STATEMENT OF FAITH

The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members. All literature used in the church shall be in complete agreement with the Statement of Faith. This is “what we believe,” and therefore, “what we teach.” A “Bible-believing Baptist” is one who believes in a supernatural Bible, which tells of a supernatural Christ, Who had a supernatural birth, Who spoke supernatural words, Who performed supernatural miracles, Who lived a supernatural life, Who died a supernatural death, Who rose in supernatural splendor, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest, and Who will one day return in supernatural glory to establish a supernatural Kingdom on the earth.

The following comprise the Scriptural beliefs of this church and its members. For more information on these sections, please feel free to request taped and written resources from the pastor. SECTION 2.01 – Creation. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and all things therein, from nothing in six literal days. We believe in a young earth as clearly established in Scripture. We also believe that evolutionary theory has far less historical, scientific, and logical merit than the scriptural truth of creation. (Gen 1:1; 2:2; Ex. 20:11; Jn. 1:3; Col 1:16-17; Heb 11:3; Rev. 14:7)

Section 2.02 - The Holy Scriptures. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary (full or complete) inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant (flawless), infallible, and God-breathed; and therefore, are the final revelation and authority for faith and life until the end of the age. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man–the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. We interpret the Scriptures according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and the body of elders determine all issues of interpretation and meaning. (Ps. 19:7-11; 119:89, 105, 160; Prov. 30:5-6; Is. 8:20; Lk. 16:31; 24:25-27, 44-45; Jn. 5:39, 45-47; 12:48; 17:17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Eph. 6:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Ptr. 1:20-21; Rev. 22:19.) Therefore, believing that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and the sole authority for faith and practice, we will use it in: Maintaining regular worship services

Preaching and teaching the Gospel privately and publicly in urging all to receive Christ

Promoting and providing systematic Bible study and training for Christian service/soul winning. For the purposes of Biblical accuracy, doctrinal purity and unity in readings and teachings, the King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church in public worship and ministry.

Dispensationalism – We believe that the Scriptures, interpreted in their natural and literal sense, reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which defines man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs mankind according to His purpose. The three main dispensations are the age of law, the age of the Church, and the age of the Millennial Kingdom. This belief has been abused in our day. The dispensations of our God are revealed in Scripture to enhance our application of the entirety of the Word of God. They are not license to ignore or undermine major portions of Scripture. (Gen. 1:28; Ex.; Lk. 1:32; 16:16; 1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-27; Rev. 20:2-6)

SECTION 2.03 – The Godhead. We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. We believe that He is the one and only living, true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. (Gen. 17:1; Ex. 15:11; Dt. 6:4; Ps. 83:18; 90:2; Jer. 10:10; Mt. 28:19; Mk. 12:30; Jn. 4: 10-12; 24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 11:33; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; 4:6; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Jn. 5:7; Rev. 4:11)

SECTION 2.04 – The Person and Work of Christ Virgin Birth. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, to reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Is. 7:14; 9:6; Lk. 1:35; Jn. 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)

Redemption. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious (performed in place of), substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; 2:24)

Ascension. We believe that Jesus ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Matt. 28:6,7; Lk. 24:2-6, 39, 51; Jn. 20:27; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:4; Heb. 2:17; 5:9-10; 8:6; 9:24; 7:25; 1 Jn. 2:1-2; Rev. 3:21)

SECTION 2.05 – The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. We teach that baptism and indwelling take place at conversion—a one-time, permanent work of God by grace. Filling is a continual way of life. Total emptiness of self, makes way for Spirit filling. As we seek to please self, or sin against God in any way, we fail to live in the filling that is available to us. Filling is then obtained through genuine confession and repentance. (Gen. 1:1-3; Mt. 3:11; 28:19; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 1:35; 3:16; 24:29; Jn. 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11, 13; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16 ; Rom. 8:9, 14, 16, 26-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Thes. 2:7, 13; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:2)

We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers in understanding (illumination), and appropriating the Scriptures (empowerment) and that the saved are privileged to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 Jn. 2:20, 27) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 13, 28;Eph. 4:7-12)

We believe that the “sign gifts” of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. God clearly chooses to supernaturally heal today. We believe in supernatural healing and pray accordingly, but the decision to heal is His alone. Although God commonly chooses to do His healing through the prayers of others, this is not an indication of an active and consistent spiritual gift. (1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22) [For further information see the HBC brochure entitled 26 ROLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.] SECTION 2.06 – The Personality of Satan. We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and mankind; and that, he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire/hell. He was created as an angel by God but through pride and rebellion was cast out of the presence of God and is the ruler of this present age and all powers of darkness. (Gen. 3:4-7; Job 1:6-12; Is. 14:12-17; Mt. 4:1-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10; 21:8)


SECTION 2.07 – The Total Depravity of Man. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s voluntary sin, he fell from his sinless state. All humanity has therefore inherited a sinful nature, and has become alienated from God. We are all sinners in nature and conduct, and thus, are under the just condemnation of a Holy God and are without excuse. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:1-6; Rom. 1:18, 32; 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19) SECTION 2.08 – The Eternal State. We believe in the bodily resurrection, judgment and eternal life of all mankind. The redeemed spend eternity in the presence of God in a real place called heaven. At the moment of physical death, the redeemed are absent from the body and present with the Lord in a glorified, reunited body, soul, and spirit. The souls of the lost remain, after death, in hell until the second resurrection, when the soul and body are reunited and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Lk. 16:19-31; Jn. 10:28; 1 Cor. 15:42-44; 51-54; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thes. 4:13; 5:23; Rev. 20:13)

