STATEMENT OF FAITH
We consider liberty of thought under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to be essential to Christian belief and practice. Therefore, we encourage the unhindered study and open discussion of Scripture. We uphold the individual’s freedom of conscience in seeking to determine and obey the will of God. The following statement is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to be a binding creed or prerequisite to church membership or membership in our association, but is an expression of our common belief, which is derived from our understanding of Scripture. We encourage each church to develop their own Statement of Faith that upholds the Six Distinctive Baptist Principles and Seven Pillars of Faith. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:3-6 ,15; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Luke 10:25-26.)
1. We believe that the true and living God, the Lord God of heaven and the Ancient of Days, is our heavenly Father, and He, by His Son, Christ Jesus, created all things. (1 Cor. 8:5-6; Eph. 3:9; Jer. 10:10-12; Heb. 1:1-3; Acts 17:22-29; Col. 1:16-18; John 17:3.)
2. We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the only Savior from sin; and man’s salvation is by grace through faith in Him. (John 3:16; Micah 5:2; Matt. 1:21; 2:5-6; Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11-12; Eph. 1:9-15; 2:4-8; Rom. 3:23-26; Col. 1:12-19.)
3. We believe that the Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative on earth, and leads sinners to repentance and to obedience of all God’s requirements. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:1-10; Eph. 4:30.)
4. We believe that through Christ, believers receive forgiveness of sins which are forsaken and confessed, and for which, as far as lies in their power, restitution is made. (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14-15; 1 John 1:7-9; Isa. 55:6-7; Ezek. 33:15; Matt. 5:23-24; 6:14-15.)
5. We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired word, and is the fully reliable, sufficient, infallible, basic rule of faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Ps. 119:9, 11, 105, 130; 1 Thess. 2:13; Isa. 8:20; Jer. 15:16; Heb. 4:12.)
6. We believe that all who enter the kingdom of heaven must have experienced conversion, or the new birth, through which man receives a new heart and becomes a new creature. (Matt. 18:3; John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Ezek. 36:26-27; Heb. 8:10-12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:2.)
7. We believe that Christ dwells in the regenerate heart, writing upon it the principles of God’s law, leading the believer to delight to obey its precepts, and imparting power for such obedience. (2 Cor. 6:16; Ps. 40:8; Heb. 8:10-12; John 14:15; Col. 1:27; 3:16; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 3:14-21.)
8. We believe that upon His ascension Christ began His ministry as high priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, which sanctuary is the great original of which the sanctuary built by Moses was a copy. We believe that Christ offers there the blood of the everlasting covenant to make full and complete atonement for those sins which are confessed and forsaken. (Heb. 4:14; 8:1-2; Heb. 6:19-20; 9:23-24; 10:19-20.)
9. We believe that the second coming of Christ is the hope of the church, the climax of the gospel, and the goal of the plan of redemption, when Jesus will come literally, personally, and visibly, with all His holy angels. Many signs of the times testify that His coming is at hand. And the almost complete fulfillment of all the various lines of prophecy indicate that “He is near, even at the doors.” (John 14:1-3; Titus 2:11-14; Heb. 9:28; Acts. 1:9-11; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 25:31; Luke 9:26; 21:25-33; Matt. 24:14, 36-39, 33, margin.)
10. We believe that the righteous dead will be raised to life at Christ’s Second Advent. Together with the righteous living, they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and will go with Him to heaven, there to spend the one thousand years known as the millennium. (Rev. 1:7; John 5:25, 28-29; Hosea 13:14; 1 Cor. 15:51-55; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; John 11:24-25; 14:1-3; Rev. 20:4-6; Isa. 25:8-9.)
11. We believe that the wicked who are living at the time of Christ’s Second Advent will be slain by the brightness of His coming. These, with the wicked dead of all ages, will await the second resurrection, at the close of the one thousand years. (2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Jude 14-15; Rev. 20:5, 12, 15; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Isa. 24:21-22.)
12. We believe that at the end of the one thousand years, the following events will take place: (a) Christ and the righteous will descend from heaven, with the Holy City, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2, 10); (b) the wicked dead will be resurrected for final judgment (Rev. 20:11, 12); (c) the wicked will receive the final wages of sin when fire comes down from God out of heaven to consume them (Rev. 20:7-10, 14-15); and (d) this fire, which destroys the works of sin, will purify the earth (2 Peter 3:10-14; Mal. 4:1, 3; Rev. 20:4, 8.)
13. We believe that the earth, cleansed by fire and renewed by the power of God, will become the eternal home of the redeemed. (2 Peter 3:9-13; Isa. 65:17-25; 35:1-10; 45:18; Matt. 5:5; Mal. 4:1-3; Prov. 11:31.)
14. We believe that the seventh day of the week is the eternal sign of Christ’s power as Creator and Redeemer, and is therefore the Lord’s day, or the Christian Sabbath, constituting the seal of the living God. It should be observed from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. The Sabbath, along with marriage between a man and a woman, are two institutions that came from the Garden of Eden. In marriage, the Lord created each one as male or female, not to be altered or used in any unnatural or un-biblical way. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 16:23-31; 20:8-11; John 1:1-3, 14; Ezek. 20:12, 20; Mark 1:21-32; 2:27-28; Isa. 58:13; Luke 4:16; 23:54-56; 24:1; Acts 17:2; Heb. 4:9-11; Isa. 66:22-23; Lev. 23:32; Gen. 2:21-24; Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 1:26-27; 2 Tim. 3:1-5.)
