Welcome to the The Testimony Church

Essential Beliefs: 

1. We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all. (Genesis 1; Psalm 104; Acts 17:24-30; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 10:29-31).

2. We believe that the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of his will for the salvation of mankind, and the final authority for all Christian faith and life (Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

3. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the promised One. We believe that He is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. By the blood of His cross He satisfied the wrath of God, obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, spiritual adoption as sons and daughters, life everlasting, and defeated the powers of darkness. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to make intercession for the saints (Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; 2:15; Hebrews 7:25; 9:13-15; 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2; 3:8).

4. We believe that salvation from our sin can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ. We hold that our sin justly deserves the wrath of a perfect and holy God. That the good news of the gospel is that Jesus the Son of God has graciously absorbed all of God the Father’s wrath on our behalf and offers us reconciliation through this grace- His work on the cross. No ordinance, ritual, work, or any other activity on the part of man is required to be saved- only faith in Jesus saves us. That to turn to Christ in faith is to turn away from sin and faith in anything else- repentance. That faith in Christ will be accompanied by repentance, and that without repentance, faith in Christ does not exist.  (Isaiah 55:7; John 3:16; John 14:6; John 19:30; Acts 4:12; Acts 26:20, 2 Timothy 2:19). 

5. We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and Son. We fully submit to the Holy Spirit as the Leader of our Ecclesia. The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also convicts unbelievers of their need for Christ and imparts spiritual life through regeneration (the new birth). The Spirit indwells, sanctifies, leads, illumines, and graciously empowers for godly living and service all who come to faith in Christ. We believe that those who respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ by faith will be baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. That we are sealed for the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit. Subsequent to conversion, the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint believers for ministry and witness (Matthew 3:11; John 1:12-13; 3:1-15; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; 5:18).

Peripheral Beliefs

1. We believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and empowers the believers for service, often subsequent to regeneration. We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is carried out today at the laying on of hands or spontaneously as the Lord sees fit. That this baptism, like the baptism into the body of Christ, is a wonderful and blessed gift that God wants His servants to ask Him for. (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Luke 11:13; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:1-8; Acts 2:1-13; Acts 8:12-17; Acts 9:17-19; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 11:15-17, Acts 18:25-26, Acts 19:1-7). 

2. We believe that the ministry of the Spirit in signs and wonders continues to be as broad, tangible, and powerful among believers today as it was in the early church. We also believe that all the biblical gifts of the Spirit continue to be distributed by the Spirit today; that these gifts are divine provisions central to spiritual growth and effective ministry; and that these gifts are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to biblical guidelines (John 14:12; Acts 2:14-21; 4:29-30; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 12:28-31; 14:1-33; Galatians 3:1-5).

3. We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two ordinances of the church to be observed until the time of Christ's return. They are not a means of salvation but are sacramental channels of God's sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus (Matthew 26:26-29; 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; 1 Peter 3:21).

4. We believe that both men and women are together created in the divine image and are, therefore, equal before God as persons, possessing the same moral dignity and value and have equal access to God through faith in Christ. We also believe that men and women are together the recipients of spiritual gifts designed to equip and empower them for ministry in the local church and beyond. We also believe that God has ordained the principle of male headship in both the home and in the local church and that certain governing and teaching roles are restricted to men (primarily the office of Elder) (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 3:1-7; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

5. We believe that the account of origins presented in Genesis 1–11 is a simple but factual presentation of actual events, and therefore, provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the earth, and the universe.

The various original life forms (kinds), including mankind, were made by direct, supernatural, creative acts of God (i.e., not by natural, physical processes over millions of years). The living descendants of any of the original kinds (apart from man) may represent more than one species today, reflecting the genetic potential within each original kind. Only limited biological changes (including mutational deterioration) have occurred naturally within each kind since creation (i.e., one kind does not change over time into a different kind: Genesis 1:11–12; 1:21; 1:24–25; 30:37–42; 1 Corinthians 15:39)