Our story

1. I.The Scriptures

   We believe the Bible was written by people inspired by God and is His revelation of Himself. God is its author, salvation is its purpose, and it is true without any mixture of error, so all of it is fully trustworthy. All Scripture points to Jesus Christ, who is Himself the focus of God’s revelation.

   Psalm 19:7-10; Isaiah 40:8; Luke 24:44-46; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:19-21

2. II.God

   We believe there is one and only one living and true God: personal and spiritual, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver and Ruler of all, infinite in holiness and in every perfection. He reveals Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons without division of nature, essence or being.

   Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

3. III.God the Father

   We believe God the Father reigns over His universe and all of history with providential care, and is truly Father to everyone who becomes His child through faith in Jesus Christ.

   Psalm 103:13; Matthew 6:9; John 1:12; Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 4:6

4. IV.God the Son

   We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, He perfectly revealed and did the will of God. He died on the cross to provide redemption from sin, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to heaven, and now reigns at the right hand of the Father as the one Mediator between God and people. He will return in power and glory.

   Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 1 Timothy 2:5; Acts 1:9-11

5. V.God the Holy Spirit

   We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God. He inspired the Scriptures, convicts people of sin, calls them to the Savior and brings about the new birth. He places every believer into the body of Christ, grows Christian character, comforts believers, gives spiritual gifts for the church’s service, and seals the believer for the day of final redemption.

   John 14:16-17; John 16:7-14; Romans 8:9-16; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21

6. VI.Man

   We believe people are God’s special creation, made in His image, male and female, as the crowning work of creation; the gift of gender is part of the goodness of what God made. Mankind was created innocent but chose to sin, and every person since is inclined toward sin and needs the grace of God. Every person of every race has full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

   Genesis 1:26-30; Genesis 2:5-7, 18-22; Genesis 3; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12; Acts 17:26

7. VII.Salvation

   We believe salvation is the redemption of the whole person, offered freely to all who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who obtained eternal redemption by His own blood. It includes regeneration (the new birth, received through repentance and faith), justification, sanctification and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

   John 3:3-21; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 9:12

8. VIII.God’s Purpose of Grace

   We believe God, in His grace, chooses to regenerate, justify, sanctify and glorify sinners, and that this is consistent with the free will of people. All true believers persevere to the end. They may fall into sin and suffer for it, but they are kept by the power of God through faith to final salvation.

   John 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-39; Ephesians 1:4-14; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:2-5

9. IX.The Church

   We believe a New Testament church is a self-governing local congregation of baptized believers, joined by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. It observes the two ordinances, follows Christ’s teachings, uses the gifts He gives, and works to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, governed under Christ’s lordship through congregational decisions in which every member shares the responsibility. Its biblical officers are pastors and deacons; men and women are both gifted for service in the church, and the office of pastor is limited to men as Scripture qualifies. The New Testament also speaks of the church as the body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of every age.

   Matthew 16:15-19; Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-15

10. X.Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

    We believe baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It pictures the believer’s faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, death to sin and resurrection to new life, and it comes before church membership and the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience in which members of the church, sharing the bread and the cup, remember the death of the Redeemer and look forward to His return.

    Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

11. XI.The Lord’s Day

    We believe the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, set apart to remember the resurrection of Christ through public and private worship and devotion.

    Matthew 28:1-7; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10

12. XII.The Kingdom

    We believe the Kingdom of God includes His rule over the whole universe and His particular reign over everyone who gladly owns Him as King. Christians pray and work for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth; its full completion awaits the return of Jesus Christ.

    Psalm 103:19; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 6:33; Luke 17:20-21; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 11:15

13. XIII.Last Things

    We believe God will bring the world to its end in His own time and way. Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory; the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all people in righteousness. The unrighteous will be sent to hell, the place of everlasting punishment, and the righteous, in resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and live forever in heaven with the Lord.

    Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, 35-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21-22

14. XIV.Evangelism and Missions

    We believe it is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and every church to make disciples of all nations, seeking to win the lost to Christ by a spoken witness backed by a Christian life.

    Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15

15. XV.Education

    We believe Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and understanding, and that in Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Christian education belongs alongside missions and caring for those in need, and freedom in Christian teaching is guided by the lordship of Christ and the authority of Scripture.

    Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Proverbs 1:7; Colossians 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:15

16. XVI.Stewardship

    We believe God is the source of every blessing, and that all we have and are we owe to Him. Christians are to serve Him with their time, talents and possessions, and to give cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately and generously for the work of the Lord.

    Malachi 3:8-12; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; 1 Peter 4:10

17. XVII.Cooperation

    We believe churches may form associations and conventions to work together for the great purposes of the Kingdom. Such bodies are voluntary and advisory and have no authority over the churches or one another. Christians may also work with other believers when the goal is right and no conscience is violated or loyalty to Christ and His Word compromised.

    Acts 15:1-35; 1 Corinthians 3:5-15; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philippians 1:15-18

18. XVIII.The Christian and the Social Order

    We believe every Christian should make the will of Christ supreme in their own life and in society, knowing that lasting change begins with the new birth. Christians should oppose racism, greed, selfishness and every form of sexual immorality; care for orphans, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless and the sick; speak up for the unborn; and uphold the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.

    Exodus 20:3-17; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-37; James 1:27

19. XIX.Peace and War

    We believe Christians should seek peace with all people on the basis of righteousness and do all they can to end war, knowing that the true remedy for the spirit of war is the gospel of our Lord.

    Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18-19; Romans 14:19; Hebrews 12:14

20. XX.Religious Liberty

    We believe God alone is Lord of the conscience. Church and state should be separate: the state owes every church protection and full freedom and may not penalize anyone for their religious beliefs, and Christians owe the government loyal obedience in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God.

    Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:12-17

21. XXI.The Family

    We believe God ordained the family as the foundation of human society. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman in a covenant for life. Husband and wife are of equal worth before God: the husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, providing for, protecting and leading his family, and the wife is to support her husband’s servant leadership as his helper. Children are a blessing from the Lord; parents are to teach them God’s ways, and children are to honor and obey their parents.

    Genesis 2:18-25; Psalm 127; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 5:21-33; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21

Source: The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (summary)