His Tri-unity    There is but one true and living God, infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things; He eternally and concurrently exists in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—each of whom possesses all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality. Scriptures: Genesis 1:26, Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalm 45:6, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Micah 5:2, Matthew 28:19, and John 10:30.

The Father    As Father, God reigns over His entire universe with providential care. He is all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, and all-wise. He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed, to those who have become children of God through Jesus Christ, who will deliver them into the Father’s hands. Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, 1 Chronicles 29:10, Jeremiah 10:10, Matthew 6:9, Acts 1:7, Romans 8:14-15, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 15:24 , and Ephesians 4:6.

The Son    The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After demonstrating the accomplishment of that redemption and justification by His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father, where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him. He will return to earth personally, visibly, and bodily to judge all men and establish His kingdom. Scriptures: Luke 1:34-35, John 1:1, 2, 14, 18, Romans 3:24-26, 8:34, Acts 1:11, and Revelation 1:7.

The Holy Spirit He is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is He alone that brings new life to those who are spiritually dead. He baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church, which is the Body of Christ. He indwells them permanently, seals them until the day of final redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him. Every believer is called to live in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. The present ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Scriptures: John 3:3-8, 14:16 -17, 16:7-14; Romans 8:9, and Ephesians 4:30, 5:18 .

We believe the Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, is the written Word of God. The Bible is the only essential and infallible record of God's self-disclosure to man. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Being conferred by God, the Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by Him. Therefore, in the original texts, the Bible is free of error in all that it teaches. Each book is to be interpreted according to its context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through it in living power. All believers are exhorted to study the Scriptures and diligently apply them to their lives. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine, whether for the individual or the church. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom. Every teaching, whether formal or informal, such as creeds, confessions, or statements of theology, must be put to the test of the full counsel of God in Holy Scripture. Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, Luke 24:27, 44, John 5:39, Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Timothy 3:16, and 2 Peter 1:21.

Man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self determination, and moral responsibility to God. It is God's intention in the creation of man that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world. Scriptures: Genesis 2:7, 15-17, Isaiah 43:7, Colossians 1:16 , James 3:9, and Revelation 4:11.

Due to Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, and became subject to the wrath of God. He subsequently became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from a special work of divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is thereby wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Scriptures: Genesis 2:16 -17, 3:1, 6-7, John 3:36 , 8:34 -35, Romans 3:23 ; 6:23 , 1 Corinthians 2:14 , Ephesians 2:1-3, and 1 John 1:8.

Since all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration. Scriptures: Genesis 5:1-3, Psalm 14:1-3, Jeremiah 17:9, and Romans 3:9-18, 23, 5:10-12. All men will one day be included in the resurrection of the dead, both the saved and the lost; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of damnation. Scripture: John 5:28-29.

God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act. The account of origins presented in Genesis is a simple, literal and factual presentation of actual historical events. Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, John 1:3, and Colossians 1:16-17.

Redemption The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice and all who believe in Him are redeemed (purchased) by His shed blood. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven; He is our High Priest and Advocate. Scriptures: John 1:1-3, 29, 1 Corinthians 15:1-3, Hebrews 10:4-14, and 1 John 2:2.

Salvation   Salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or made more secure by meritorious works, but is freely bestowed on all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for our sins at Calvary . All who trust the Savior are forgiven of their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures: John 1:12, Acts 16:30-33, Romans 10:9-10, and Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9.

The Church is composed of all who are united by the Holy Spirit to the risen and ascended Son of God, Jesus Christ. By the same Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, and thus being members one of another, we are responsible in good conscience to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, loving one another fervently with a pure heart. Scriptures: Matthew 16:16-18, Acts 2:32 -47, Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:20-23, 4:3-10, and Colossians 3:14-15.

The Church is not a religious institution or denomination, nor is it a building. It is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born again believers in this present age. The Church is distinct from Israel , a mystery not revealed until this age. Scriptures: Ephesians 3:1-6, 2:11 , 3:6, 5:32 , and 1 Corinthians 10:32.

The Church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It also exists to serve him by faithfully doing his will in the earth. This involves a commitment to see the gospel preached and local churches established in the entire world as testimonies to His grace. The ultimate mission of the Church is the making and perfecting of disciples through the preaching of the gospel. Upon conversion, newly redeemed men and women are added to a local church in which they devote themselves to teaching, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper and prayer. Scriptures: Ephesians 3:10-11, 20-21, Matthew 28:18-20, and Acts 2:41-42.

