WE BELIEVE

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

A.  By "The Holy Bible" we mean that collection of sixty‑six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written and preserved in the Textus Receptus and then preserved in English in the Authorized (1611) King James Bible, does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.

            B.  By "inspiration" we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. 

II Tim. 3:16‑17; II Pet. 1:19‑21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Psa. 119:160; Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130; Luke 24:25‑27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44‑45; Psa. 119:89; Prov. 30:5‑6; Rom. 3:4; I Pet. 1:23; Rev. 22:19; John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7‑11; John 5:45‑47; John 5:39

There is one and only one living and true God.  He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe.  God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections.  To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.  The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. 

            A.  God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace.  He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise.  God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  He is Father in His attitude toward all men. 

Gen. 1:1; 2:7; Ex. 3:14; 6:2‑3; 15:11 ff.; 20:1 ff; Lev. 22:2; Deut. 6:4; 32:6; I Chron. 29:10; Psa. 19:1‑3; Jer. 10:10; 17:13; Matt. 6:9 ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1: 9‑11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6‑13; 17:1‑8; Acts 1:7; Rom. 8:14‑15;

ICor. 8:6; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 4:6; Col. 1:15; I Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:6; 12:9; I Pet. 1:17; I John 5:7; Isa. 43:3, 15; 64:8            

            B. God the Son

Christ is the eternal Son of God.  In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary.  Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin.  He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.  He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion.  He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, partaking of the nature of God and man, and in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man.  He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.  He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord.

Gen. 18:1 ff.; Psa. 2:7 ff.; 110:1 ff.; Isa. 7:14; 53; Matt. 1:18‑23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16, 27; 17:5; 28:1‑6, 19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1‑18, 29; 10:30, 38; 11:25‑27; 12:44‑50; 14:7‑11; 16:15‑16, 28; 17:1‑5, 21, 22; 20:1‑20, 28; Acts 1:9; 2:22‑24; 7:55‑56; 9:4‑5, 20; Rom. 1:3‑4; 3:23‑36; 5:6‑21; 8:1‑3, 34; 10:4; I Cor. 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1‑8, 24‑28; II Cor. 5:19‑21; Gal. 4:4‑5; Eph. 1:20; 3:11; 4:7‑10; Phil. 2:5‑11; Col. 1:13‑22; 2:9; I Thess. 4:14‑28; I Tim. 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Heb. 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12‑15, 24‑28; 12:2; 13:8; I Peter 2:21‑25; 3:22; I John 1:7‑9; 3:2; 4:14‑15; 5:9; II John 7‑9; Rev. 1:13‑16; 5:9‑14; 12:10‑11; 13:8                            

            C. God the Holy Spirit 

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God.  He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures.  Through illumination He enables men to understand truth.  He exalts Christ.  He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.  He calls men to the Saviour and effects regeneration.  He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church.  He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption.  His presence in the Christian is the assurance of God to bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ.  He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

We do believe the Holy Spirit supernaturally indwells and empowers the true believer to do the work of God.  We in no way believe in the "Charismatic Movement" or in the false "tongues" movement as an evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  On the contrary, we believe it is of the devil and a gross misinterpretation of Scripture.            

Gen. 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26; 13; Psa. 51:11; 139:7 ff.; Isa. 61:1‑3; Joel 2:28‑32; Matt. 1:18; 3:16; 4:1, 12:28‑32; 28:19; Mark 1:8‑12; Luke 1:35; 4:1, 18‑19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; John 14:16‑17; Heb. 9:14; John 14:26; II Thess. 2:7‑13; John 16:8‑11; John 15:26‑27; Acts 5:30‑32; John 3:5, 6; Eph. 1:13, 14; Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; John 16:13; Rom. 8:14‑27; I Pet. 1:2

We believe that Satan was once 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 malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world.  We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy, the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness ‑ destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. 

Isa. 14:12‑15; Ezek. 28:14‑17; Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; II Peter 2:4; Eph. 2:2; John 14:30; I Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:1‑3; I Peter 5:8; I John 3:8; Matt. 13:39; Luke 22:3‑4; Rev. 12:10; II Cor. 11:13‑15; Mark 13:21‑22; I John 4:3; II John 7; I John 2:22; Rev. 13:13‑14; II Thess. 2:8‑11; Rev. 19:11, 16, 20; Rev. 12:7‑9; Rev. 20:1‑3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41

 We believe in the Genesis account of a six day creation, each day being a twenty‑four hour period, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only after their kind. 

Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16‑17; Heb. 11:3; John 1:3; Rev. 10:6; Rom. 1:20; Acts 17:23‑26; Jer. 10:12; Neh. 9:6; Gen. 1:26‑27; Gen. 2:21‑23; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. 

Gen. 3:1‑6, 24; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10‑19; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18; Ezek. 18:19‑20; Rom. 1:32; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:28; Gal. 3:22

 We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost, in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.

Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18‑25; Luke 1:35; Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psa. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; I John 5:20; I Cor. 15:47

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the 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; that having risen bodily from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the most tender sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all‑sufficient Saviour.                                                            

Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4‑7; Rom. 3:25; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; I Pet. 2:24; I Pet. 3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; I Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12‑15; Heb. 7:25; I John 2:2

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creature 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 in a manner above comprehension, not by culture, not by character, not by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; Luke 5:27; I John 5:1; John 3:6‑7; Acts 2:41; II Pet. 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; John 1:12‑13; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9

We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and an obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. 

I Thess. 1:4; Col. 3:12; I Peter 1:2; Titus 1:1; Rom. 8:29‑30; Matt. 11:28; Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 10:13; John 6:37; Isa. 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isa. 55:7; John 3:15‑16; I Tim. 1:15; I Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4‑9; John 3:18; John 3:36; John 5:40

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of Christ’s righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us. 

Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 5:1; Tit. 3:5‑7; Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1‑8; Heb. 10:38

We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God, thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all‑sufficient Saviour.

Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:37‑38; Luke 18:13; Rom. 10:13; Psa. 51:1‑4; Psa. 51:7; Isa. 55:6‑7; Luke 12:8; Rom. 10:9‑11

We believe that a Baptist church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, said church being understood to be founded by Christ as the true church and the citadel and propagator of the Divine and Eternal Grace; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: first, to make individual disciples; second, to baptize those disciples; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded.  We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold 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; that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. 

Acts 2:41-42; I Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22‑23; Eph. 4:11; I Cor. 12:4, 8‑11; Acts 14:23; Acts 6:5‑6; Acts 15:23; Acts 20:17‑28; I Tim. 3:1‑13; Matt. 28:19‑20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23‑24; I Pet. 5:1‑4; Acts 15:22; Jude 3, 4; II Cor. 8:23‑24; I Cor. 16:1; Mal. 3:10; Lev. 27:32; I Cor. 16:2; I Cor. 6:1‑3; I Cor. 5:11‑13

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, symbolizing our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre‑requisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of unleavened bread and the unfermented fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self‑examination.

Acts 8:36‑39; Matt. 3:6; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4‑5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3‑5; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41‑42; Matt. 28:19, 20; I Cor. 11:23‑28

 We believe in the eternal security of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.  When a person is born again they have everlasting life which cannot be lost or taken away from them.  God’s children are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation and sealed unto the day of redemption. 

John 10:27‑30; I Pet. 1:5; Eph. 4:30; Rom. 8:35‑39; John 5:24; Phil. 1:6

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. 

Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17‑18; Prov. 11:31; I Pet. 1:18; Rom. 1:17; I Cor. 15:22; Acts 10:34‑35; I John 2:29; Rom. 6:16; I John 5:19; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 6:23; Prov. 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matt. 25:34, 41; John 8:21; Luke 9:26; John 12:25; Matt. 7:13‑14

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 only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience; and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. 

Rom. 13:7; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21‑22; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Tit. 3:1; I Pet. 2:13, 14; I Pet. 2:17; Acts 4:19‑20; Dan. 3:17‑18; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 23:10; Phil. 2:10‑11; Psa. 72:11

We believe that Jesus, who was taken up into heaven, will come in the same manner as He went away ‑ bodily, personally and visibly.  He will at this time receive unto Himself those believers who have died in Christ and those who are alive and remain. 

We believe that following the rapture of the church, Israel’s seventieth week will be fulfilled.  This will be a time of God’s judgment on the whole earth.  The last 3 1\2 years of this will be the time of Jacob’s Trouble, or the great tribulation period.

We believe that the great tribulation will be climaxed by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory.  We believe that this will usher in the millennial reign of Christ, that Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit, that the curse that now rests on all creation will be lifted, and that Israel will be restored to her own land and to the fulfillment of God’s promises to her.        

John 14:1‑3; Phil. 3:20‑21; I Thess. 4:13‑18; Titus 2:11‑14; I Cor. 15:42‑53; Dan. 9:27; Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:15‑42; Rev. 6:1‑Rev. 19:21; Col. 3:4; II Thess. 2:7‑8; II Thess. 1:7‑11; Rev. 20:4‑7; Rev. 11:15; Matt. 19:28; Eph. 1:10; Rev. 20:1‑6; Isa. 51:3; Rom. 8:19‑23; Jer. 32:37‑41; Jer. 33:7‑9; Matt. 28:6‑7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2‑7; Acts 1:9, 11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9‑10; Matt. 24:27; Heb. 9:28; Luke 1:32; I Cor. 15:25; Isa. 11:4‑5; Psa. 72:8; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 8:1‑6; Heb. 12:2; Matt. 24:42

The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this commission was given to the churches. 

Matt. 28:18‑20, "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen." 

Mark 16:15, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." 

John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." 

Romans 10:13‑15, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?  and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?  and how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.”

Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith. 

II Cor. 8:7, "Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also." 

We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse (common treasury of the church) upon the first day of the week. 

I Cor. 16:2, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."

Under Grace we give the tithe ‑ "Abraham GAVE the tenth of the spoils" ‑ Hebrews 7:2, 4 ‑ and this was four hundred years before     the law, and is confirmed in the New Testament; Jesus said concerning the tithe, "These ought ye to have done" ‑ Matt. 23:23

We are commanded to bring the tithe into the common treasury of the church.

            Lev. 27:30, "the tithe...is the Lord's"

Mal. 3:10, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

In the New Testament it was common treasury of the church.

Acts 4:34, 35, 37-"...and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet:...Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a biological man and a biological woman. We believe that any and all forms of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex.

Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8‑9; Lev. 18:1‑30; Rom. 1:26‑29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1‑8; 

Heb. 13:4

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life.  Abortion is murder.  We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well‑being of the mother are acceptable.

Job 3:16; Psa. 51:5; 139:14‑16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15‑18; Luke 1:44

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against their church and other Christians within their church to resolve personal disputes.  We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to rule on personal disputes between members.  We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander.

I Cor. 6:1‑8; Eph. 4:31‑32

We believe that Heaven and Hell are real literal physical places.  Heaven is a place of indescribable beauty and glory, just as Hell is a place of indescribable torment and punishment.  So, throughout all eternity Heaven is the final eternal dwelling place of the saved, and Hell is a place of eternal punishment of the lost and total separation from God.

Matt. 6:20; Luke 10:20; John 14:2; Daniel 7:10; Isaiah 33:14; Matt. 13:42; Mark 9:41; Rev. 14:10