First, above all else, we are Christians:
- This distinguishes us from the many world religions and cults. Therefore, we would be in agreement with such creeds as the Apostles and Nicene Creeds and the Definition of the Council of Chalcedon.
- Christianity is not a mere religion that is to be lumped in with the religions of the world. The emphasis of Christianity is relational not religious. True Christians are not simply those who hold to a certain creed or confession but are those who have entered into, by the grace of God, a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Second, we are Evangelicals:
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His coming for His saints at the rapture and in His personal return in power and glory to reign during His millennial kingdom on earth.
- We believe that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is contained therein.
- We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential and that it precedes ones ability to believe.
- We believe that the gospel should be passionately and urgently proclaimed to all people so that all who believe may be saved through the preaching of God's Word by the power of God's Spirit.
- We believe that water baptism is a necessary act of obedience on the part of every believer which, although without saving merit in and of itself, pictures for us the co-crucifixion, burial and resurrection of the believer with Jesus.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ as His body which was formed on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter two.
- We believe that God is Lord over all of life and that there is nothing in life that is to be separated from God. Therefore, we would be in agreement with the Puritan position that there is no difference between the sacred and the secular in the life of the Christian.
Third, we are Monergists:
- We believe that God created man and woman in a state of sinless perfection with particular dignity as His image bearers on the earth.
- We believe that our first parents sinned against God, which because of Adam's federal headship over man, brought guilt upon all of mankind and that everyone since is a sinner both by nature and by choice. Sin has totally affected all of creation including marring God's image and likeness in mankind so that all of our being is stained by sin (e.g. reasoning, desires, and emotions).
- We believe that the value and scope of Jesus' death was limitless in regards to His propitiatory work in satisfying God's holiness which was offended by man's rebellion in the Garden of Eden, and that as a result, all of creation, along with those who are redeemed, will be freed out of its fallen condition caused by original sin.
- We believe that because all people have sinned and separated themselves from the Holy God that he is obligated to save no one from the just deserved punishments of hell. We also believe that God in His unparallelled love and mercy has chosen to elect some people for salvation.
- We believe that the salvation of the elect was predestined by God in eternity past and that Jesus bore their sins alone on the cross.
- We believe that the salvation of the elect was accomplished by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ in place of His people for their sins.
- We believe that the salvation of the elect, by God's grace alone, is seen by the ongoing work of repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ that leads to good works.
- We believe that God's saving grace is ultimately irresistible and that when God quickens an individual, He does soften even the hardest heart and save the worst of sinners according to His will.
- We believe that true Christians born again by God's Spirit will be kept by God throughout their life.
What we do not believe?
Because we have decided not to separate ourselves completely from other evangelical Christians, we are sometimes questioned about theological controversies. To help clarify our beliefs we believe it may also be helpful to declare what we do not believe. In stating what we are not, we do not seek to attack those who disagree with us, but rather distinguish ourselves so that you may be aware of who we are, as well as who we are not.
- We are not liberals who embrace culture without discernment and compromise the distinctives of the gospel, but rather Christians who believe the truths of the Bible are eternal and therefore fitting for every time, place, and people.
- We are not isolationists and seek to partner with like-minded Christians from various churches, denominations and organizations in different ventures from one degree to the next depending on the amount of doctrinal agreement.
- We are not hyper-Calvinists, but insist that we pray, evangelize, and do good works because we believe that the sovereign plan of God is accomplished through us as the body of Christ.
- We are not egalitarians and do believe that men should head their homes and male elders should lead the local assemblies with masculine love like Jesus Christ.
- We are not Open Theists and believe in the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God in all things.
- We are not religious relativists and do believe that there is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus Christ alone.
- We are not moralists seeking to help people live good lives, but instead we are evangelists labouring that people would become new creations in Christ.
- We are not relativists and we gladly embrace Scripture as our highest authority above such things as culture, experience, philosophy, and other forms of general revelation.
- We are not Universalists and do believe that many people will spend eternity in the torments of hell as the Bible teaches.
- We are not naturalists and do believe that Satan and demons are real enemies at work in this world and subject to God.
- We are not rationalists and do believe that not everything can be known but that God calls us to live by faith with mystery and partial knowledge regarding many things.
- We are not evangelical feminists and do believe that God reveals Himself as a Father and is to be honoured by the names He reveals to us without apology.
- We are not embarrassed by the bloody death of Jesus Christ and do believe He died as a substitute for the sins of His people in selfless love.
- We are not ashamed and do proclaim a loving gospel of grace which sounds like foolishness and offensiveness to the unrepentant while also saving multitudes with ears to hear good news.