It's much simpler to say the Bible is our final authority and ultimate source book of what we believe. However, the doctrinal statement below is designed to help you understand what our primary beliefs are. This doctrinal statement is not exhaustive, but it does serve to govern the faith of our local assembly.
We believe the original manuscripts were given by inspiration of God and were without error. We believe the God who gave His word to man has taken upon Himself the responsibility for its preservation. We believe the incorruptible word of God which cannot pass away is available to the English-speaking world in the Authorized (King James) Version. We believe every word in the King James Bible is pure, exact and needs no changing, correcting or altering whatsoever. This Bible serves as our final authority.
We believe in the Trinity. We believe there is one God eternally existent as the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. We believe God to be the Creator and sustainer of all things visible and invisible. We believe the universe and all that is therein to be held together by the word of His power. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be God manifest in the flesh, virgin born, without sin, crucified, risen and coming again to receive His church, then returning to establish His kingdom.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We believe both spiritual and temporal matters should be handled in strict accordance to the word of God. We believe that salvation is what makes someone a member of the body of Christ. We further believe that those saved members of the body of Christ should gather themselves in a local church to serve and minister to each other.
We believe salvation is by grace through faith in the finished cross work of Jesus Christ. We believe that man-centered, human-effort plays no part at all in true biblical salvation. We believe in the eternal security of the believer. We affirm that all who have placed their faith and trust in Christ are safely secure and sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
We believe all men rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity in the conscious torment of a literal lake of fire, while those receiving the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity in the glorious presence of God. We believe that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Therefore we believe all Christians should take personal responsibility in proclaiming the gospel to the lost.
We believe that Jesus Christ will rapture His church BEFORE the tribulation. We are looking for that blessed hope when Christ comes for His saints where we are 'caught UP' to meet the Lord in the air. We believe the Lord will return to earth for His 2nd coming AFTER the 7-year period known as Daniel's Seventieth Week. At the end of this 7-year period, Christ will personally and visibly return to earth with His saints, to establish his earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel.
We believe that water baptism is a public testimony made by the saved Christian and plays no part in salvation or in making one a member of the church. We believe that all saved Christians should obey God's word and be baptized by immersion in water. We believe this publicly identifies the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
We believe that born-again Christian men and women should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. We believe saved people should be holy in mind and body and live separated from worldly and sinful associations. However, we do not believe that righteousness comes by following a set of rules, laws or commandments; but by an inward change of heart. We trust the outward appearance will follow an inward change.
We believe that God's creation account in the Book of Genesis to be six literal days. We believe those days are 24-hour periods and give an historical account of creation. Furthermore, we reject any idea that suggests the creation account is a myth or an allegory.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
— Jude 3 (KJV)
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170 4th Ave. Cookeville, TN 38506