The Church

We believe that a local church is an organized congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation, that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ.

(Acts 2:41; Acts 20:17, 28; Philippians 2:1-2; Acts 2:41-42; Ephesians 4:11-16; I Timothy 1:18-19; I Timothy 3:1-13, 15; I Timothy 4:1-16; I Timothy 5:1, 3; I Timothy 5:17-22; I Timothy 6:11-21; II Timothy 2; II Timothy 4:1-2; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:7, 17; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11-12; Revelation 22:16-17; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; Acts 15:1-2; Acts 15:19-29; I Corinthians 7; Colossians 4:15-17; I Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:1-6; Romans 12:4-5)