Vision We believe the main reason for our existence is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Therefore, our vision must begin with the foundation of glorifying God. Our vision begins with these 10 foundations, which if we are faithful, God will bless:
1. To worship only the one true and living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who has revealed Himself to us in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
2. To worship God in His appointed way and to exclude from our worship anything that He has not appointed.
3. To reverence the name of God emptily by not using it carelessly and by walking in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
4. To sanctify the Lord's Day Sabbath by special exercises of public and private worship.
5. To honor and obey, within the bounds of Scripture, all our superiors, whether in family, church, state, or business; and, if we be superiors, to deal reasonably and lovingly with our subordinates and thus to teach them by word and example to fear God and keep His commandments.
6. To avoid whatever tends to destroy us or our neighbors and to engage vigorously in all lawful endeavors to preserve our own lives and the lives of others, especially by ready reconciliation and faithful exhortation in the church.
7. To possess our bodies in holiness as vessels joined to Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and to avoid all uncleanness of thought, speech, or action.
8. To be diligent in our vocations, that we may provide for our own households, avoid theft of time, money, or goods, and have to give to him who has need.
9. To earnestly promote truth among men and to avoid anything that would prejudice the truth or injure our neighbor's good name.
10. To be fully content with our own condition in life, to rejoice in the advancement of our neighbor, and to avoid envying him or coveting anything that is his.
Philosophy of Life
Philosophy of Life
1. The Family
a. We affirm that the family is to be a vital center of Christian discipleship, and that as a church we will seek to support and strengthen this most important institution for the advance of God’s kingdom (Genesis 1:28; Deuteronomy 32:46,47; Psalm 127:1-5).
b. We affirm that the husband is the head of the home, and that under Christ he is to give godly leadership, seeking to direct his family in the ways of the Lord; that parents are primarily responsible for the spiritual training of their children (this includes discipline and biblical instruction); and that our goal as parents is to raise up "godly seed" for the Lord (Ephesians 5:22- 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Proverbs 29:15, 17; Malachi 2:15
c. We affirm that men are to exercise godly dominion over the particular area of life that God has called them to. First, over his own personal life. Second, over his family, protecting them, providing for them, teaching and guiding them in the ways of God and maintaining a haven of peace and order. Third, over the wider society, as God has particularly called and enabled him, in church, community life, or civil government. The wife is given dominion, under the authority of her husband, to be a keeper at home, bearing children, and instilling into them all the virtues and qualities of life, to be a help meet and support to her husband in his dominion calling, and to manage the home in a way that is orderly, peaceful, and blessed (Genesis 1:27-28; Proverbs 31; Titus 2:4-5).
2. The Church
We affirm that the true church is the body of Christ, consisting of the elect of God, and is the ground and pillar of truth in the world. We affirm that the local church is a body of professing believers who covenant together to discern, declare, and live the Word of God, to worship God in spirit and truth, to edify one another in love, to observe the holy ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to carry out church discipline, and to advance Christ’s kingdom in obedience to the Great Commission (1 Tim. 3:15; Jude 3; Colossians 3:12, 16-17; John 4:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:16; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Matthew 5:13-20; 6:10; 28:18-20).
3. Civil Government
We affirm that civil government was instituted and ordained by God, and that the civil magistrate is God’s minister charged with the duty of punishing evildoers according to the standards of God’s law and of providing protection and peace for those who do well. Thus, only "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" are fully qualified to serve as magistrates. At His ascension, Jesus Christ was invested with all authority in Heaven and earth, which includes authority over all magistrates and civil governments. Hence all rulers and nations are commanded to bow in submission to Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords (Genesis 9:1-7; Colossians 1:16-17; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20- 21; Proverbs 29:2; Psalm 2; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5; 19:16; Isaiah 60:12; 1 Timothy 1:9,10; Romans 13:1-6; Exodus 18:21).
a. We affirm that the family is to be a vital center of Christian discipleship, and that as a church we will seek to support and strengthen this most important institution for the advance of God’s kingdom (Genesis 1:28; Deuteronomy 32:46,47; Psalm 127:1-5).b. We affirm that the husband is the head of the home, and that under Christ he is to give godly leadership, seeking to direct his family in the ways of the Lord; that parents are primarily responsible for the spiritual training of their children (this includes discipline and biblical instruction); and that our goal as parents is to raise up "godly seed" for the Lord (Ephesians 5:22- 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Proverbs 29:15, 17; Malachi 2:15
c. We affirm that men are to exercise godly dominion over the particular area of life that God has called them to. First, over his own personal life. Second, over his family, protecting them, providing for them, teaching and guiding them in the ways of God and maintaining a haven of peace and order. Third, over the wider society, as God has particularly called and enabled him, in church, community life, or civil government. The wife is given dominion, under the authority of her husband, to be a keeper at home, bearing children, and instilling into them all the virtues and qualities of life, to be a help meet and support to her husband in his dominion calling, and to manage the home in a way that is orderly, peaceful, and blessed (Genesis 1:27-28; Proverbs 31; Titus 2:4-5).
We affirm that the true church is the body of Christ, consisting of the elect of God, and is the ground and pillar of truth in the world. We affirm that the local church is a body of professing believers who covenant together to discern, declare, and live the Word of God, to worship God in spirit and truth, to edify one another in love, to observe the holy ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to carry out church discipline, and to advance Christ’s kingdom in obedience to the Great Commission (1 Tim. 3:15; Jude 3; Colossians 3:12, 16-17; John 4:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:16; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Matthew 5:13-20; 6:10; 28:18-20).
3. Civil Government
We affirm that civil government was instituted and ordained by God, and that the civil magistrate is God’s minister charged with the duty of punishing evildoers according to the standards of God’s law and of providing protection and peace for those who do well. Thus, only "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" are fully qualified to serve as magistrates. At His ascension, Jesus Christ was invested with all authority in Heaven and earth, which includes authority over all magistrates and civil governments. Hence all rulers and nations are commanded to bow in submission to Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords (Genesis 9:1-7; Colossians 1:16-17; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20- 21; Proverbs 29:2; Psalm 2; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5; 19:16; Isaiah 60:12; 1 Timothy 1:9,10; Romans 13:1-6; Exodus 18:21).