Our Beliefs
We are Protestant, Reformed, and Evangelical.
Creeds & Confessions
We submit to the teaching of the Bible alone (Sola Scriptura), but we also recognize the Westminster Standards as a faithful reflection of what is taught therein. As a confessional, Presbyterian, church we maintain an honest subscription to the Westminster Confession of Faith as subordinate to the scriptures. Additionally, we hold to the historic creeds of the church—the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon.
Read the Full Westminster Confession of Faith with our stated exceptions here.
-
7.2 - (cf. Chap. 19, para. 1, 6). We would clarify that the “covenant of works” was not meritorious, is properly called the “covenant of life”, and we deny that any covenant can be kept without faith. We object to the language of “upon condition of perfect and personal obedience” if the assumption is that Adam was earning or meriting favor with God rather than receiving an inheritance through maturation. Good works, even in this covenant were a result of faith, as illustrated by the Sabbath rest which was Adam’s first full day in the presence of God.
7.5 - We would clarify that the term “different” does not mean a difference in substance but is different only in form. Promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, and the paschal lamb are all present in the New Testament in substance yet take varying forms. We still receive the promise of the Holy Spirit and await the promise of the life to come. We are still awaiting the coming of Christ. We continue to offer the sacrifice of our bodies and praise to the Lord. We also continue circumcision in the form of baptism. Christ continues to be our paschal lamb and we consume him every Lord’s Day.
19.1 - The term “covenant of works” should be and is properly rendered “covenant of life.”
21.8 - We believe that along with works of piety, necessity, and mercy, the command also calls us to rest our bodies on the Sabbath (Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 16:30 ; 31:15-17). We do not believe the intention of Scripture was to exclude recreation, especially in the context of the fellowship of God’s people.
23.3 - We believe that along with works of piety, necessity, and mercy, the command also calls us to rest our bodies on the Sabbath (Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 16:30 ; 31:15-17). We do not believe the intention of Scripture was to exclude recreation, especially in the context of the fellowship of God’s people.
24.4 - Delete the last sentence, which reads, “The man may not marry any of his wife’s kindred, nearer in blood than he may of his own: nor the woman of her husband’s kindred, nearer in blood than of her own.”
25.2 - We would want to make a clarifying point that the church is part of the Kingdom of God, and not the Kingdom in its entirety.
25.6 - Though we believe the Pope of Rome to be anti-Christian, we do not believe him necessarily to be the Anti-Christ, Man of Lawlessness, or Beast of Revelation, etc.
27.4 - Ministers of the Word should ordinarily lead in the administration of the Sacraments, yet we believe that it is permissible for the sacraments to be administered with the oversight of any elder, lawfully ordained.
28.3 - We believe that the proper modes of baptism include sprinkling, pouring, and immersion.
28.4 - Being a church composed of paedobaptists as well as credobaptists, we expressly allow fathers and mothers to withhold baptism from their children based upon their personal convictions with honor. Nevertheless, we testify to the validity of infant baptism.
29.7 - We would clarify that “worthy receivers” of the Lord’s Supper should include all baptized covenant members who are able to physically eat and drink the elements, including very young children being raised in the discipline and admonition of the Lord (provided they are not under discipline). We deny that an artificial standard of age or mental capacity is consistent with the Biblical basis for partaking of the Supper. We defer to the heads of households in discerning the capacity of their young children to partake in the Supper.
Our Values
-
We seek the comprehensive application of God’s Word to our lives, our thoughts, and our actions. The bible is not just for mental ascent, and to fill your head with knowledge, but also for directing how we live our lives in all circumstances.
-
God’s word directs our worship, and God desires it to be true, good, and beautiful. With that in mind we desire joyful, robust, Biblical, Covenant Renewal worship. This includes singing psalms and hymns, confessing our sins, sitting under expository preaching, and celebrating weekly communion as whole families.
-
We desire to foster a robust and true biblical community by regularly encouraging one another in Christ on the Lord's Day and through voluntary yet intentional hospitality with one another. We aim to create a community that brings all of Christ to all of life.
-
We adhere to the fundamental Scriptural teaching that the family is the basic building block of the Church as well as all society. Therefore, we purposefully aim to strengthen families by training men to be loving leaders in their homes, teaching wives to respectfully submit to their husbands, and instructing children to joyfully obey their parents. This occurs through two primary avenues. The first is through family-integrated Lord’s Day Worship Service, and the other is through discipleship, hospitality, fellowship, and brotherly bonds.
Our Core Beliefs
-
The Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God.
There is One God, eternal and self-existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
All fell with Adam from his original sinless state and thus all are not only dead in sin, but also enslaved to it.
The Father, in His infinite love and mercy, has chosen sinners from every nation to be redeemed by the Holy Spirit through the atoning death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Those whom the Spirit makes alive, come to believe in Christ as Savior by the Word of God, are born again, become sons of God, are joined to Christ's Church, and persevere to the end.
Justification is by faith alone by which, the undeserving sinner is clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
The goal of God's salvation of the Christian is worship, holiness, and service to the glory of God alone.
At death, the Christian's soul passes immediately into God's presence, to enjoy Him forever.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are signs and seals of God's covenant with believers and their children as well as those who come to trust in Christ as adults.
The Good News of God's salvation in Jesus Christ will be proclaimed by the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit, by which all nations will be discipled before Christ’s return.
Our Worship
Our worship is vibrant, liturgical, confession, and above all, robustly biblical. During worship you will sing the Psalms of our Lord and the great Hymns of the past. You will be systematically brought nearer to Gods throne through confession, consecration, and communion. Lastly, service will end with you being sent out with a blessing from God, and a charge to serve Christ and change the world!
You can find an example of our worship service here.