WHAT WE
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES
FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING
A. Sexual Purity
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.
B. Marriage
We believe that God has ordained that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. Since we are 'not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers,’ a Christian should only enter into marriage with another Christian. If a Christian is married to an unbeliever, the Christian should remain faithful to their wedding vows and seek to live in harmony with their spouse.
C. Grace for Healing and Forgiveness
We believe that God, in His created order, designed us with a purpose. Through the fall of man, we are out of alignment from that created order. The price of Christ’s death and resurrection is sufficient for us to live in freedom, being restored to our created destiny. It is this reality that causes us to offer healing and restoration for all sinners, including any form of sexual sin.
D. Spiritual Equality of Men and Women
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the Church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and elders) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church.
E. Family Structure
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the Church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the Church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through consistent lifestyle, example, and appropriate discipline, including scriptural corporal correction.
F. Sanctity of Life
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies are acceptable. In those rare instances where the mother’s life is in danger and it is not possible to save both the mother and the baby, we believe it is moral to save one life rather than lose two lives.
Euthanasia is an activity outside the plan of God, who alone numbers our days.
Euthanasia is an activity outside the plan of God, who alone numbers our days.
G. Our love for humanity
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.