Different churches have different sources of authority - that which determines the beliefs and practices of that particular congregation.

Often, that authority is whatever the pastor thinks, or whatever powerful people expect, or what church tradition has always said, or what the culture is currently saying. We have one ultimate authority, and that is God Himself. And how do we know what God thinks or says about a particular issue? He has revealed that to us in the Bible, which we believe is God's Word and our only reliable source of authority.

Throughout history there have been many attempts to summarize the teachings of the Bible into a shorter, more concise statement. These are called "confessions" and "creeds", and we believe that the best summary of what the Bible teaches is the Westminister Confession of Faith, which was written nearly 400 years ago. We also have an even shorter summary of our beliefs in what we call, "The Essentials of the Faith," cited below:

• We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
• Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth.  He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever.  He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures.  On the third day he arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
• The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts.  He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior.  In-dwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service.  He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
• Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace.  God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight.  Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
• The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ.  The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained.  For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
• Jesus Christ will come again to the earth-personally, visibly, and bodily-to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.  "Even so, come, Lord Jesus," (Rev. 22:20).
• The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world to make disciples of all nations.  Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to "Him who loved us and gave Himself for us."  He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service.  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10).