What We Believe
About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22 Psalm 90:2
Matthew 28:19 I Peter 1:2
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life an offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King.
Matthew 1:22, 23 Isaiah 9:6
John 1:1-5, 14:10-30 Hebrews 4:14-15
I Corinthians 15:3-4 Titus 2:13
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily.
Acts 1:8 2 Corinthians 3:17
John 16:7-13, 14:16-17 Galatians 5:25
1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16 Ephesians 1:13, 5:18
About the Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error.
2 Timothy 3:16, 1:13 Hebrews 4:12
Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6 Psalms 19:7-11
About Human Beings
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. Sin separates us from God and causes many problems in our life.
Genesis 1:27 Psalm 8:3-6
Isaiah 53:6a Romans 3:23
About Salvation
Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Romans 6:23 Ephesians 2:8-9
John 14:6, 1:2 Titus 3:5
Galatians 3:26 Romans 5:1, 10:9-10
About Eternity
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16, 14:17 Romans 6:23, 8:17-18
Revelation 20:15 I Corinthians 2:7-9
More detailed information about core beliefs and doctrines can be found in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Click on this link.
What is a Christian
Most people live their entire lives without knowing “WHY?” they exist. They live with no meaning or sense of purpose. Yet, the most basic question a person can ask is – “What is the meaning of my life?” For too many people the single goal in life is to be happy. Problem is they tend to look for happiness in all the wrong places.
- Some look for happiness by acquiring POSSESSIONS.
- Some look for happiness by experiencing PLEASURE.
- Some look for happiness by gaining PRESTIGE and POWER.
But real happiness comes from understanding your real PURPOSE in life. The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.
-Rick Warren
The reality of life is quite simple – without God, life has no purpose or meaning; and without meaning, life has no significance or hope. But there is hope; and it is found in Jesus Christ!
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
The Promise
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
God LOVES you and made you to have a LOVE relationship with Him!
Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be His through our union with Christ. . .because of His love, God had already decided that through Jesus Christ He would make us His children – this was God’s pleasure and purpose. Ephesians 1:4-5
The Problem
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
Everyone has made mistakes and has sinned. To sin is to go your own way and do things that you know are opposed to God’s will and character. We all have the same problem – we all have a natural desire and inclination to be BOSS of our lives and we do not want to surrender the throne of our lives to anyone – including God. As a result, we ignore God’s principles for living and choose a way that seems right in our own eyes. The Bible calls this kind of attitude SIN!
All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, and each of us has turned to his own way. Isaiah 53:6
Here is the issue. Sin breaks our close relationship with God causing us to fear God as we attempt to live our lives outside of His plan and will for our lives. As a result, when our relationship to God is not right, it causes problems in every area of our lives – marriage, career, finances, etc. Unfortunately, when people have problems, they often try every possible means of coping with life other than turning to God.
There are ways that SEEM right to man, but they only end in death. Proverbs 16:25
The Penalty
The wages (price) for sin is death… Romans 6:23
Here is the problem – and it is not good news. Not only is every person a sinner, but our sin separates us from God; and the price to be paid is that we will have to die and be eternally separated from the Creator God who desperately wants to rescue us from sin and have a relationship with us. Truth is, most of us do not realize that sin forms a barrier that prevents us from entering into unbroken fellowship with God. It taints everyone and separates us from the holiness of God. As a result, our sin condemns us, separating us from God, and destining us for a Christ-less eternity the Bible calls Hell.
The Predicament
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6
Unfortunately, the problem gets worse before it gets better. People often think that their good deeds can overcome the sin barrier between themselves and God, but according to the Bible that is not true. There’s nothing you can do to restore the broken relationship with God and earn God’s forgiveness other than receive His free gift of grace in Jesus. Sadly, even when we know our deepest need is God, we often seek out the wrong ways of getting to know Him:
- My mother was a Christian so. . .
- I’ll work real hard and earn it.
- It doesn’t matter what you believe.
- I’m religious and go to church.
He is a simple reality, if there was any other means to have your sins forgiven (like going to church or being a good person) then why did God have to step off His throne and enter time and space in the person of Jesus Christ and then die on a cross? The reason is simple – because there is no other way. Sinful people cannot do enough religious activity or be morally good enough to satisfy the justice of a holy God – so God had to step in on our behalf. And that is called grace.
The Provision
God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were sinners, Jesus died for us. Romans 5:8
Here is a most remarkable truth – while we were deserving of death, hell, and condemnation, God stepped in and took our place nailing our sin to the cross. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross removed the sin barrier between man and God. Jesus died for our sins by taking our punishment on Himself. Simply put, God did for each of us in Jesus Christ what we could not do for ourselves—offer forgiveness and salvation. God, Himself, came to earth as a human being to bring us back to God. If any other way would have worked, Jesus would not have had to come and die on the cross but Jesus is the only way!
Jesus Christ said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me!” John 14:6
The Plea
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… John 6:44
Jesus tells us that a person can only be saved after the Holy Spirit calls to them. This means that we do not come to Jesus in our time, but only when He offers. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to call, convict, convince and convert us to salvation. Thus, we do not determine the time and date, we can only respond to the WORK of Christ and the WOOING of the Holy Spirit when He speaks into our lives. In other words, when Jesus offers, it is best to say “yes” then and there accepting His amazing grace and applying it to your life. You do not know when and if there will ever be another offer.
God has already done His part to restore our relationship to Him. He took the initiative. Now He waits for each of us to individually accept what He has done for us.
The Prayer
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
Faith is BELIEVING and RECEIVING what Jesus did for you on the cross. It is trusting in His sacrifice on the cross rather than in your own efforts to restore fellowship with God. Faith is complete reliance on Christ to put you in a right relationship with God, allowing Him to live His life through you. It involves repentance, genuine sorrow for your sin, and a willingness to turn away from sin to the ways of God.
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
You can invite Christ into your life by praying a prayer of commitment to God:
Dear Jesus, thank you for making me and loving me. And even though I have ignored You in the past and gone my own way, I now realize that I need You in my life. I am sorry for my sins and I ask you to forgive me and come into my life to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I sense the leading of Your Holy Spirit and I accept Your gift of salvation. Now, please help me to understand it more and to grow in my relationship with You. Amen.
Our Practices
Worship
We worship God for who He is and what He has done for us. Worship is not an event, it’s a lifestyle. It is not a formula but an attitude. We were designed to bring glory to the Father and we must worship Him. Worship is giving your mind’s attention and your heart’s affection to the Lord. (Psalm 95:1-7)
Prayer & Fasting
Prayer is not some mystical process whereby we call upon some force to mysteriously assist us. Neither is it treating God as some heavenly bellhop who is waiting on your every beck and call. True prayer is when we align our will and wants to God’s will and Word; we seek his desire through talking and listening to Him.
Fasting is agreeing with God to abstain from a given activity for a period of time and use the time forfeited by the activity to concentrate your energies in prayer and seeking God’s will. (Psalm 66:16-20)
Bible Study & Discipleship
We study the Bible to know God, the truth and to find direction for our lives.
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:15
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 daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe. (Hebrews 4:12)
Good Stewardship
A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
Leviticus 26:30
We practice tithing for the support of Christ’s Body and the church, as God commands.
The tithe is the first 10% of one’s blessings given joyfully to the work of the kingdom through the local church. The principle of the tithe is most often associated with one’s finances. Each believer is responsible to be faithful with the first 10% of time, talent, treasure, tongue, and temple.
Serving by Spiritual Giftedness
Each believer is uniquely gifted upon their spiritual birth with a spiritual gift or blend of several gifts that will aid them in their work in bringing glory to God. These gifts are not to be misconstrued as talents, for a talent is an ability given to an individual at their natural birth and will grow and flourish with hard work and diligence. Spiritual gifts cannot be worked up or enhanced by human effort but are gifts of God that will grow in effectiveness in proportion to our use of the gift in service to the gift giver. (Romans 12:4-5)
Biblical Fellowship
We fellowship with other Christians to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives and in the world. The Greek word “Koinenea” best addresses the idea of fellowship. It is action that produces authentic nurture, love, encouragement, vulnerability, transparency, accountability, and sharing among a body of believers. (Acts 2:44-47)
Sharing Our Faith
The call to every believer is to be Salt and Light to a world in need of a Savior. Paul tells us that all believers are to be Ambassadors for Christ reconciling a lost world to a saving and loving God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
We must GO! We must SHARE! We must CARE!
Learning how to tell people about this loving God and His care for them will help you to accomplish the task set out for us in the Great Commission of “going into all the world teaching, preaching, and baptizing in Jesus’ name”. (Ephesians 6:19-20; John 3:16; Matthew 28:19-20)
Missions
In Acts 1:8 we are commanded to carry the message of Jesus Christ into the world. We believe it is the responsibility of every Christian to go, to pray, and to give to the support of the work of the Kingdom around the world. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Spirit-Filled Living
Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us, the Holy Spirit. We then seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right.