God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Gen. 1:1, 1:26-27, 3:22; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 28:19; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14)

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. His death paid the price for the sin of those who accept Him as Savior and Lord. After His resurrection, He ascended to Heaven and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Matt. 1:22-23; Is. 9:6; John 1:1-5; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Heb. 4:14-15; 1 Tim. 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is our Helper and is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives believers spiritual gifts when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under the conviction He provides. (John 14:16-17; 14:26; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:12, 2 Cor. 3:16-17; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 1:13, 5:18)

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was inspired by God, and written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. The Bible is without errors in the original text. (Ps. 119:105, 160; Prov. 30:5; 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)

All people are created in the image of God. All life is to be regarded as sacred. God’s intention was for all people to be in fellowship with Him. When mankind sinned, their sin separated them from God. They were not capable of restoring that relationship themselves. (Gen. 1:27; Ps. 8:3-6; Is. 53:6a; Rom. 3:23; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:8-9)

Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but it must be accepted. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ and receiving God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved and can have a relationship with Him. (John 1:12; 14:6; Rom. 5:1; 5:8; 6:23; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)

The universal church, the body of Christ, consists of all believers regardless of organizational affiliation. The local church, which every Christian should be a part of, should be a witness to the contemporary world. Without compromising biblical absolutes, a church’s ministry, worship, and teaching should creatively adapt to the particular culture it feels called to reach. (Matt. 16:18, 28:19; Eph. 4:4-6; Col. 1:18)

People were created to exist forever. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ will live eternally with God. Those who have not placed their faith in Jesus will live eternally without God. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (Matt. 25:46; John 3:16, Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1-7)

Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is the public declaration that a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Baptism does not save anyone, but shows the world that a person has already been saved. While baptism is not required for salvation, it is a biblical command and demonstrates love and obedience to Christ. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-10; Acts 2:38-41; 8:12; 10:47-48; 16:31-34; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13)

Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is an ordinance given to all believers by Jesus Christ to remember His sacrifice and to symbolize the new covenant. The elements of bread and wine or juice are symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is not a means of salvation; rather, it is an expression of a Christian’s faith in the atoning work of the cross. Two thousand years later, we regularly observe the act of consuming bread and wine (juice) as a community for the exact same reason—to remember our Savior, who sacrificed Himself for our sins. (Matt. 26:26-28, Acts 2:42, 1 Cor. 11:17-34)