xWe Strive to be the Church Described in the New Testament

It is our purpose to be completely identified with the Christians of the first century. We believe this to be possible to all who will learn, believe and be guided by the plain teaching of the word of God. Jesus declared such to be "the seed of the kingdom" (Lk. 8:11). A fundamental truth in nature is that a specific kind of seed, when planted, will always produce after its kind. The word of God when planted in the hearts of honest people, and obeyed will produce Christians - just as it did in the first century - nothing more and nothing less. We are human, and therefore subject to error, so we recognize the possibility that we may be wrong in our application of the scriptures. If we can be shown where we are wrong, by the scriptures, we are willing and anxious to change.

xOur Emphasis is Spiritual, Not Material or Social

Our building is designed to facilitate our work and worship. We place little emphasis on luxurious surroundings. While as individuals Christians we seek each others' association socially, the church is not a social club or agency and therefore the Lord's money is not used to promote social functions or works. Our aim is spiritual (1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Tim. 3:15).

xWe Have No Human Authority

There is no man, or group of men who legislate for the church. We have not one to answer to but Christ. He is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22). As was true in the first century, there is no intercongregational organization, but rather independent congregations in different locations with Christ as Lord and Master. According to the authority of Christ, when a congregation matures to the point where men meet the qualifications, overseers (also called bishops, elders, or pastors) are appointed to look after the spiritual welfare of the congregation. Such men are appointed only when the congregation determines that they meet all of the qualifications listed by Paul in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. They then have the responsibility to "feed the flock" with the spiritual food found in the scriptures, and to be living examples for others to see (1 Pet. 5:1-3).

xThe Bible is Our Guide in Serving God

Therefore we have no man-written creed books to follow. We are governed in faith and conduct by the Bible alone. While recognizing and heeding the guiding principles of the Old Testament, we seek to conform to the teachings of the New Testament (1 Cor. 10:4; Heb. 1:1-2; 1 Pet. 4:11). We accept the Bible as being both verbally inspired and infallible in content (2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Cor. 2:11-13). Consequently, when the Bible speaks upon any given subject, its pronouncement is accepted as final. By its own testimony, no one may with impunity alter a single word of it (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18- 19).

xOur Plea is for Unity

We plead for unity among all who obediently respond to the doctrines and commandments given in the New Testament. Such is in harmony with the prayer of Jesus and the pleadings of the apostle (Jn. 17:20- 21; 1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:1-6). We consider such unity to be possible, or Jesus would not have prayed for it. We also note that unity and love for each other was a mark of discipleship in the early churches (Jn. 13:34-35; Acts 2:44-46; Acts 4:32). And since division has always been the result of departure from "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3), we believe that division can be healed by a return to the revealed word of God.