The one supreme authority for the church is Christ Himself, and church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated leaders, serving under Christ and among the assembly are elders (also called bishops, or overseers) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications. Scriptures: Acts 20:28 , 1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 1:22, 4:1, Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1.

The New Testament clearly teaches the establishment and continuity of local churches, and that the members of the one spiritual Body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies. Scriptures: Acts 14:23 , 27, 20:17 , 28, 1 Corinthians 11:18, Galatians 1:2, Philippians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:1, and Hebrews 10:25.

The local assembly is autonomous, free from any external authority or control, with the right of self government and freedom from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. The Word of God teaches that true churches can and should cooperate with each other for the presentation and propagation of the faith. Each local church, however, should be the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. Scriptures: Acts 13:1-4, 14:23 , 15:22 -29, and Titus 1:5.

Of great importance in the church is discipleship and a mutual accountability of all believers to one other, as well as the need for the discipline/restoration of sinning members of the congregation, all done in accordance with the dictates of Holy Scripture. Scriptures: Matthew 18:15-22, 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, Galatians 6:1, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, 1 Timothy 1:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:2, and Titus 1:10-16.

All who believe and receive the risen Jesus Christ as Lord are spiritually born into permanent membership in the family of God. We recognize all members of the Body of Christ as united together in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all such members are welcome to regularly worship, fellowship, and serve God together at The Journey. Scriptures: Romans 12:3-6, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 4:4

The local church is the primary place of preparation for the work of the ministry. This is accomplished through true Biblical discipleship. While post graduate higher education has a rightful place in furthering the knowledge of the child of God, it cannot and must not replace a careful, disciplined, daily walk with God. The great need of our day is for men and women to be prepared in “the secret place of the Almighty.” Scriptures: Acts 13:1-4, Ephesians 4:11-13, 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Titus 1:5-9

All members of the Church universal are to be a vital and committed part of a local church. In this context they are called to walk out the New Covenant as the people of God and demonstrate the reality of the kingdom of God . The ascended Christ has given gift ministries to the church (including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) for the equipping of Christ's body that it might mature and grow. Through the gift ministries all members of the Church are to be nurtured and equipped for the work of ministry. The accomplishments of the ministry are only eternally effective when carried out in the power and enabling of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures: Matthew 5:48, Ephesians 4:1-3, Colossians 1:9-12, Philippians 1:27, 1 Thessalonians 2:12 , and Hebrews 13:20-21.

Until the return of Christ, it is the Christian’s duty and privilege to seek the fulfillment of Christ's Great Commission and to minister in His name to a needy world. We are to be instruments of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit minister’s redemption and reconciliation in the world. Scriptures: Matthew 25:31-46, 28:18-20, 2 Cor. 5:18-20

The Lord’s Supper is to be observed only by those who have become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This ordinance symbolizes the giving of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf, and is to be observed repeatedly throughout the Christian life as a sign of continued participation in the atoning benefits of Christ’s death. As we partake of the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ, receive spiritual nourishment for our souls, and signify our unity with other members of Christ’s body. Scriptures: Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Water baptism is only intended for the individual who has received the saving benefits of Christ’s atoning work and become His disciple. Therefore, in obedience to Christ's command and as a testimony to God, the Church, oneself and the world, a believer should be immersed in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Water baptism is a visual demonstration of a person's union with Christ in the likeness of his death and resurrection. It signifies that his former way of life has been put to death and vividly depicts a person’s release from the mastery of sin. Scriptures: Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:38 -41, 9:18 , Romans 6:1-10.

We look for the visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth. This hope calls us to holy living, genuine witness, and encouragement of heart. The return of Christ will bring His kingdom to completion, judge the world in righteousness, and fulfill His promises to His people ( Israel and the Church). His future work on earth will conclude with the destruction of all evil and the creation of a new heaven and earth. Scriptures: Isaiah 65:17, Acts 1:11 , 2 Peter 3:13, and Revelation 1:7, 21:1.

All human beings will be raised from the dead, at their proper time, to participate either in eternal life prepared for those who have been redeemed, or to participate in eternal punishment reserved for the devil and his angels. Scripture: John 5:28-29.

The Bible teaches that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own. At that time, soul and body are reunited and shall be associated with Him forever in glory. The spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain, after death, conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire , not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. Scriptures: Luke 16:19–26 , 23:42 , 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9, Jude 6–7, and Revelation 20:11–15.