15. We believe that the tithe is holy unto the Lord, and is God’s provision for the support of His ministry. Freewill offerings are also part of God’s plan for the support of His work throughout the world. Tithes and offerings are to be brought into God’s storehouse where meat-in-due season is dispensed. (Lev. 27:30-32; Mal. 3:8-12; Num. 18:20-28; Deut. 14:23; Matt. 23:23; Prov. 3:9, 10; 1 Cor. 9:13-14; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Ps. 96:8.)
16. We believe that immortality comes only through the gospel, and is bestowed as a gift from God at Christ’s second coming. (1 Cor. 15:21-22, 51-55; Ps. 146:3-4; Eccl. 9:5-6, 10; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; 2 Tim. 1:10; 1 John 5:11-12.)
17. We believe that the condition of man in death is one of unconsciousness. All men, good and evil alike, remain in the grave from death to the resurrection. (Eccl. 9:5-6; Ps. 115:17; 146:3-4; Job 14:10-12, 21-22; 17:13; John 11:11-14; 1 Thess. 4:13; John 5:28-29.)
18. We believe that the Christian is called unto sanctification, and his life should be characterized by carefulness in deportment and modesty and simplicity in dress. (1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3, 7; 5:23; 1 Peter 2:21; 3:15, 3-5; Isa. 3:16-24; 1 Cor. 10:31; 1 Tim. 2:9, 10.)
19. We believe that the Christian should recognize his body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he should honor God by caring for his body; abstaining from such things as alcoholic beverages, tobacco in all its forms, and all unclean foods. (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 9:25; 10:31; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; 7:1; Gal. 5:17-21; 6:7-8; 1 Peter 2:9-12; 1 Cor. 10:1-11; Rom. 12:1-2; Lev. 11:1-8; 19:28; Gal. 6:8; 2 Tim. 3:1-2.)
20. We believe that the church of God is all believers gathered by the Holy Spirit and joined into one body, of which Christ is the Head. We believe that the local church is a community of believers organized in covenant relationship for worship, fellowship and service, practicing and proclaiming common convictions, while growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in the priesthood of all believers and practice the autonomy of the local congregation, as we seek to work in association with others for more effective witness. (Acts 20:28 ; 1 Corinthians 12:13 , 14 , 27 ; Romans 12:4-5 ; Colossians 1:18 ; Acts 2:42 ; Ephesians 2:19-22 ; Romans 15:5-7 ; Ephesians 4:11-16 ; 2 Peter 3:18 ; 1 Peter 2:4-10 ; Matthew 18:20 ; Hebrews 10:24-25.)
21. We believe that baptism by immersion typifies the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and openly expresses faith in His saving grace, and the renunciation of sin and the world, and is recognized as a condition of entrance into church membership. (Matt. 3:13-17; 28:19; Acts 2:38, 41-47; 8:35-39; 16:32-33; 22:16; Rom. 6:1-11; Gal. 3:27; Col. 3:1-3.)
22. We believe that the ordinance of the Lord’s supper commemorates the Savior’s death, and participation by members of the body is essential to Christian growth and fellowship. It is to be preceded by the ordinance of foot washing as a preparation for this solemn service. (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:23-30; John 6:48-56; 13:1-17.)
23. We believe that in the Christian life there is complete separation from worldly practices which tend to deaden and destroy the spiritual life. (2 Cor. 6:15-18; 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4; 2 Tim. 2:19-22; Eph. 5:8-11; Col. 3:5-10.)
24. We believe God speaks to us through the study of His holy Word, imparting new light and strength; and through prayer the soul is united with God. These are Heaven’s ordained means for obtaining victory in the conflict with sin and for the development of Christian character. (Ps. 19:7-8; 119:130; John 6:63; 17:17; 1 Peter 2:2; 1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 18:1; Ps. 55:17; Isa. 50:4.)
25. We believe that Jesus Christ commissions us to proclaim the Gospel, to make disciples, to baptize and to teach observance of all that He has commanded. We are called to be witnesses for Christ throughout the world and in all human relationships. Every church member is under sacred command from Jesus to use his or her talents in personal soul-winning work in helping to give the gospel to all the world. When this work is finished Jesus will come. (Matt. 25:14-29; 28:18-20; Rev. 22:17; Isa. 43:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:17-20; Rom. 10:13-15; Matt. 24:14.)
26. We believe in the "more sure word of prophecy", and that in accordance with God’s uniform dealing with mankind, warning them of coming events that will vitally affect their destiny, He has sent forth a proclamation of the approaching return of Christ in the books of Daniel and Revelation. Although “no man knoweth the day nor the hour” of the second coming of Jesus Christ, yet Christians are to “study and pray” and to live godly lives in view of that great event. We believe that God's end-time people will "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus". (1 Peter 1:19-21; Amos 3:7; Matt. 24:29-34; Rev. 14:6-10; Zeph. 3:13; Micah 4:7-8; Rev. 14:12; Isa. 26:2; Rev. 22:14.)
27. We believe that the Papal church is the great antichrist of Bible prophecy, which persecuted the saints and church of God for 1,260 years during the Dark Ages, and thought to "change God's times and laws". We believe that as a result of this gross darkness, a work of moral, spiritual, and prophetic reform - beginning during the time of the Reformation - must continue today with God raising up a people to "repair the breach" made in the Law of God and to "restore paths to dwell in". The saints of God in the end of time will “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”. (Daniel 7:21, 25; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; 1 John 2:18-19; Rev. 13:1-10; 14:6-12; 17:1-6, 18; Isaiah 58:12-14; Jude 1:3)