Statement of Belief

The Scriptures

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine. (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:21)

The Godhead

Our God is one, but manifested in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal. (Phil. 2:6). God the Father is greater than all; the Sender of the Word (Logos) and the Begetter. (Jn. 14:28; John 16:28; Jn. 1:14)

The Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning (Jn. 1:1; John 1:18; Jn. 1:14).

The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal. (Jn. 15:26)

Man, His Fall and Redemption

Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God. (Rom. 5:14; Rom. 3:10; Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 3:8)

Salvation

Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God. (Eph. 2:8)

Eternal Life and the New Birth

Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal life. (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 Jn. 5:12; Jn. 3:3-5)

Water Baptism

Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39) The following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is adopted; to wit: “On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

Baptism in the Holy Ghost

The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the New Birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. (Matt. 3:11; Jn. 14:16, 17; Acts 1:18; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4)

Sanctification

The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return. (Heb. 12:14; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:30)

Divine Healing

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today. (Mk. 16:18; Jms. 5:14,15; 1 Pet. 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4,5)

Resurrection of the Just and the Return of Our Lord

The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…this same Jesus…shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16,17) Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years. (Rev. 20:6)

Hell and Eternal Retribution

The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire, and therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God. (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20)

What does RHEMA teach about faith?

Faith is not mechanical, neither is it a formula nor a ritual. It is the outgrowth of a personal relationship with the Living God through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as He has been revealed to us through the Bible—God's precious, holy, written word.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6). We are saved by faith, live by faith, and walk by faith. (Eph. 2:8; Gal. 3:11; 2 Corin. 5:7). Our faith is our victory over the world. (1 Jn. 5:4). Faith comes as we hear the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17). The word of God is the will of God, and faith begins where the will of God is known. We can have faith for that which God has promised to us in His word.

All of the redemptive blessings that belong to us in Christ—including salvation, healing, forgiveness, wisdom, prosperity, victory and more—are appropriated by faith as we believe with our heart and confess with our mouth. (Eph. 1:3; Rom. 10:10; Heb. 6:12). The spirit of faith speaks—if we believe, we will speak, and we are instructed to hold fast to the confession of our faith without wavering. (2 Cor.4:13; Heb. 4:14-16; 10:23; Rom. 4:20; Jms. 1:6).

What does RHEMA teach about Prosperity?

It is the will of God that we prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers. (3 John 2). Prosperity is more than financial: it affects the spirit, soul and body of the believer.

The Old Testament concept of shalom-peace conveys the sense of wholeness, well-being and prosperity that God desires for his children. Poverty was not part of God's original creation. It entered into the world through the fall of man and is part of the curse of the law which the Lord Jesus Christ bore on our behalf in His substitutionary death on the cross. (Deut. 28: 17-18, 20, 48; 2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 3:13). The word of God states that He will prosper those who tithe and sow bountifully, supplying their needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus and making grace abound toward them so that they will always have enough for every good work. (Mal. 3:10; Phil. 4:19; 2 Cor. 9:6-8).

God blesses us not only for our own sakes, but also in order to make us a blessing to others. (Gal. 3:9; Eph. 1:3; Gen. 12:3; 2 Cor. 9:8). As in the life of the apostle Paul, there may be times in the life of a Christian when he or she might endure suffering or lack for the sake of the gospel (2 Cor. 11:27; Phili. 1:29, 4:11-12; Col. 1:24; 2 Tim. 2:10), but the grace of God is more than sufficient for every situation and the Lord is faithful to deliver us out of all our afflictions (Ps. 34:19; 2 Cor. 12:9-10; 2 Tim. 1:8, 3:11).