded by a plurality of qualified, God-ordained male elders. 

We believe that local church membership is a biblical imperative—meaning that it is incumbent upon every Christian to be engaged in a formal, mutually recognized relationship of accountability and responsibility within a local church. Further, we believe it is necessary for a church to be clear about who its members are, in order to faithfully shepherd and disciple them in the Lord Jesus.

We also believe that church discipline includes the loving correction of sin—it begins privately and, in some cases, may culminate in excommunication, or removal from the Lord’s Table and church membership. In all of this, church discipline is always aimed at restoration and repentance, never merely punitive in nature.

We believe that a local church is a singular assembly that meets together weekly in one place at one time. While budgetary or building constraints or other extenuating circumstances might temporarily mean a church has multiple services or sites, we deny this to be a biblically-prescribed model of ministry. Rather, we believe that strides should be taken to align with the biblical model of a single church meeting at a single site at a single time. Furthermore, we believe that gathering as the unified assembly is the primary means for Christian discipleship.

We believe that God alone has the right to determine how his people will worship him. Thus, we include in our public worship services only those elements which are commanded by God in Scripture, whether by precept or by right and proper inference from the example of the early church. We preach the Bible, pray the Bible, read the Bible, sing the Bible, and see the Bible (in the ordinances) to show that the Scriptures are sufficient to nourish and sustain the people of God.

We believe the Lord has given clear, sufficient instruction in Scripture for how the local church is to be ordered and how it is to carry out its mission. Therefore, we are committed to aligning our life and ministry as closely as possible with those instructions—not with what seems most effective, innovative, or results-driven.

In practice, this means that evangelism and missions flow out of the local church and remain accountable to it. We prioritize the ordinary means God has given—faithful preaching of the Word, prayer, discipleship, and the sending of qualified members—rather than relying on pragmatic methods or strategies designed merely to produce visible results.

We do not measure faithfulness by what appears to “work,” nor do we adopt practices simply because they generate growth or momentum. Instead, we seek to follow the King’s commands as revealed in Scripture, trusting that His ways are both wise and sufficient for the building of His church.

We believe that all whom God has genuinely saved by grace through faith alone are new creatures in Christ and will demonstrate that new life through submission to Him and obedience to His Word (2 Corinthians 5:17).

While all Christians still sin—sometimes grievously and at times for extended periods—a true believer’s life will be marked by a decreasing pattern of sin and an increasing pattern of holiness (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 1:8–10). A genuine Christian will not be at ease in habitual, unconfessed sin.

Because Christ is Lord, no area of life lies outside His rule (1 Timothy 6:15). Whether in politics, economics, work, education, marriage, parenting, or anything else, our aim is the glory of God, expressed through loving obedience that flows from faith

We believe that God created mankind in His own image (Genesis 1:27). In two separate acts, He created only two distinct sexes: male and female (Genesis 5:2). The gender of Adam and Eve were established by God and defined by their physiological sex at creation. Thus, all attempts to redefine human sexuality beyond the physiological male/female distinction (whether framed biologically or culturally) and all attempts to change one’s birth gender are a sinful rebellion against our Creator. 

As our Creator, God stipulates in His Word that the only legitimate and acceptable sexual desires and sexual acts are those between a man and a woman within the context of marriage (Genesis 2:18–25).

We believe that both men and women are created in the image of God and, in Christ, share equal spiritual standing before Him. At the same time, Scripture teaches that God, in His wisdom and goodness, has assigned distinct and complementary roles and responsibilities to men (natural born) and women (natural born). These differences are not a result of the fall, but a reflection of God’s good design—displaying a beautiful and purposeful harmony within His created order.

In the home, the husband is called to be the gracious, loving head, reflecting Christ in his sacrificial leadership. The wife is called to joyfully submit to her husband’s leadership as his helper, reflecting the church (Ephesians 5:22–33). Together, this complementary relationship displays the beauty of the gospel.

God has also established clear and good roles for men and women in the church. We believe that the local church is to be led by a plurality of qualified male elders/pastors/overseers—terms Scripture uses interchangeably for the same office. We affirm that the office and function of pastor are inseparable, and therefore deny any distinction between the “gift of pastoring” and the “office of pastor.” Accordingly, we do not believe that women are called to serve in the office of elder/pastor within the church.

Miraculous sign-gifts accompanied and authenticated the preaching of the gospel in the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles. We believe that the gift of tongues was the God-given capacity to communicate the truth of God's Word in human languages the speaker had never learned or studied (1 Corinthians 12-14). We believe that ecstatic outbursts share nothing in common with the New Testament gift of tongues, nor are they at all normative in worship service (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). Although debated, we hold that sign gifts may manifest in rare cases, for example, when missionaries take the gospel into non-evangelized places (this has been called a “Nuanced Cessationist” position).

Included in this topic is whether the offices of Apostle and Prophet continue. Acts 1:21-22 lists qualifications for a new apostolic replacement of Judas: a man who accompanied the Apostles from Jesus’ own baptism to Jesus’ ascension. On these qualifications, we believe the office of Apostle has ceased since these qualifications can no longer be met. Likewise, we believe the office of Prophet has also ceased. Ephesians 2:20 refers to the church being built on the “foundation” of the Apostles and Prophets, and their teachings are now preserved in the closed cannon of Scriptures.

We believe Genesis is a straightforward, literal presentation of the historical events it describes. We believe the earth, and all that is in it, was created in six days. We believe Genesis 1 refers to days, not ages, making creation thousands, not billions of years old. We believe Genesis gives a trustworthy paradigm for doing scientific research. We also believe a literal (not poetic or allegorical) interpretation of what is real history in Genesis 1-11, creation out of nothing (ex nihilo), the special creation of an historical Adam and Eve, an historical Noah and a worldwide flood. We reject every form of evolution or “theistic” evolution.

We believe that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a modern approach to social justice change, developed from a broader Critical Theory, which is derived from political Marxism. It approaches issues like justice, racism, and inequality with specific intent of reforming or reshaping society from a secular perspective. We believe that critical race theory entirely violates a biblical worldview by suggesting that people are defined by their ethnicity or class, rather than by their individual acts and attitudes. It incorrectly emphasizes intersectional categories such as gender, race, sexual preference, and economic status above and beyond a person’s own choices and responsibilities (Galatians 3:28). Additionally, it conflicts with a biblical approach to absolute, objective truth by suggesting that an “oppressed” person’s feelings matter more than what the “oppressor” has actually done or intended (1 Corinthians 4:4; 10:29). We believe when and where prejudices are found in the church, they should be addressed according to sound doctrine and evidence, not according to inherently secular and unbiblical approaches.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society (Romans 13:3-4), and that governing officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience (1 John 3:20—22), and the ultimate King of kings. Christians should resist any government that commands or compels evil and should actively work within the laws of the land to change a government that permits or promotes evil (Acts 5:29). We believe that Christians should work within the civil framework to promote virtue and work toward building the good ordering of society which leads to human flourishing.

As Bible-believing evangelicals, we maintain the doctrinal and ethical commitments of the The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978), The Danvers Statement (1988), The Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality (2017), The Frankfurt Declaration (2021), and The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel (2022).