These tenets of faith are taken directly from Scripture and are our standards of faith. They are true regardless of time and are non-negotiable. We believe that the Scriptures are inspired by God and declare His design and plan for mankind. We believe that there is only One True God–revealed in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. As God's son, Jesus was both human and divine. We believe that though originally good, mankind willingly fell into sin ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world. We believe that every person can have a restored fellowship with God by accepting Christ's offer of forgiveness for sin. We believe in and practice two ordinances: 1) Water Baptism by immersion after repenting of one's sins and receiving Christ's gift of salvation, and 2) Holy Communion as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death for our salvation. We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a special experience following salvation that empowers believers for effective service just as it did in New Testament times. We believe that the initial, physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as experienced on the Day of Pentecost and referenced throughout Acts and the Epistles. We believe that sanctification initially occurs at salvation and is not only a declaration that a believer is holy, but also a progressive lifelong process of separating from evil as believers continually draw closer to God and become more Christ-like. We believe that the Church has a mission to seek and save all who are lost in sin. We believe the Church is the Body of Christ and consists of the people who, throughout time, have accepted God's offer of redemption through the sacrificial death of His son Jesus Christ. We believe that a divinely called and scripturally ordained leadership ministry serves the Church. The Bible teaches that each of us under leadership must commit ourselves to reach others for Christ, to worship Him with other believers, and to build up the body of believers. We believe that the divine healing of the sick is a privilege for Christians today and is provided for in Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. We believe in the blessed hope. A time when Jesus catches away His Church prior to His return to earth. At this future moment in time, all believers who have died will rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air, and Christians who are alive will be caught up with them, to be with the Lord forever. We believe in the millennial reign of Christ. A time when Jesus returns with His saints at His second coming and begins His benevolent rule over earth for 1,000 years. At that time many in the nation of Israel will recognize and accept Him as the Messiah, the Savior who died for them and all mankind. We believe that a final judgment will take place for those who have rejected Christ. They will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment and torment. We believe and look forward to the perfect new heavens and a new earth that Christ is preparing for all people, of all time, who have accepted Him. We will live and dwell with Him there forever following His millennial reign on Earth.