Our Beliefs & Practices

What We Believe

The Baptist Faith & Message

We believe that the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments) is the inerrant, verbally inspired, and infallible Word of God, and that the Bible is absolute Truth and God’s final authority.

We believe that there is one true living God who is revealed to us as the Godhead existing eternally in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and these three are as one God. We believe that God the Father orders all things according to His own purpose for His own glory. We believe that God the Son is Jesus Christ who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born without sin of the Virgin Mary, to redeem man from sin. We believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father. We believe He intercedes for us today as High Priest and Advocate. We believe that God the Holy Spirit is sent from God to convict of sin, righteousness, and to be an indwelling guide, teacher, and source of strength for the believer. We believe that all who receive Christ as Savior are born of the Holy Spirit. We believe that man was created in the image of God; that man sinned (rebelled against God) and thereby incurred both a physical death and a spiritual death (eternal separation from God); and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature.

We believe that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone and His atonement and forgiveness on the cross. We believe that all who call upon the name of the Lord as Savior and Redeemer shall be saved and will spend eternity with God.

We believe that a New Testament church is an association of baptized believers who come together to exalt the Savior through worship, equip the saints through discipleship, edify the servants through fellowship, and evangelize the sinner through ministry.

We believe in the imminent, pre-millennial, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take His Church from Earth and to reward them according to their works. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost.

We believe that every believer is called to a holy life of service and should belong to a Bible-believing local church for fellowship and for the furtherance of the Gospel to every person at home and around the world.

Our Practices

Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question, when faced with a decision, is “What does the Bible say?” We practice Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.
Christ is the recognized head of the church-not a person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. Each congregation determines its own strategy, structure and style.

Colossians 1:18
Christ is also the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything.
The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full-time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.

Revelation 1:6
6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.

1 Peter 2.9
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.
We practice tithing as an act of worship to our Savior and Lord and as an opportunity to give back a little of all that God has given us. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the Biblical standard of living.

Malachi 3:10
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple.
We practice baptism by immersion under water–the way Jesus was baptized and the way the Bible commands.

Colossians 2:12
12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. We seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s spirit to enable us to do what is right.

John 15:5
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those whom God brings us into contact. We practice personal sharing about Christ and by inviting friends to church.

1 Peter 3:15
15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.