One True God WE BELIEVE God is revealed in Scriptures as the eternal Godhead, the Trinity, who has shown Himself as one God, existing in three persons - The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Godhead is distinguishable but indivisible in essence; co-eternal, co-existent, co-equal in nature, attributes, power and glory. God is one undivided and invisible essence, yet with three eternal distinctions: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4,  Isaiah 48:16, Matthew 28:19, Ephesians 4:4-6, I John 5:7;Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26). Jesus Christ WE BELIEVE in the deity of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who pre-existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He was supernaturally begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and is truly, totally God and truly, totally man. He is the perfect Mediator between God and man because in the person of Christ is the fully divine and the fully human. (Matt. 1:20-21; Luke 1:35-36; 2:10- 11). He is the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14; 3:16, 18; I John 4:9) and at the same time God the Son; therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ, sinless, omnipotent, omniscient, Saviour of sinners, King of kings, and Lord of lords. (Colossians 1:15-19, Philippians 2:5-8, I Timothy 2:5-6, John 1:1-3, 14-18). WE BELIEVE He died on the cross and shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sins. WE BELIEVE in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His literal, physical, bodily ascension into Heaven and in His present work there as High Priest, Mediator, and Advocate for us (Heb. 9:24; 10:20-21; I Tim. 2:5-6; I John 2:1, 2). WE BELIEVE the Scriptures teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the shed blood and mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who, according to the will of the Father, assumed our nature, yet without sin, honored the Divine Law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour (Eph. 2:5; Matt. 18:11; I John 4:10; I Cor. 3:5-7; Acts 15:11; John 3:16; John 1:1-14; Heb. 4:14; 12:24; Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9, 14; II Cor. 5:21; Isa. 53:4,5; Heb. 7:25; Col. 2:9). The Holy Spirit WE BELIEVE in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ, to convict men of sin, and to empower believers.  As the third person of the Godhead, He is comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener to the Church. WE BELIEVE that at the precise time of the new birth the believer immediately receives the Holy Spirit and is by Him baptized (placed) into the body of Christ, is forever indwelt by the Holy Spirit as Comforter, Teacher and Guide, and if yielded to Him, is filled by the Spirit and is empowered for service (John 1:32-34; Acts 1:8; Acts 15:8; Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2; Eph. 5:18). The Holy Scriptures WE BELIEVE the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  It is the inerrant, infallible, and altogether authentic, accurate and authoritative Word of God, therefore the supreme and final authority in all things. It is the direct revelation of the Will of God for all men and for all time. (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; II Peter 3:2, Rev. 22:18-19). WE BELIEVE that the Bible is not to be added to, minimized, or made politically correct. It is all inclusive, complete and the finished Word of God. (Deut 4:2, Deut. 12:32, Proverbs 30: 5-6, 1 Cor. 4:6, Revelation 22:18-19). Any religion or doctrine which departs or adds to the Word of God misleads people away from the central truths of the Bible’s message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 4:1, Matthew 24:11, Matthew 24:24, II Corinthians 11: 13-14, II Peter 2:1). The Church Guide recognizes such beliefs, faiths, religions, as false doctrines, and does not include such followers as Christian. Though we love the individual, we hate the sin and cannot be a part of it. The Gospel WE BELIEVE the Gospel is the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins; that He was buried that He arose alive and triumphant from the grave and in so doing He made the necessary sacrifice for atonement, became the Substitute for our redemption, which thereby paid our sin debt and purchased our salvation for us; and that all who place their faith in full trust in Him are saved by His shed blood (I Cor. 15:3-4; Col. 1:14; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:9; Acts 4:12). The Church WE BELIEVE the Scriptures teach that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His Laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. WE BELIEVE the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have the opportunity, and the building up and edifying of the saints. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations and that the one and only Head is Christ through the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:41, 42; 8:1; I Cor. 4:17; Acts 2:47; I Cor. 11:2; Matt. 28:20; John 14:15; 15:10; Acts 14:23; 15:22; II Thess. 3:7; Rom. 16:17-20; I Cor. 11:23; Matt. 18:15-20; I Tim. 3; Titus 1). Man WE BELIEVE man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is the eternal separation from God and an everlasting abode in Hell, that all human beings are henceforth born with a sinful nature and, in the case of those who reach the age of moral responsibility, become sinners by choice and practice, in thought, word, and deed, and that sin creates a debt which no man can pay for himself (Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Gen. 1:26-27; I Cor. 11:7). Believer's Baptism WE BELIEVE each person claiming Christ as Saviour should promptly make public his/her profession of Christ, that each new Christian should follow the Lord’s command for believer’s baptism, that baptism does not save but that it is the Lord’s prescribed way for us to identify ourselves with Him in open confession, that baptism is a symbolic representation, a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Matt. 10:32-33; 28:18-20; Luke 9:23; Acts 16:30-34; Rom. 10:9-10). Eternal Security WE BELIEVE each believer, at the time he puts his trust in Christ, is born into the family of God and instantaneously becomes a son or daughter of the living God, thus is redeemed by the Lord’s purchase price paid for us, is henceforth preserved in Christ and, therefore, is forever secure in Christ, possesses everlasting, eternal life and is sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity (John 10:28- 29; Romans 8:38-39; John 5:24; Ephesians 1:13). The Second Coming WE BELIEVE in “that blessed hope,” the personal, literal and visible pretribulational, premillennial return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (I Thess. 