Confession of Faith

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit controlled men, and therefore has truth without admixture of error for its matter. We believe that it is the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” — II Timothy 3:16–17  |  Also 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 Godhead there are three distinct persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—yet one in substance and equal in every divine perfection.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” — II Corinthians 13:14  |  Also Exodus 20:2–3; I Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 3:13–17

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 Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His Deity; that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” — John 1:1–2  |  Also I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26–38

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person equal with the Father and the Son and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, bears witness to the truth, is the Agent of the New Birth and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God.

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of me.” — John 15:26  |  Also II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16–17; Romans 8:14–17

We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” — Revelation 20:10  |  Also Matthew 4:1–3; II Corinthians 4:4

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind,” by direct act, and not by the process of evolution.

“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” — Colossians 1:16–17  |  Also Genesis 1, 2; John 1:3

We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death, so that now all mankind is born in sin and shapen in iniquity and become willful sinners through personal choice, and so are without excuse before God.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” — Romans 5:12  |  Also Genesis 3; Romans 5:10–19

We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, when He voluntarily took upon Him a human body and nature, yet without sin, and by His suffering, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man; that the blessings of this salvation are given on the grounds of grace to all who believe and that it is the immediate obligation and privilege of all to accept these offers of mercy.

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” — Acts 16:31  |  Also John 1:1–3, 14; 3:1–7; Hebrews 10:10–14; Acts 16:30–33; Romans 10:9–10

We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and that this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” — Ephesians 2:8–9  |  Also Acts 16:31; Titus 3:5–7; Romans 10:9–11

We believe that all who repent of their sin taking Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:6  |  Also John 10:28–29; Romans 8:35–39

We believe that the Church universal is a New Testament institution; unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, Who is its sole Head, revealed through the holy Apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; Christ’s “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture.

“And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.” — Colossians 1:18  |  Also Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:8; 2:41–47; Romans 16:26; I Corinthians 12:12–28; Ephesians 1:22–23; I Thessalonians 4:13–18

We believe that the Church universal is manifested through the local church, which is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His Laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in it by His Word; that its officers are bishops (that is, pastors) and deacons; that it has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit and it is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolence the will of the local church is final.

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother… tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” — Matthew 18:15–17  |  Also I Corinthians 1:2; 6:4–5; 7:17; I Timothy 3:1–15

We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism.” It sets forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with the effects of that faith in our lives as it produces death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church relation.

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” — Acts 2:41–42  |  Also Acts 8:36–39; Romans 6:3–5

The Lord’s Table is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He come and our continual fellowship with Him. It should always be preceded by careful self-examination.

“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” — I Corinthians 11:26  |  Also I Corinthians 11:23–32

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only such as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in God’s esteem: while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse and therefore stand condemned before God (John 3:18); and that this distinction holds among men both during life and after death, in the everlasting conscious joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” — Romans 6:23  |  Also Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17–23; Matthew 25:34–41; Luke 16:25; John 8:21

We believe in the bodily, personal, premillennial return of Jesus Christ; that He will come before the seven year tribulation period to catch away His church, coming only into the air, that this coming may be at any moment, and that He will afterward come with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth.

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” — I Thessalonians 4:16–17  |  Also Matthew 25:31–46; Revelation 19:11–21

We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead; that believers who sleep in Jesus will be raised at the coming of Christ for His Church and caught up with transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air, and that the wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne of Judgment to receive their final doom.

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” — John 5:28–29  |  Also I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9–17; 20:11–15

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 of 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 that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except in things opposed to the freedom to worship our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth.

Exodus 22:28  •  Matthew 22:21  •  Romans 13:1–7  •  I Timothy 2:1–3  •  I Peter 2:13–16  •  Exception: Daniel 3:17–18; Acts 4:19–20; 5:29

We believe in the absolute separation of Church and State.

Matthew 22:19–21

We believe that a true Bible believing local Baptist Church must remain separate from all association with other local churches that compromise any major Bible doctrine. Even if a local church itself is sound doctrinally but remains in an apostate denomination or organization, we shall not have fellowship with it on a local church basis.

We believe that in the wisdom of God it was absolutely necessary that the Blood of Christ be shed at Calvary for the remission of our sins. We abhor the mistranslation and subsequent removal of the word “Blood” from certain modern English translations of the Scriptures.

Hebrews 9:22

We believe that the Bible clearly teaches that Christ arose bodily from the dead. It was more than a spiritual resurrection. We reject the neoorthodox idea that it was unnecessary for Christ to bodily arise from the dead.

I Corinthians 15:1–23

We believe that the only sexual relationship sanctioned and blessed by God is the lifelong commitment in marriage of one man and one woman. All other sexual relationships are works of the flesh (adultery, fornication, uncleanness and lasciviousness), which are forbidden. Unmarried persons are to maintain chastity because their bodies are temples of God. The New Testament does not include alternate life-styles in the fellowship of the local churches by precept or by example.

Genesis 2:24  •  Matthew 19:4–6  •  Mark 10:6–9  •  Ephesians 5:22–33  •  Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13  •  Romans 1:24–28  •  Galatians 5:19–21  •  I Corinthians 6:9–20

We believe God created two sexes. Any attempt to alter one’s sex by either surgery, hormone therapy or appearance (such as dress and hairstyle) are perversions of God’s created order and are forbidden in Scripture. A Christian should live in truth, honesty and sincerity presenting oneself as the biological sex given by God in one’s birth and accepting it as a calling of God.

Genesis 1:27, 5:2  •  Deuteronomy 22:5  •  Matthew 19:4  •  Philippians 1:9–11; 4:8–9  •  Titus 2:1–8