What We Believe

I.   THE WORD OF GOD

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God's will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.

II.   THE TRINITY

We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are equal and perfect in every divine attribute, and they execute distinct and harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

III.   GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, and love. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men and women, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

IV.   JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, who fully possesses the same nature and attributes as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is not only true God but true Man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven.

V.   HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, co-equal with the Father and the Son. We believe in His personality and His work in regeneration, sanctification and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost. He also empowers the believer for service through the giving of spiritual gifts and for godly living.

VI.   HUMANITY

We believe God created humanity, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. As a result of the fall, all persons are sinners by nature and by choice and are therefore spiritually dead; yet the Holy Spirit regenerates those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior.

VII.   SALVATION

We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received through faith apart from any human merit, works, or ritual.

VIII.   THE CHURCH

We believe in the church, the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. It is composed of all persons who possess saving faith in Jesus Christ and have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This body expresses itself in local churches comprised of believers in Christ. The ordinances of the local church are baptism and the Lord's Supper.

We believe each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ, is self-governing in function, and is interdependent in relationship with other true churches. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord, yet each must submit mutually to the others in love.

We believe the church’s scriptural officers are elders and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

IX.   CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

We believe the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in thought, speech, conduct, and lifestyle. Each Christian should seek to be a growing disciple of Jesus Christ in every area of life, a faithful steward of all resources, and an ambassador for Christ before the world.

X.   LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ in power and glory to receive His church to Himself and to bring the world to its appointed end. The dead will be raised, and Jesus Christ will judge both the living and the dead. The unrighteous will be punished in hell, and the righteous will dwell with Christ forever in the new heaven and the new earth.

A more detailed explanation of the doctrinal teaching presented at PHBF is entitled "What We Teach" and is available for download here.