Truth, People, and Mission
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. The 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament are the ultimate and final authority for all Christian living, doctrine, and teaching. The Bible is God’s revelation about Himself, the sinfulness of man, and salvation through Jesus Christ. Because of the Bible’s clarity and sufficiency, the Scriptures should be read and studied by believers, privately and corporately, to fully mature in the grace and knowledge of God.
(2 Timothy 3:14–16, 2 Peter 1:20–21)
THE GODHEAD
We believe in one true and living God; He is infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth, and love. In the unity of the Godhead, there are three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal. One Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is the foundation of Christian faith, doctrine, and life.
(Deuteronomy 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 4:4–6)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the Father, the First Person of the Trinity, Who reigns in providence over the universe, His creatures, and human history according to the purposes of His gracious will. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men, bestowing common grace upon all and revealing Himself to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.
(Isaiah 46:8–11, Malachi 2:10, Matthew 5:44–45, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, Who is the Son of God. He is the Eternal Word made flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin, Mary. He is perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience. Both fully God and fully man, He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, having shed His blood in a substitutionary death on the cross. In His death, Jesus displayed the love of God and satisfied the wrath of God. He rose bodily from the grave on the third day and ascended into Heaven to the right hand of God the Father, where He now intercedes for His people and rules as Lord of all. He is preeminent in all things and the Head of His body, the church.
(Isaiah 53:1–12, John 1:1–18, Romans 5:6–11, Philippians 2:5–11, Colossians 1:13–20)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, Who is the Lord and Giver of life. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Through the proclamation of the Gospel, He convicts and calls men to repent of their sins, believe the Gospel, and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. He regenerates the human heart and indwells every believer, guiding them in all truth. He leads the church into a right understanding and rich application of God’s Word. In all His work, He glorifies Jesus Christ. The Spirit is honored, loved, served, and worshiped as God.
(John 14:16–17, 16:7–15, 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, Ephesians 1:13–14)
MAN
We believe God made man—male and female—in His image for His glory to know Him, enjoy Him, and serve Him. Tempted by Satan, humanity rebelled against God. This sin brought death into the world; as a result, all humans are born spiritually dead and will experience physical death. Because sin affects every part of a person, all are completely sinful by nature and, by their own actions, guilty before God. Without the drawing and conviction of the Holy Spirit, everyone will remain in their sinfulness, die in their sin, and be separated from God for eternity.
(Genesis 3:1–19, 6:5, Romans 3:9–18, 5:12–14, Ephesians 2:1–3)
THE GOSPEL
We believe Jesus Christ is the Gospel. The good news is revealed in Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Christ’s death is the heart of the Gospel, His resurrection the power of the Gospel, and His ascension the glory of the Gospel. Jesus perfectly kept the law of God in His life and provided the atonement for our sins in His death. Jesus died in our place for our sin that His perfect righteousness may be imputed to us. His substitutionary death satisfies the demands of God’s justice, appeases His wrath, demonstrates His love, and reveals His grace. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus Christ. The Gospel was planned by God the Father, provided by God the Son, and appropriated by God the Holy Spirit. The church’s responsibility is to sincerely preach the Gospel to all nations in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.
(John 3:14–18, Romans 3:21–26, 1 Corinthians 15:1–6)
MAN’S RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL
We believe God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is only effectual to those who genuinely repent of their sins and place saving faith in Christ. Repentance is turning from sinful self-government, and faith is turning to Jesus Christ, trusting His atoning work, surrendering to His Lordship, and confessing Him as Lord. While neither repentance nor faith save, they are God’s commanded response for people to be saved. What God commands, God enables. Biblical repentance is characterized by a changed life, and saving faith is evidenced by a growth in holiness, a love for God, and the assurance of salvation by the witness of the Holy Spirit. Every new believer should follow Christ’s example and command in being baptized. We believe the New Testament presents immersion as the proper mode of baptism.
