The following is a detailed list of what our church believes.

ARTICLE 2 STATEMENT OF FAITH

Beliefs on Doctrine: What We Believe

Of The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truthwithout 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, andopinions should be tried.

By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God but IS the very Word of God.

By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy menof 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 otherwritings have ever been or ever will be inspire
Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89,105,130,160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke

Of The True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, 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 Godheadthere are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Genesis 17:1; Exodus 20:2-3; 15:11; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jeremiah

Of The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Sonand of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to theunbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of theGospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals,endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

Genesis 1:2; Matthew 3:11; 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16; 24:49; John

Of The Devil, Or Satan

We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride andambition 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.

b. Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25; 25:41; 27:39; Mark

5. Of The Creation

a. We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally, and notallegorically 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.” Since God created mankind into genders distinctly male and female, we believe that the only legitimate marriage is that between a man and a woman. He has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God rejects any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.

b. Genesis 1:1,11,24,26-27; 2:21-23; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah

6. Of The Fall of Man

a. 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 allmankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice, and therefore under justcondemnation without defense or excuse.

b. Genesis 3:1-6,24; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18,20,28,32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19;

7. Of The Virgin Birth

a. 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 Heis both the Son of God, and God, the Son.

b. Genesis 3:15; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; Matthews 1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35;

8. Of The Atonement for Sin

a. We believe that the salvation of sinners is by grace through faith; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him ournature, 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, bearingour sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an allsufficient Savior.

b. Isaiah 53:4-7,11-12; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Romans

9. Of The New Birth

a. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is anew creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not

b. Luke 5:27; John 1:12-13; 3:3,6-7; Acts 2:41; Romans 6:23; 2Corinthians

10. Of The Freeness of Salvation

a. We believe 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 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.
b. Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-18,36; 5:40; 6:37; Acts 2:38; Romans

11. Of Justification

a. 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 righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works ofrighteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, Hisrighteousness is imputed unto us.

b. Isaiah 53:11; Habakkuk 2:4; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 4:1;

12. Of Repentance and Faith

a. We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, 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 Savior.

b. Psalm 51:1-4,7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:8; 18:13; Acts 2:37-38;

13. Of The Church

a. We believe that a Baptist church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by acovenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, said church being understood to be thecitadel 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 HisWord; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims, andduties are clearly defined in the scriptures.

b. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions of men and women in the homeand in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to hold theleadership positions (pastors and deacons) in the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible of licensure and ordination for pastor by the church.

c. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: first, to make individual disciples; second, to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct as He hascommanded. 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

d. Leviticus 27:31; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 14:23;

14. Of Baptism and The Lord’s Supper

a. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of theFather, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to showforth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisiteto the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.

b. Matthew 3:6; 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-

15. Of The Eternal Security of the Believer.

a. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by the power of God and are thus secure in Christforever. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation throughthe testimony of God’s Word which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to theflesh.

b. Psalm 121:3; Matthew 6:20; 13:19-21; John 8:31-32; 10:28-29; 16:8; Romans

16. Of The Righteous and The Wicked

a. We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and thewicked; 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.

b. Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 11:31; 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 7:13-14; 25:34;

17. Of Civil Government

a. 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.

b. Exodus 18:21-22; 2Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew

18. Of The Resurrection and Return of Christ And Related Events

a. We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “The third day according to the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God”; that He alone is our “merciful and faithful hig

b. Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Matthew 24:27,42; Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6,19;

1. Of Missions

a. The command to give the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and thisCommission was given to the churches.

b. Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying All power is given untome 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 thingswhatsoever I have commanded you and, lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of theworld. Amen.”

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

d. John 20:21, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

e. Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and yeshall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

f. 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!”

20. Of The Grace Of Giving

a. Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of Christianity.

1. 2Corinthians 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.”

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

1. 1Corinthians 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.”

c. Under Grace we give, and do not pay, 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 thenew Testament; Jesus said concerning the tithe, “these ought ye to have done”, Matthew 23:23.

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

1. Leviticus 27:30, “The tithe ... is the Lord’s.”

2. Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat inmine 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 shallnot be room enough to receive it.”

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

1. 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.”