The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God.  The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and are the final authority for faith and life.  We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely-determined dispensations of rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely-ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. We further believe that the Holy Scriptures have been completely and perfectly preserved for the world in the 1611 King James Version of the Bible. We believe that all other versions, excluding none, are perversions and corruptions of the true Word of God and, therefore, none may be used in any service or ministry of the church. We believe that the sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man ( Gen 1:28; 1 Cor 9:17; 2 Cor 3:9-18; Gal 3:13-25; Eph 1:10; Eph 3:2-10; Col 1:24-27; Rev 20:2-6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, Who is an infinite, intelligent Spirit, Whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections, and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the work of redemption. (Deut 6:4; Matt 28:19; John 14:10,16; 2 Cor 13:14)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:16; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-26; Rom. 3::24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Heb 9:24; 7:25; Rom 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling them and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures, and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 28; Eph. 4:7-12).

We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body through sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing (1Cor 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22).

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but, that in Adam's sin, the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

We believe that salvation is extended to every man as a free gift of God. Jesus Christ shed His blood in order that all men might be saved. Salvation is brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 12:46; Rom 4:1-4; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties an inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby, 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 relying upon Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour (2 Cor 7:10; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 13:3; 24:47; Acts 3:19; 2 Tim 2:25).

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5).

We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

We believe that a local New Testament Baptist church is made up of born-again, baptized believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, and exists as an autonomous body, free of any external authority or control  (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Cor 12:12-14; 2; Cor 11:2; Eph 1:22-23; Eph 5:25-27; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

We believe that the only scriptural offices of the church are the offices of bishops or elders or pastors and deacons, whose qualifications are defined in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9).

We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the scriptural ordinances for the church in this age. We believe that Christian baptism is by immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost. We believe that baptized believers belonging to the local New Testament church are to commemorate together the sacrifice of Christ by observing the Lord's Supper (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 8:12; 8:38; Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 5:11-13).

We believe that the ministry of the church should be financed by the tithes and offerings of its members. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church and the spread of the gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or the offering once the gift has been made (Gen 14:20; Pro 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor 16:2; 2 Cor 9:6-7; Gal 6:6; Eph 4:28; 1 Tim 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Rom 12:1-2; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).

We believe that Christ arose bodily the third day according to the Scriptures and that He ascended to the right hand of the throne of God; that He alone is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God. We believe in that blessed hope, the personal and imminent return of Christ, Who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. The dead in Christ shall rise first and that the living saints shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. At the end of the seven-year Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to receive from God His throne of His father David; and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet; and that God shall then make a new Heaven and a new earth. (Ps 89:3-4; Dan 2:31-45; Zech 14:4-11; Matt 28:6-7; Luke 1:32; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess 1:10; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev 3:11; Rev 19:11-16; Rev 20:1-6) 

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev 20:5-6, 12-13).

We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess 4:16-17; Rev 20:4-6).

We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment and torment (Matt 25:41-4; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thes 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev 20:11-15).

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective, Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

We believe  that human sexuality is ordained of God, God created mankind and made them male and female and commanded them to be fruitful, and to multiply, and to replenish the earth. We believe that sexual intimacy and intercourse is restricted exclusively by Scripture to a married couple, being male and female, thus all sexual activity is only to be between the husband and his wife, the wife and her husband. We believe that acts of immorality such as fornication and adultery are condemned by Scripture. We believe that same-sex intimacy and intercourse, referred to by various terms as homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, sodomy, intersexuality, or gay are forbidden by Scripture and are plainly identified as an abomination in the sight of God. We believe that bestiality, incest, rape, pedophilia, fornication, adultery, and other sexual abnormalities, deviations, and perversions are forbidden by the clear precepts of Scripture. We believe that pornography through verbal or visual means, whether printed or otherwise conveyed is forbidden by Scripture, and should never be found among believers. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen 1:27-28; Gen 2:24; Gen 19:5, 13; Gen 26:8-9; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1 Cor 5:1; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Thess 4:1-8; Heb 13:4) 

We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen 2:24; Rom 7:2; 1 Cor 7:10; Eph 5:22-23) 

We believe that God has given the church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 5:20).

 These beliefs do not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  The Authorized Version of 1611, commonly known as the King James Version of the Bible, is acknowledged to be the preserved Word of God and is the sole and final authority for all matters and questions of faith and practice for this congregation. We do believe, however, that the foregoing statements accurately represent the teaching of the Bible and reference to the scripture source are made at conclusion of each brief statement.