We believe that the church is where God is currently accomplishing His will. Every believer is a member of the church, the body of Christ, which is visibly manifested through local assemblies. The purpose of the church is to worship God, edify believers, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men.

Nature of the Church: We believe that all regenerate persons in every place and time beginning at Pentecost, are united into one spiritual body called the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). The church began on the day of Pentecost and is to be distinguished from elect Israel (Acts 1:6-7; Romans 11:15,25-31; 1 Corinthians 10:32). Believers are directed to associate themselves into local assemblies (1 Corinthians 11:18-20; Hebrews 10:25).

Purpose: We teach that it is the ultimate function of the church to worship God and glorify Christ (Ephesians 3:21) as He is the head of the church. Christ is to be preeminent in all things (Colossians 1:18). Also, it is to edify believers (Ephesians 4:11-12,16; Colossians 2:19), and to evangelize the lost (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8). This is realized primarily through the teaching and preaching of the Word of God (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 14:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:2), expectations of ministry involvement (Ephesians 4:12), prayer (Acts 2:42), the observation of communion (Acts 2:42).

Government of the Church: We believe that the sole authority of the church is Christ (Matthew 16:16-19; John 15:1-8; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:20; 4:15; 5:23,30; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 2:4-7). Each local church body is led, shepherded, and overseen by pastoral leadership (Acts 14:23; 20:17,28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:14; 5:17-19; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-2). These leaders are then supported by the practical and spiritual aid of deacons (Acts 6:1-6; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8-13). The leaders of the church must consider the autonomy of the local church and the priesthood of every believer (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 Peter 2:5) in order that unity in the body is maintained.

Ordinances: We teach that Christ clearly established two ordinances for the church: baptism and communion. Baptism is an outward, symbolic representation of our union with Christ's sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. We teach that baptism has no salvific value, but rather it is an outward testimony of union with Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). We also teach that full immersion is the most biblically sound mode for baptizing. The word baptism is a transliteration from baptizo that means "to dip, to plunge, or to immerse." This mode for baptizing seems to have the most biblical support (John 3:23; Mark 1:10; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). We teach that the Lord's Supper is an outward, symbolic remembrance of the shedding of Christ's blood and the breaking of His body in His substitutionary act on the cross to reconcile men to the Father (Matthew 24:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26; Hebrews 9:15-28). The bread and cup themselves do not posses any special content as is the claim believed by transubstantiationists.

Maintaining Purity in the Church: We teach that the church must labor to maintain it's purity. Because of this, anyone who professes to be in Christ, and belongs to a local church places himself under the authority of church discipline, should he ever become willfully sinful and unrepentant (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1; Titus 3:10). This drastic measure is commanded by God to maintain purity and unity within the church body (1 Corinthians 5:6-7; Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10). The church body is to relate to the unrepentant person as an unbeliever, yet continuing to admonish him through an intentionally redemptive relationship (Matthew 18:17; 2 Thes 3:15) with gentle yet firm confrontation and warning (Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:15). The goal of church discipline is never to punish but rather holds the goal of full restoration of the sinful brother (Matthew 18:15; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11). We also teach that in maintaining the purity of the church there is a directive from God to remain set apart. We call this Ecclesiastical Separation. Church discipline is an internal maintenance of purity, and separation is an external pursuit for the purity of the church. As the church has been sanctified or set apart from the world, they must be careful to remain separated from activities that are clearly evil or promote the world's system (1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:1-2; James 4:4; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 6:14-15). A church should never cooperate with false teachers and apostates. Rather, the church should expose and refute those who deviate from Scripture in doctrine (2 Corinthians 6:16-18; Galatians 1:8; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-20; 2 John 9-11; Titus 1:9). Furthermore, the church should not affiliate with men or organizations that deviate from Scripture in practice (2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 5:1-11; 1 Timothy 1:18-20).