4:13-18; II Thess. 2:1-3). WE BELIEVE the second coming will be a two-phased event: first the rapture and then the revelation. The rapture will be followed by a seven-year period of great tribulation on earth (Rev. 4-18). At the end of the Tribulation period, Christ will return to rule and reign on the earth for one thousand grand and glorious years (Rev. 20:4-6). WE BELIEVE the Word of God in its warning that we will not know the time of His return, and that we should take heed that no man deceive us. (Matt. 25:13, Matt. 24:3-4). Soul Winning WE BELIEVE the Lord’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) is His command to us to get the Gospel to all peoples of the world; therefore, we support an active program of soul-winning in the Hampton Roads area, with the goal to Save One Million Souls, winning them to Christ, baptizing them, and encouraging them to become a member of a local church where they will be taught everything the Lord has commanded us (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15). WE BELIEVE salvation is received when a person honestly sincerely, consciously and deliberately repents (changes their mind about God, Acts 20:21) and places their faith (trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour (Acts 20:21, Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9, John 1:12). WE FURTHER BELIEVE that when we follow Christ appropriately and obediently, we will be a “fisher of men” (Matt. 4:19). Marriage and Sex WE BELIEVE that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23). WE BELIEVE that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage. (Ex. 20:14, Heb. 13:4, I Cor. 7:1-5, Mt. 19:4-6). WE BELIEVE that any form of adultery, pornography, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, and incest, are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex (Gen. 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). Abortion WE BELIEVE that human life begins at conception and the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44). Outreach and Ministry WE BELIEVE the purest service is to help others and to seek the welfare of others without the expectation of reward. A Christian is a servant to the people; as exemplified by Jesus, who came "not to be served, but to serve." WE BELIEVE it important to support Christian ministries and outreaches that help the poor, the afflicted, widows and orphans, the hungry, the homeless, and those in need. The Bible instructs us to help and support fellow Christians (Proverbs 21:13, James 2: 15-16, Acts 20:35). Yet as Christians we are expected to do more, the Bible expects us to help others as well. God created everyone who is alive. Every person is precious to him. (Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 14:31, James 1:27, Psalm 82:3, Proverbs 22:9, James 2:14-18, Matthew 25:34-46). Politics and Voting WE BELIEVE that this country is a Christian nation. When settlers first landed at the windswept dunes of present day Virginia Beach on April 26, 1607, they erected a wooden cross and Rev. Robert Hunt claimed this land for God and gave thanksgiving for God’s mercy and grace. WE BELIEVE that we are subject to the governing authorities and the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-14, Titus 3:1-11). Scripture tells us as Christians to be in the world, but not of the world. We are the children of God, we are to represent our Father in heaven. WE BELIEVE that God’s Will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Therefore, we as Christians should represent God’s Will and participate where possible in securing the Will of God. (Proverbs 29:2). WE BELIEVE voting is important. We as Christian vote in every election, either by our ballot or by our silence. Our vote is our seed. God doesn’t do anything without a seed. When you don’t sow it, you have sown into your enemy. According to scripture, our money, words of approval, our efforts, as well as our silence, bring us into accord with those to whom we commit them. Heaven and Hell WE BELIEVE Heaven is a real place that is the eternal home of all who by faith claim the salvation of Christ. WE BELIEVE Hell is a real place that is the eternal home of all who die without Christ as their Saviour. WE BELIEVE in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost (I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:5-6), the everlasting blessedness of the saved (Heaven) (John 14:1-3; Rev. 21- 22), and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost (Hell) (Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15). Satan WE BELIEVE Satan is a real being, a fallen angel, that he is the enemy of God, the ‘father of lies,’ the great deceiver of mankind, the instigator of all false systems of religion, and that both he and all his followers will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire (II Cor. 11:13-16; Ephesians 2:2; II Cor. 4:3-4; Rev. 20:2). Ecclesiastical Separation WE BELIEVE that Christian believers and local, New Testament churches should be guided and governed by the Bible, and consequently, we believe it is imperative that we identify false doctrine and those who perpetrate it, and subsequently, stand separate and apart from them. WE BELIEVE the widespread popular practice of ecumenism (getting theologically diverse groups together for the sake of fellowship, for the exercise of their ministries together, and the belief that all religions worship the same god) is another deception of the devil. Under the guise of “unity,” Ecumenism calls for interfaith globalism among all religions under one church. The Church Guide loves all individuals, but cannot jeopardize the loving relationship we have with our Father in heaven and compromise our beliefs in order to promote a false belief system (Hebrews 12:14, Romans 16:17, John 1:9, Luke 12:51-52). WE WELCOME all Christian churches, Christian outreaches and Christian ministries to partake in this media ministry, but we give no place on our platform to honor or to hear the opinions and the views of those who do not hold to “sound doctrine.”  The Church Guide cannot endorse any church, event, submission, individual etc. that does not or cannot comply with the fundamentals of these beliefs and statements of faith. Love The Person, Hate The Sin! 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