What We Believe
We believe the Bible is the primary means God speaks to us today. Through the words of its inspired text, God provides us with all we need to know concerning life, salvation from sin, and our relationship with God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
We believe that because of our sin, people are doomed to an eternity separated from God. But by God’s love and grace, He made a way for anyone who will receive the gift of salvation, by their faith in Jesus Christ, to be saved from their sin and live with Him eternally (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9).
We believe the local church is God’s primary means God uses to help believers grow in their journey of faith through the teaching of God’s Word and the encouragement of other believers (Colossians 2:6-7, 1 Corinthians 12).
We believe that a life lived by faith in God brings complete joy and satisfaction to a person’s life because God is the giver of life (Psalm 16:11, John 15:11).
More on What we Believe
The Bible: We believe that the Bible is the fully inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (Mark 13:31; John 20:31; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Hebrews 1:1-2).
The Tri-Unity: We believe there is one living and true God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect; eternally existing in three equal persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Hebrews 9:14).
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, judgment, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of people, that He hears and answers prayer, that He justly executes His wrath upon those who disobey, and that He saves from sin and eternal death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; 2 Chronicles 7:14; John 4:24; Romans 2:5; 3:5-26; 1 John 4:8-16).
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, miracles, and teachings; that he died on the cross shedding His blood as the substitutionary atoning sacrifice for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, where, at the right hand of God, He is now interceding for His people and one day soon will visibly return to earth (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:6-38; John 1:1,14; 14:6; 20:28,31; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-24; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:22, 28; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Isaiah 7:14; Hebrews 10:14; Mark 10:45).
Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, (and) judgment, (and) to regenerate, make holy, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, that He is received by grace, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, guide, and comforter (John 3:5-6; 14:16-17; 14:26; 16:7-14; Romans 8:9, 14, 16, 26, 27; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14).
Salvation: We believe that all of mankind are sinners by nature and by choice, and are, therefore, under the condemnation of eternal separation from God in a place the Bible calls Hell. We believe that regeneration (salvation) is the gift of God made possible through the shed blood and death of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of mankind and His victorious resurrection from the dead. We believe that those who, by faith, confess Jesus as Lord, believe in His bodily death for sin, and His resurrection from the dead as their Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that those who have experienced regeneration are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever. (Romans 3:9-18; 6:23; 10:8-13; Titus 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:31-39).
The Church: We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a congregation of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Acts 1:8; 2:37-47, 8:4; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13).
Ordinances of the Church: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 26:26-29; 28:19).
Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality: We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, distinctive in physical and nonphysical characteristics from conception. These two distinct, complementary genders reflect the image and nature of God. Thus, the rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person and God’s design for them (Genesis 1:26-27).
We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Matthew 19:4-9, Mark 10:6-12). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4).
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual conduct, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the Longville Bible Chapel (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).
Sanctity of Human Life: We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Psalm 139.)
Religious Liberty: We believe that every Christian has a direct relationship with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith. Each church is independent and must be free from interference by any religious or political authority. Therefore, church and state must be kept separate, having different functions, each fulfilling its own duties. (Matthew 10:28-30; Hebrews 4:14-16; 2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 4:19-20; 2 Corinthians 1:24).