What We Believe
We hold to the Evangelical Free Church of America’s theological convictions.  The EFCA statement of faith can be found by clicking here.
 
A more detailed statement of our congregation’s beliefs is contained in our constitution and given below.
  1. The Holy Scripture

We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the verbally inspired Word of God, authoritative, without error, infallible and God-breathed. (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:20-21)

 

  1. The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, eternal in being, identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut 6:4; Phil 2:6; 2 Cor 13:14)

 

  1. The Person and Work of the Father
We believe that the Father is the Creator and Sustainer of all, that He is the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and that He is the Father of all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a Spirit who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being, power, holiness, love, justice, goodness and truth. (Gen 1:1; Ps 102:25; 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 1:3; John 1:12-13)

 

  1. The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful man; that He accomplished our redemption and salvation through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice; that our redemption and salvation are guaranteed to us by His literal physical resurrection from the dead. (John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; Rom 3:24-26; 4:25)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ in now in Heaven, exalted to the right hand of God, where, as His people’s High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy. (Heb. 1:3; 12:2; 3:1; 7:23-25; 9:24; I John 2:1-2)

 

  1. The Personality of the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  He also, in the present age, regenerates the believers in Christ; baptizes them into the church, the Body of Christ; indwells them permanently; seals them unto the day of redemption; bestows spiritual gifts upon each one; and fills those yielded to Him.  (John 15:26-27; John 16:7-15; John 3:8; I Cor 12:13; John 14:16; Eph 4:30; I Cor 12:4-11; Eph 5:18)

 

  1. Man’s Condition

We believe that God created man in His image and likeness to rule over the earth, but beguiled by the Evil One, Satan, Adam sinned.   As a result, humanity fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God.  Thus, man is totally depraved and a sinner in thought, word, and deed, totally helpless to remedy his lost condition. (Rom 3:23; Rom 5:12-19)

 

  1. Salvation
We believe that salvation is an eternal gift of God in grace and is received by man only through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins.  (Eph. 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”) (John 1:12; Eph 1:7)
 
At the time of salvation there is a new birth, which is that change wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit, by which a new nature and a spiritual life, not before possessed, are imparted, and the person becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23)
 

The salvation of every believer is secure for all eternity from the moment of the new birth.  This security is guaranteed by the fact that the life that is imparted is eternal life by the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:1, 29-30, 38-39; John 10:27-30; Eph 1:13-14)

 

  1. The Church

We believe that the church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations. (Eph 1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1 Cor 12:12-13)

 

  1. The Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own, the Church, and His subsequent premillennial return to earth to set up His Kingdom.  (I Thess 9:10; 4:13-18; Zech 14:4-11; Rev 20:6)

 

  1. The External State

We believe in the eternal blessedness of the saved and the eternal judgment of the unsaved. (John 3:36; 5:24)

 

  1. The Responsibility of the Believer

We believe that all believers should seek to walk by the Spirit, witnessing by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture. (Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:16, 25; 2 Cor 6:17, 7:1; Acts 1:8; I Cor 16:2)

 

  1. Church Ordinances

We believe that the Lord Jesus instituted the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to be observed by all believers until His return. (Matt 28:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26) – (Amended 12-10-23)

 

  1. Doctrinal Policy

We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or the filling of the Holy Spirit, and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayer of believers for physical healing.