SECTION 2.09 – Salvation. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary,as a voluntary substitution for the forgiveness of our sins and that of the entire world. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. Salvation is of God, and by God alone, and not by any works of our own righteousness, religious work, devotion, sacrament, or affliction. Christ’s redemptive work is totally complete and available to all. We cannot come to Christ without the drawing of the Spirit, and we must choose to receive Christ. Salvation is an instantaneous work. To be saved one must be born again – made a new creature in Christ Jesus. To receive Christ we must repent-–turn our life completely away from sin. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell our soul once we have surrendered completely to Him. This baptism of the Holy Spirit, upon conversion, grants us full access to the throne of grace and power of God. A genuine believer will bear fruit and grow in Christ. (Mt. 12:31-32; Jn. 1:12; 3:3, 8; Acts 16:30-33; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:7; 2:1, 8-10; Col. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 2 Ptr. 1:4; Tit. 3:5)


SECTION 2.10 – Justification. We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby he declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. We believe justification is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood. (Rom. 3:24; 4:5; 5:1, 9; Eph. 2:8,9; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9) SECTION 2.11 – Sanctification. We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God. Upon genuine conversion, the believer is sanctified, in that he is set apart to God. The believer has full access to the power, holiness and grace of God. As the believer appropriates the grace available to him, he grows in purity and holiness. Sanctification is therefore, immediate in access and a process in application. (Jn. 17:17; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Thes. 4:3, 4; 5:23, 24; Heb. 3:1; 10:10-14; 1 Jn. 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Rev. 22:11)

SECTION 2.12 – The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers We believe that all the redeemed, once genuinely and supernaturally saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. However, we also believe that the church today, in large part, has lost a Biblical understanding of what God requires to receive the free gift of salvation. In light of this, we believe that much of the contemporary church is apostate and that large numbers of professing believers are truly lost and without hope. In response, we commit ourselves to knowing, receiving, living, and preaching the true gospel, absolute surrender to Christ, and complete identification with Him in position and practice. (Jn. 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1; 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5)

Believers should rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word as it validates the reality of genuine conversion in daily life, as well as the witness of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Phil. 1:6; Gal. 5:13; Tit. 2:11-15; Jude 1) SECTION 2.13 – The Church We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism entirely made up of redeemed persons of all ages. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. God has established His Church and nothing will ever prevail against it. It is built by Christ upon the foundation of genuine faith in Him. Our church is a local assembly of the Church, the family of God. God’s true Church, His remnant, will always exist in the form of local churches, regardless of cultural trends. We believe that God has called elders to shepherd and deacons to serve our fellowship. We believe in the authority of God’s called leaders and God’s leadership through them. In obedience to the clear commands of Christ, our church does not partner with, or associate with, churches or ministries that do not adhere to the truth of God’s Word. (Mt. 16:18; Rom. 11:5; 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 5:23)

We believe in church membership as more than an organizational tool. In the pattern of the first century church, only baptized, converted believers comprise our membership. This membership represents a genuine covenant. We expect our members to solemnly determine God’s call on their life regarding where they will serve in the church of God. Members submit themselves to the authority of this church as outlined in this constitution. The church, in turn, responds in like covenant to serve, guide, protect, and minister to the members. (See Articles 3 & 5 for more details.) SECTION 2.14 – The Priesthood of Every Believer. We believe that every converted believer in the Lord Jesus is a saint and priest with full access to the throne of grace and equal footing at the cross. (Rom. 5:1-5; 1Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:14-16; 7:21-28)

SECTION 2.15 – Ordinances. We do not believe in sacraments, in that these are typically viewed as vehicles of God’s grace. Ordinances are not a liturgical practice to receive divine blessing of God but rather an act of worship and obedience by those who have already received everything from God. Ordinances are symbols–outward representations of an inward reality. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is Baptism and then the Lord’s Table. Baptism. We believe that baptism is the single and total immersion of believers in water to solemnly show forth a beautiful emblem of identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we die to sin and rise to walk in newness of life. We believe that baptism must be performed under the authority of the local church and is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. Baptism is not an agent of grace or step of salvation, but rather an outward sign of the inward miracle of conversion, a clear and radical public profession of faith and permanent life change. (Matt. 3:16; 28:18-20; Jn. 3:23; Acts. 2:41; 8:36, 39; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12)

The Lord’s Table. We believe the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He come and should always be preceded by solemn self examination. Participants of the Lord’s Supper should be baptized believers. We believe the Scriptures allow variance in the frequency of celebrating the Lord’s Table. Our goal is to celebrate this ordinance at least once every four to eight weeks. (Matt. 6:25; 26:26-28; 28:18-20; Mk. 14:22-25; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-28) SECTION 2.16 – The Second Coming of Christ. We believe in that “blessed hope”, the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones, and in His subsequent return to earth with His saints to establish His millennial kingdom. At His return, those dead in Christ shall be raised in glorious bodies, and those alive in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death. All shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of Tribulation. We believe that the Tribulation will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 5:9; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thes. 1:10, 4:13-16; Tit. 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)