At Central Church, our Statement of Faith serves as a declaration of the foundational beliefs that guide our church's life and mission. These beliefs are rooted in Scripture and reflect the core doctrines of the Christian faith. They shape not only what we teach, but also how we live as followers of Jesus Christ.
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and 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 (John 17:17; Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21). We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-4; I John 5:7). We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of individuals, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 17; John 4:24; John 17:5). We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:2,3; I John 1:7). We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide (John 14:26; John 16:7-15; Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:13,14). We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit (John 1:12, 13; John 3:3, 16, 17; Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2;1-9; Titus 3:5). 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 company 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 (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:38-41; Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 5:25-27). We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of humankind; that the Christian should maintain conduct blameless before the world, be a faithful steward of possessions, and seek to realize for self and others the full stature of maturity in Christ (II Cor 9:6-8; Eph 4:11-16; Phil 2:14-16; Col 3:17-23; I Thess 4:17,18) 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 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 42; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-32). We believe that every human being can have direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by an ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other (I Timothy 2:5). We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with inter-denominational fellowships on a voluntary, independent basis. We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked (John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:1-15; II Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46).