Beliefs

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.

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 office in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

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 each person, that He hears and answers prayer and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth 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.

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 (born again) by the Holy Spirit.

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 into the name of the triune God.  We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and resurrection.  We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of Jesus Christ.

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  lost world.

We believe in the distinct personality of Satan; that he is the god of this age, author of all the powers of darkness and sin, and destined to the judgement of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.

We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death.  Now all mankind is born in sin and shaped in iniquity and have become practical sinners with the first expression of personal choice, not by constraint, but by choice, and so are without excuses before God.

We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ, when he voluntarily took upon Himself a human body and nature, yet without sin.  By His suffering death, and resurrection, He made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man.  The blessings of this salvation are given on the grounds of grace to all who believe and confess; it is the immediate duty of all to accept these offers of mercy.

We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and that this salvation is wholly by grace.  No works, however good, make that salvation more secure.  We believe that all who take Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ.

We believe that human beings are the crowning work of creation, and that each person is immutably and biologically created as male or female, together reflecting the image of God.  In the beginning, Adam and Eve were innocent of sin and were endowed by their Creator with freedom of choice.  By their free choice they sinned against God and brought sin into the human race.  The sacredness of humanity is evident in God’s creative work, and that Christ died for fallen humanity.

We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.

We believe that Christian marriage is a sacred institution ordained by God for the wellbeing of mankind and the propagation of the human race.  It is the covenantal and physical union of one biological male and one biological female according to Scripture for life.

We believe that every human being has 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 any ecclesiastical or political authority; that, therefore, church and state must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duty free from dictation or patronage of the other.

We believe that local Churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in an association of churches.  Such an organization (whether it is Converge Worldwide or one of its regional districts) exists and functions by the will of the Churches.  Cooperation in this association is voluntary and may be terminated at any time.  Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational 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 judgement, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.