This statement of faith is a summary of the major doctrines set forth in the historic 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith of which Charles H. Spurgeon aptly wrote, "This ancient document is the most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured. We hold to the humbling truths of God's sovereign grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Salvation is through Christ alone and by faith alone".
This Church does not expect someone to be a Calvinist, Arminian, or Molinist, to be part of this Church body, but a faithful Christian. Rather we hold to the fundamentals of the faith without compromise.
1. The Holy Scriptures
We believe that God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty-six books of the Holy Scriptures which are the Word of God. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and as originally written is infallible, inerrant, and complete. The Bible is thus the truth, final authority, and only rule in all matters of faith and practice.
2. God
We believe that there is one true and living God existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct yet harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. God is Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign of the universe, having made all things in six literal days. He is infinite in every excellence, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honour, confidence, and love.
3. Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, possessing all the essence and attributes of Deity, that He came into this world by miraculous virgin birth, receiving a human body and a real human nature yet unchangeably sinless, both God and man, that He lived a perfect life of righteousness and died an actual substitutionary sacrifice for His elect people, thus accomplishing propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for them. Jesus rose bodily, visibly, and victoriously on the third day attesting to God's acceptance of His sacrifice, He ascended into heaven and is enthroned in glory acting as our Intercessor, Great High Priest, and Advocate before the Father, and according to His promise He is coming again, personally and visibly to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and to judge all men by the eternal punishment of unbelievers and the everlasting blessedness of the righteous.
4. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the personality and absolute Deity of the Holy Spirit. His relation to the unbelieving world is to restrain evil and to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. His work among believers is to regenerate, seal, indwell, comfort, pray, endue, teach, guide, and sanctify.
5. Man
We believe that God made our first father Adam by direct creation (not by evolution) in the image of God, perfectly holy and upright, that he sinned and brought upon himself and all his offspring, guilt, condemnation, and death, incurring the wrath of God, thus fallen man is dead in trespasses and in sin, totally unable to keep God's laws, to understand the Gospel, to repent of sin or trust in Christ apart from divine grace.
6. Salvation
We believe that the salvation of man is divinely initiated and accomplished by the sovereign grace of God, wholly apart from the worth or works of man. It is the urgent duty of all sinners to repent and believe the Gospel and nothing prevents their salvation but their own inherent depravity and wilful unbelief. However only those called by grace do believe in Christ as their only and all-sufficient Saviour and Lord, and by the instrument of faith are justified, their sins totally pardoned and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, solely on the merits and finished work of Christ on the cross. Salvation is the free gift of God and is forever.
7. Sanctification
We believe that the progressive sanctification of the believer is a necessary fruit of true saving faith and distinguishes genuine faith from false or superficial profession. We are to grow in grace and in holiness and in the knowledge of God's Word and will, and although our daily walk cannot alter our eternal destiny, it does affect our communion with God, the enjoyment of our salvation, and our usefulness to the church and to the lost. Through the Gospel and our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and the indwelling Spirit, we have all the means necessary for holy living, crucifying the flesh, and the putting on of Christ.
8. The Local Church
We believe that the local church is a company of believers called together for the worship of God, the observance of the ordinances of believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper, the preaching of the Word, fellowship, prayer, and the evangelization of the lost. We acknowledge no head but Christ and no authority but His Word. The local church is autonomous, free from outside ecclesiastical control, and the government is vested in the body of believers who compose it. Its Scriptural officers are pastors or elders or bishops and deacons. Cooperation with churches of like faith for fellowship and service is welcomed.
9. Church and State
We believe in the separation of church and state, they have two separate spheres of responsibility, the church possesses no God-given authority over the state and the state possesses no God-given authority over the church or the consciences of men. Every man has the right of freedom of conscience without coercion or molestation, that is, the right of individual soul liberty.