(Matthew 3:13–17, Mark 1:14–15, John 3:18–21, Acts 2:37–38, Romans 10:9–10)
SANCTIFICATION
We believe the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer to mold them into the image of Christ. The sanctification process takes place by the Spirit’s leading and the believer’s obedience. As believers are taught and led by the Spirit, we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and love Him by obeying His commandments. By the promise of the Holy Spirit and His work in the life of every believer, we know that we are eternally secure, for the Lord will sustain and finish His work in us. Sanctification is both the evidence of the believers’ justification and their secure hope for glorification.
(Romans 8:29, Philippians 1:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, 5:23–24, Titus 2:11–15)
EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT
We believe Jesus Christ promised to believers the power of the Holy Spirit for Christian witness and service. The Spirit’s power is freely available to all who believe in Jesus Christ, thereby enabling them to be used effectively for the kingdom of God in ministry and mission. The Holy Spirit desires to continually control and fill each believer with His power to be a witness for Christ, and He imparts His supernatural gifts to believers for the edification of the church and the work of ministry throughout the world.
(Luke 24:48–49, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:1–5, Ephesians 5:18, 2 Timothy 1:6–7)
GOD’S DESIGN FOR THE FAMILY
We believe God created the family as the primary relational unit for humanity. God’s Word clearly teaches how marriage and human relationships should be formed to reflect His nature. According to Scripture, Christian marriage is defined as one man and one woman committed to each other for life. Men and women are equal in God’s sight as co-image bearers of God but have different God-appointed roles to bring Him glory with their lives. Christian marriage is an excellent testimony of the Gospel to the world, reflecting the relationship of God to His people. Marriage must be highly valued by all who enter it. Through Christian marriage, children enter the world to be reared in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Children should honor their parents and be obedient to them unto the Lord. The Christian family is the first place for Christian discipleship.
(Genesis 2:21–25, Matthew 19:3–6, Ephesians 5:22–6:4, 1 Peter 3:1–9)
THE CHURCH
We believe God creates the church by calling sinners into the fellowship of Christ’s body through the proclamation of the Gospel. The church is not a religious institution, denomination, or building but rather those who have become genuine followers of Jesus Christ through the Gospel by a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. The church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, serving Him by faithfully joining in His mission. All members of the universal church are to be vitally connected and committed to a local church. In this spiritual community, they are to live in this present world as the people of God, demonstrating the reality of the kingdom of God, manifesting the purity of the life of God, serving one another in the love of God, and living solely for the glory of God. Believers are to use the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to build up one another and preach the Gospel, ministering and making disciples throughout the world. Because Scripture teaches the priesthood of every believer, we believe in the autonomy of the local church, with Christ as the Head. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, each local church should be self-governing and submit to the truth of Scripture. We believe Jesus gave the church two ordinances to observe, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
(Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18, 1 Peter 2:9–10)
MISSIONS
We believe the primary mission of the church of Jesus is accomplishing the Great Commission by proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The aim of the Great Commission is to make disciples of all nations, identifying them with Jesus and His people, and teaching them to obey Jesus with their lives. The Great Commission is an exclusive responsibility and task given to the church alone. The health of every local church is gauged by the extent to which they work to fulfill the Great Commission. We are committed to seeing the Gospel proclaimed in our community and across the world.
(Psalm 67:1–7, Malachi 1:11, Matthew 28:18–20, Luke 24:44–49, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:14–17, Revelation 5:9–10)
LAST THINGS
We believe God, in His perfect sovereignty and timing, will bring the world to an end. Jesus Christ will visibly return to Earth and regather His people to Himself. The dead will be raised, and all will be judged, including Satan and his angels. The unrighteous will be sentenced to eternal punishment in Hell, and the righteous will enter God’s presence. God will create a new heaven and new earth, and His people will dwell with Him for all eternity. Jesus is coming soon, and all should prepare for His coming.
(Matthew 25:31–46, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Revelation 19:11–22:21)
*Our church additionally affirms the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.