STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe the Holy Bible is the verbally inspired product of Spirit-controlled men. We believe the Bible is without error and is the sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe that it is the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions. (II Timothy 3:16-17 and II Peter 1:19-21)
We believe that there is only one living and true God: infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the God-Head there are three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one in substance and equal in every Divine perfection. (Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7)
We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was Divine as no other Man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant; that He came into the world, born of a virgin; that He shed His blood on Calvary as a vicarious substitute for all sin; and that He was buried and rose again bodily and is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Hebrews 6:20; John 1:1-2; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-28; I Corinthians 15:1-5)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person; equal with the Father and Son, and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgement; bears witness to the truth; and is the Agent of the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and indwells every born again child of God. (II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:14-27)
We believe that the signs of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, (with the exception of the instructions of James 5) were apostolic and temporary. We will not accept these or other Charismatic practices in our ministries.
We believe that God created the heaven and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind”, by direct act in 6 literal, 24 hour days and not by any process of evolution. (Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)
We believe that the only escape from condemnation of sin is through the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ when He voluntarily took upon Himself a human body and nature, yet without sin; and by His suffering, death, and resurrection made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man; that the blessings of this salvation are given on grounds of grace to all who believe and confess; and that it is the duty of all to accept this offer of mercy. (John 1:1-3 & 14, 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; Acts 16:30-33)
We believe that a person is saved when he repents of his sin and exercises faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin; and this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, can be added; and that all who take Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ. We believe that repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart about sin and the Savior. We believe that all believers, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that a changed life is evidence of such a new birth. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; II Corinthians 5:17)
We believe that a New Testament church is a local group of believers, baptized by immersion, and united for His purpose of spreading the knowledge of God’s Word, including participation in world-wide missions; that the New Testament church was not revealed in the Old Testament; that it was established by Jesus Christ, Who is the sole Head, and was revealed in the New Testament. We believe it to be completely independent with no other person or group having authority, right of intervention, or control in any form whatsoever over or within the local church. This church body will remain an “Independent Baptist” church in name, practice, association(s), and fellowship.
We believe in the autonomy of the local church; that it has the absolute right of self-government under the direction of the Holy Spirit; and that it is answerable only to Christ; and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence the will of the local church is final. (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2, 6:4-5, 7:17, 11:16; I Timothy 3:1-15)
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God. (Romans 12:1-2. 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11)
We believe in the pre-millennial, pre-tribulation rapture of all believers; that Christ will come before the seven-year tribulation period to catch away His bride, coming only in the air, and that He will come back, personally and visibly, with His church, at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21)
We believe that Christ Jesus arose bodily from the grave on the first day of the week: the day which believers now set aside as a day of worship; that His miraculous resurrection from the tomb insures all that a similar bodily resurrection will occur for every member of the Adamic Race; that the dead in Christ shall rise first and in a moment be changed into a glorified body like His and be caught up in heaven to be with the Lord; that the dead in trespasses and sin shall be raised at the end of the millennium and brought before the Great White Throne Judgement and stand before the Judge of the living and the dead. (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:1-12; I Corinthians 15:12-22; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:5-6)
We believe that those who have been declared righteous by placing their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will spend eternity in a place of beauty and bliss called Heaven; that Heaven is the eternal abode of God, and that God will dwell there with His people forever; that Heaven is a prepared place for God’s prepared people wherein dwelleth righteousness. We believe that those who died without Christ in unbelief are doomed to spend eternity in a prepared place called Hell; that Hell is a real place of conscious suffering and ceaseless torment; that it is characterized by fire and brimstone, and is a place where the “worm” dieth not; that it was prepared for the Devil and his angels but hath enlarged itself to accommodate all the Christ rejecters who will suffer forever. (Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17-23; Matthew 25:31-36; Luke 6:25; John 8:21)
We believe that there is only one living and true God: infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the God-Head there are three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one in substance and equal in every Divine perfection. (Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7)
We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was Divine as no other Man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant; that He came into the world, born of a virgin; that He shed His blood on Calvary as a vicarious substitute for all sin; and that He was buried and rose again bodily and is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Hebrews 6:20; John 1:1-2; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-28; I Corinthians 15:1-5)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person; equal with the Father and Son, and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgement; bears witness to the truth; and is the Agent of the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and indwells every born again child of God. (II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:14-27)
We believe that the signs of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, (with the exception of the instructions of James 5) were apostolic and temporary. We will not accept these or other Charismatic practices in our ministries.
We believe that God created the heaven and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind”, by direct act in 6 literal, 24 hour days and not by any process of evolution. (Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)
We believe that the only escape from condemnation of sin is through the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ when He voluntarily took upon Himself a human body and nature, yet without sin; and by His suffering, death, and resurrection made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man; that the blessings of this salvation are given on grounds of grace to all who believe and confess; and that it is the duty of all to accept this offer of mercy. (John 1:1-3 & 14, 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; Acts 16:30-33)
We believe that a person is saved when he repents of his sin and exercises faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin; and this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, can be added; and that all who take Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ. We believe that repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart about sin and the Savior. We believe that all believers, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that a changed life is evidence of such a new birth. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; II Corinthians 5:17)
We believe that a New Testament church is a local group of believers, baptized by immersion, and united for His purpose of spreading the knowledge of God’s Word, including participation in world-wide missions; that the New Testament church was not revealed in the Old Testament; that it was established by Jesus Christ, Who is the sole Head, and was revealed in the New Testament. We believe it to be completely independent with no other person or group having authority, right of intervention, or control in any form whatsoever over or within the local church. This church body will remain an “Independent Baptist” church in name, practice, association(s), and fellowship.
We believe in the autonomy of the local church; that it has the absolute right of self-government under the direction of the Holy Spirit; and that it is answerable only to Christ; and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence the will of the local church is final. (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2, 6:4-5, 7:17, 11:16; I Timothy 3:1-15)
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God. (Romans 12:1-2. 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11)
We believe in the pre-millennial, pre-tribulation rapture of all believers; that Christ will come before the seven-year tribulation period to catch away His bride, coming only in the air, and that He will come back, personally and visibly, with His church, at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21)
We believe that Christ Jesus arose bodily from the grave on the first day of the week: the day which believers now set aside as a day of worship; that His miraculous resurrection from the tomb insures all that a similar bodily resurrection will occur for every member of the Adamic Race; that the dead in Christ shall rise first and in a moment be changed into a glorified body like His and be caught up in heaven to be with the Lord; that the dead in trespasses and sin shall be raised at the end of the millennium and brought before the Great White Throne Judgement and stand before the Judge of the living and the dead. (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:1-12; I Corinthians 15:12-22; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:5-6)
We believe that those who have been declared righteous by placing their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will spend eternity in a place of beauty and bliss called Heaven; that Heaven is the eternal abode of God, and that God will dwell there with His people forever; that Heaven is a prepared place for God’s prepared people wherein dwelleth righteousness. We believe that those who died without Christ in unbelief are doomed to spend eternity in a prepared place called Hell; that Hell is a real place of conscious suffering and ceaseless torment; that it is characterized by fire and brimstone, and is a place where the “worm” dieth not; that it was prepared for the Devil and his angels but hath enlarged itself to accommodate all the Christ rejecters who will suffer forever. (Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17-23; Matthew 25:31-36; Luke 6:25; John 8:21)