Our Beliefs

WE BELIEVE in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as inspired of God and inerrant in the original writings and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21)

WE BELIEVE in the Triune God, that the three Persons of the God-head, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are co-equal and co-eternal, thus one True God. (Genesis 1:1,26; 3:22; Psalms 2:7-8, 110:1; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4)

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ was both God and man. He was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1, 1:14, 8:58; Philippians 2:6)

WE BELIEVE in God the Holy Spirit.

   1. His personality (John 16:8, I John 2:27; Romans 8:26; Acts 13:2)
   2. His advent-

a. Past (Genesis 41:38)
b. Present (I Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 2:18-22)
c. Future (Isaiah 11:1-3; Joel 2:28-32)

   3. His ministry-

a. He restrains the world. (II Thessalonians 2:7)
b. He reproves the world. (John 16:7-11)
c. He regenerates. (I Peter 1:23; John 3:6)
d. He indwells all believers. (Romans 5:5; 8:9; Galatians 4:6)
e. He baptizes. (I Corinthians 12:13, 6:17)
f. He seals. (II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30)
g. He fills. (Ephesians 5:18; Romans 6:13; Galatians 5:16)

WE BELIEVE that Satan was created holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the corrupting prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; I Peter 5:8)

WE BELIEVE in the Genesis account of creation in six twenty-four (24) hour days; and that it is to be accepted literally; wholly apart from any evolutionary process. (Genesis 1, 2; Exodus 20:9-10; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)

WE BELIEVE that man was the direct creation of God, made in His image, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which, all mankind are now sinners, in both nature and practice and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 1:27; 2:17; 3:1-6,24; Romans 3:10,23; 5:12)

WE BELIEVE that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial office of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Saviour; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice consisted not in setting us as an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; and that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be and is a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour.

WE BELIEVE that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 2:34,35; John 3:16; Philippians 2:7,8; Hebrews 2:14-17; Isaiah 53:4-7; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:24)

WE BELIEVE in the resurrection of the crucified body of the crucified Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us, as High Priest and Advocate. (I Corinthians 15:4; Hebrews 4:14; I John 2:1)

WE BELIEVE that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. (John 3:33; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; Acts 16: 20-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:34; Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)

WE BELIEVE that all who are truly born again are eternally kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6)

WE BELIEVE in the unity of all true believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ, which was established on the Day of Pentecost, and that all believers, from Pentecost to the Rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe that this Church is manifested through the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. Its Scripturally designated officers are its Pastors and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is to glorify God by living in obedience to His Word and by making disciples, baptizing them and instructing them as our Lord commanded. (Matthew 16:18; 28:18-20; Acts 1:5; 2:41-42; 11:15-16; Romans 11:36; I Corinthians 11:23-28; 12:13; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 1:6,11-12, 22-23; 2:14-16; 4:4; 5:23; Philippians 1:1; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Timothy 3:1-13)

WE BELIEVE that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. On all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 15:1-30; I Corinthians 5:4-5,13; 6:1-5)

WE BELIEVE that Christian baptism is the single immersion in water of a believer, in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; under the authority of the local church; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect, our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that in the Scriptural order baptism precedes church membership and is the public recognition of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12)

WE BELIEVE that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial service and is the setting forth in a sacred and symbolic manner the death of our Lord Jesus Christ upon our behalf. The emblems of the Communion Service are not literally the body and blood of Christ, nor do they contain His flesh and blood. The service is for believers only, and should be preceded by solemn self-examination, and to partake has value only as it is mingled with faith and repentance upon the part of the communicant. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism followed by the Lord’s Supper and that participants should be immersed believers. (Matthew 26:26-30; I Corinthians 11:26-32)

WE BELIEVE in that “Blessed Hope” the personal, pre-millennial and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for His Church, and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (I Corinthians 15:42-44,51-54; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13)

WE BELIEVE that the rapture of the Church saints will be followed by a seven-year period called the Tribulation, during which God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth to punish men’s sins, and to bring the nation of Israel back to God. (Matthew 24:1 5-21; Revelation 6-19)

WE BELIEVE that Christ will return to the earth with the armies of heaven to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom of peace on Earth for a thousand years (the Millennium). (Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6)

WE BELIEVE in personal holiness of life; that we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and not conformed to the world; that we are to be holy because God is holy, and that we are to say no to ungodliness and live godly lives. (Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-12; I Peter 1:15-16)

WE BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, in the everlasting felicity of the saved, and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (John 5:28-29)

WE BELIEVE that civil government is of Divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; that government leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. (Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29; 23:5; Romans 13:1-7; Philippians 2:10-11; I Timothy 2:1-2; Revelation 19:16)

WE BELIEVE that God is the originator of the marriage relationship, and that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman; that in the marriage relationship both husband and wife are of equal value in the sight of God and that God has ordained distinct marital roles; that marriage is designed by God to be a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Bride, the church; and that marriage is a permanent relationship, the marriage bond being broken only by death. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18-25; Malachi 2:13-16; Mark 10:8-9; Ephesians 5:22-33; I Peter 3:1-7)

OUR NAME

   Church

- The church was promised, is owned, and built by Jesus (Mat. 16:18)

– The church was planned by the Father; purchased by the Son’s blood (Acts 20:28)

– The church is the Body of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 12:13)

–  The church is one new person, comprised of all who are in Christ (Eph. 2:14-21)

–  The church is central to God’s plan, right now (Eph. 3:10-11)

   Baptist

–  Biblical Authority                     – Individual Christian Responsibility

–  Believer Baptism                      – Congregational Government

–  Pure Church Membership         –  Separation of Church and State

**Adapted from Baptist Distinctives and New Testament Church Order by Kevin Bauder

   Anchor

– Jesus Christ is the anchor of our souls (Heb. 6:19)

– We want to be anchored to Him, His word and each other (Eph. 4:14-16)

– We want to call and help others to be anchored as well

Our MISSION

   To Glorify God (Eph. 3:21), by Making and Maturing disciples of Christ (Mat. 28:19-20)

OUR STRATEGY

Through Evangelizing unbelievers (2 Cor. 5:20-21),                                                                                          and Edifying believers (1 Cor. 14:26)

By Gathering as believers (Heb. 10:24-25),                                                                                                      and Going to unbelievers (Phil. 2:14-16)

OUR VISION

   A United Body (Phil. 1:27)                     A Growing Body (Eph. 4:13, 15)

   A Multiplying Body (2 Tim. 2:2)           A Diverse Body (1 Cor. 12:18-20)