We believe that there is one true God, holy, eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- each of whom equally possesses the attributes of deity and each of whom is worthy of precisely the same praise, confidence, and obedience. God created everything that exists out of nothing, manifesting the glory of His Power, wisdom, and goodness. By His sovereign power, He sustains and rules over His creation, and by His providence, He has and continues to operate throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
We believe that ALL peoples are wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of God, thus all human life has worth and dignity. Man was created to know and serve God, but this image is marred by sin, alienating man from God. Because of Man’s continuous rebellion against God and of our corrupt nature, we are unable to please God in any way. Humanity’s salvation is, then, in whole a sovereign work of God’s grace, not the result, in part or in whole, of human effort or works of righteousness. Individual salvation becomes a reality in a person’s experience when he or she confesses his or her own sinfulness and inability to save themselves, and receives God’s gift of forgiveness by faith.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the fully divine eternal second person of the Godhead- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He became incarnate and united with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. While on earth, He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind by dying on the cross. This satisfied the need for divine justice accomplished salvation for those who trust in Him alone. Death itself could not hold Him, and after three days, Jesus rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father where He continues to make intercession for His own. He will come again to earth, physically and personally, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
We believe that a life of holiness and obedience to God is an essential accompaniment to a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This is attained by submission to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who also imparts a saving understanding Christ’s death and resurrection, giving them spiritual life instead of spiritual death. He awakens in sinners a recognition of their need of a Savior and regenerates them. At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit begins the work of sanctification, personally dwells in every believer to become the source of confidence, strength, and wisdom. He works in our lives, guiding us in our understanding and application of Scripture and endows each believer with gifts for building the church and making disciples. He empowers us by our faith, making it possible for the believer to live to embody a Christ-like character, referred to as the fruit of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father.
We believe that death seals the destiny of each person. The kingdom of God was inaugurated at Christ’s first coming, and will be consummated at the advent of His return, when the dead will be raised. Those who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be separated from God for eternity. At the final judgement, believers and unbelievers will be separated forever. God’s holy judgement will reveal His justice in consigning them to perpetuate their own rejection of God. At that time, evil will be eradicated Satan will answer for his crimes and be punished, and those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior will be received into everlasting communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life for the glory of God.
We believe that the Bible originated entirely from God and that it was given through writers inspired by God. Scripture speaks with the authority of God and at the same time reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. The Scriptures are presented exactly as God intended and without error in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
We believe that the body of believers here on this earth is called the Church. The Church is composed of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Where this body meets regularly, that is the local expression of the Church. Camp Chisomo exists as a para-church organization, working under the oversight of an independent board consisting of members of the Church. We believe that the local church should operate under the care of elders and supportive leaders. Its members are to work together in love and unity with the purpose of bringing glory to God. All believers, as commanded by Scripture, are to be an active part of a local church body, devoting themselves to worship, prayer, and to the teaching of God’s word. To be active in the church includes baptism and the observance of communion as the ordinances established by Jesus Christ, fellowship with the church, service to the church, and disciple-making in the world, thereby glorifying Christ and furthering His purposes.
