God created humans to live in relationship with Him — to be loved by Him, and to love Him in return. However, the first man and woman were deceived by God’s enemy, Satan. They rebelled against God’s instructions to them, and chose to be wrongfully independent from God. This decision alienated them from God. Since that time, every other human being has suffered the consequences of that rebellion. We all fail to please God, and are open to Satan’s deception. Our failure to please God is called “sin.” Unless a good relationship is re–established with God, our sin results in condemnation under God’s judgment and would cause us to spend eternity in hell, separated from God forever. Furthermore, there is nothing we can do on our own to re–establish a good relationship with God.

God divinely inspired human authors to write the sixty–six books of the Bible. Through these people God communicated the values, principles, and ideals which please Him and are in our best interests. We believe the Bible is entirely accurate, complete, and reliable. We look to the Bible for the revelation of the character of God, and as the final authority on all matters of faith and conduct.

God designed the church to help people rebuild a good relationship with Him, and to represent Jesus Christ to a world that needs Him. The Bible speaks of the church as Christ’s body, and compares the church to a living organism. Jesus is the head, and the Holy Spirit arranges people to form the parts of the body. The Holy Spirit gives each Christian special functions to perform for the good of the body. As each part does its work, the body grows and matures. God works through the body — the church — to bring other people back into a good relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ.