1. The Bible

We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, preserved Word of God. It is our final authority for faith, doctrine, worship, ministry, and Christian living. The Bible does not merely contain truth; it is truth.

We believe God gave His Word by inspiration through holy men of God, and that His Word is sufficient to reveal who God is, who we are, what sin has done, what Christ has accomplished, how sinners may be saved, and how believers are to live for His glory.

• The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice.
• The Bible is sufficient for doctrine, correction, instruction, and spiritual growth.
• The Bible is to be preached, taught, believed, obeyed, and loved.
• The Bible is to be interpreted normally, grammatically, historically, and contextually.

2. God

We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, equal in divine nature, power, glory, and perfection.

God is holy, sovereign, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere present, righteous, loving, merciful, and true. He created all things, sustains all things, and will accomplish His divine purpose according to His will.

• God the Father reigns in holiness, wisdom, justice, love, and truth.
• God the Son is the eternal Word who became flesh.
• God the Holy Spirit is the divine Person who convicts, regenerates, indwells, and sanctifies believers.

3. Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is coming again.

Jesus Christ is the only Saviour. He is not merely a teacher, prophet, or example. He is the Lord from heaven, the Lamb of God, the only Mediator between God and men, and the only way of salvation.

• He is eternal God.
• He became true man without ceasing to be God.
• He was born of a virgin.
• He lived without sin.
• He died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
• He rose again bodily from the grave.
• He now intercedes for believers.
• He will return in power and glory.

4. The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates sinners at salvation, indwells believers, seals believers, and enables the child of God to live a life pleasing to the Lord.

The Holy Spirit does not draw attention away from Christ, but glorifies Christ and works through the Word of God to produce holiness, obedience, assurance, fruit, and faithful service.

• The Holy Spirit convicts sinners of their need of Christ.
• The Holy Spirit gives new birth to those who believe the gospel.
• The Holy Spirit indwells and seals every believer.
• The Holy Spirit helps believers understand, obey, and apply the Word of God.
• The Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in the life of the yielded believer.

5. Man and sin

We believe man was created by God in the image of God. Adam and Eve were created innocent, but through Adam’s disobedience sin entered into the world, and death by sin. As a result, all people are sinners by nature and by choice.

Sin separates man from God and leaves every person guilty before Him. No person can save himself by religion, morality, good works, ceremonies, or personal effort. Every sinner needs the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ.

• Man was created by God and is accountable to God.
• Sin entered the world through Adam.
• All people are sinners before God.
• The wages of sin is death.
• Every person needs salvation through Jesus Christ.

6. Salvation

We believe salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Salvation is not earned by works, church membership, baptism, giving, sacraments, morality, or religious effort. It is the gift of God, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ and received by personal faith in Him.

We believe a sinner must be born again. When a person repents toward God and places faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is forgiven, justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, and given eternal life.

• Salvation is necessary because all have sinned.
• Salvation is provided through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Salvation is received by faith, not earned by works.
• Salvation brings forgiveness, justification, new birth, and eternal life.
• The believer is kept by the power of God.

7. The church

We believe the local church is a congregation of baptized believers, assembled together under the authority of Jesus Christ, for worship, preaching, teaching, fellowship, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and service.

We believe in the autonomy of the local church. Christ is the Head of the church, and the local church is to govern itself under His authority and according to the Word of God. We believe the two biblical offices of the church are pastor and deacon.

As Baptists, we hold to the Bible as our sole authority, the autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of the believer, two ordinances, individual soul liberty, two ordained offices, and separation of church and state.

• The church belongs to Jesus Christ.
• The local church is to assemble faithfully.
• The local church is to preach the Word and proclaim the gospel.
• The local church is to make disciples.
• The local church is to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
• The local church is to function under biblical leadership and accountability.

8. Church ordinances

We believe the Lord gave two ordinances to the local church: believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances do not save the soul, but they are acts of obedience given by Christ to His church.

Believer’s baptism

We believe baptism is for those who have personally trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour. Baptism is by immersion and pictures the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

The Lord’s Supper

We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial ordinance in which believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus Christ until He comes. It should be observed reverently, with self-examination, by those who are saved and walking in fellowship with the Lord.

9. Christian living

We believe every believer is called to live a holy, separated, Spirit-filled, obedient life for the glory of God. The Christian life is not lived to earn salvation, but because salvation has already been freely given in Christ.

Believers are called to grow in grace, love the Lord, study the Word, pray, assemble with the church, witness to the lost, serve one another, maintain purity, and live as faithful representatives of Jesus Christ in the world.

• Christians should grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Christians should live in obedience to the Word of God.
• Christians should be separated from sin and unto God.
• Christians should love one another and serve faithfully in the local church.
• Christians should witness to the lost with grace and truth.

10. The return of Christ

We believe in the personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the next great event for the church is the coming of Christ for His saints, commonly called the Rapture.

We hold a dispensational, premillennial understanding of Scripture. We believe God has a future for Israel, that the Tribulation will be a future period of divine judgment, and that Jesus Christ will return visibly and gloriously to establish His kingdom.

We believe Christ will reign, God’s promises will be fulfilled, the lost will face final judgment, and the redeemed will dwell forever with the Lord in the eternal state.

• Christ may return for His church at any time.
• Believers should live watchfully, faithfully, and hopefully.
• God will fulfill His promises to Israel.
• Christ will return in glory and reign as King.
• There will be final judgment and an eternal state.