We believe that God has called sinners to Himself by His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity (II Timothy 1:9who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity). God loved us and sent His Son to be the proptiation for our sins (I John 4:10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.). We believe that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we have been made alive together with Him (Colossians 2:13And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions), and placed into His body - the church.
Together, as those who have been forgiven our sins, reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation), and therefore, delivered from the wrath to come - by the grace of God through faith in His only begotten Son, apart from any merit of our own -
We are resolved that as we have been brought together as a local manifestation of Christ’s body (the church), our God-ordained purpose is to praise, honor, and worship our heavenly Father as the Creator of all heaven and earth (Isaiah 40:26-28Lift up your eves on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, my way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary of tired. His understanding is inscrutable.), the only true and living God (Jeremiah 10:10But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.), the sovereign and Most High (Daniel 4:25that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.), the holy and righteous Judge (II Timothy 4:8in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.), the blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.). We acknowledge Jesus Christ as our only Savior and Lord, and the only Head of the church (Colossians 1:18He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.). Our desire and determination is to be obedient to Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God as the full and only final sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?), that He might sanctify and present us to Himself one day, holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:27that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.).
We believe in the Bible as God’s living, and imperishable revelation to men - inerrant in it’s original autographs, being God-breathed through those men whom God appointed to deliver His truth once and for all in the Holy Scriptures (II Peter 1:21for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God., and Jude 1:3Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.)
As a local assembly we have been given a specific mandate in God’s Word as to the mission that God has given us to fulfill:
First
of all, there is the foundational mission of the church to be the pillar and
support of the truth (I Timothy 3:15but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.).
Secondly,
there is the influential mission of the church in bringing the
proclamation of the gospel in gentleness and reverence to people near and far,
that is, making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.").
Third
is the functional mission of the local assembly in the
building up, equipping, and preparation of the church for the final
presentation to Christ (Ephesians 5:27that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.).
Fourth,
we ponder with wonder the celestial mission of the local assembly in making
known the manifold wisdom of God, even now, to the rulers and authorities in
the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.).
Finally, we must remain steadfast in our focus on the ultimate purpose of the church, that is to be bringing glory to God in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever (Ephesians 3:21to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.).
We are relying on God’s grace according to the measure of Christ’s bestowal of gifts, through the Holy Spirit, to those in His body for the fulfillment of the mission He has given to us.
We will consider those who are in regular fellowship, and have given a public profession of faith in the Lord Jesus through believers’ baptism to be members of this local church.
As a New Testament church, we desire to be organized in a way that resembles, as closely as possible, the pattern and principles set forth in God’s Word. We have, therefore, appointed - (or rather together sought to recognize the appointment of the Spirit of God) (Acts 20:28Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made your overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.) - elders as those to whom the responsibility of shepherding the flock of God is given. These men, while considering the imput and approval of the entire congregation, will ultimately be responsible for the final decisions that are made before God. The elders will be responsible for the removal, replacement, and addition of other elders as the Lord leads in accordance with His Word. Elders must be qualified in the specific ways that God has prescribed in His Word, and the elders will consider the recommendations of the members in this regard.
The elders will be responsible to appoint deacons as God is making them known in their character and conduct. They will be required to meet the New Testament standards, and will function in a capacity of service according to the New Testament pattern and needs of the body. This may include offices such as treasurer, secretary, etc.
We are together committed to holding fast to the Head of the body, who is Jesus, from whom the whole body is fitted, held together, and growing according to the proper working of each individual part in the building up of the body in love (Ephesians 4:16from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.).