BAPTIST DOCTRINE

  1. We believe in the Triune God – the Eternally Self-Existent, “I AM”, the Creator of heaven and earth and Redeemer of mankind manifested in three persons; Almighty Father, Divine Son and Holy Ghost. (Genesis 1:1, John 5:7, John 1:1, 4:24, Matthew 10:20, II Corinthians 3:17-18).

  2. We believe in the Bible as the inspired, infallible Word of God, inerrant in the original autographs and the only rule of faith, guide for practice and indisputable and ultimate authority of the Revelation of God, His Will and His Way. (II Timothy 3:16-17, Psalms 19:7-11, 2 Peter 1:16-21).

  3. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of the father, born of a virgin, Very God of every God for, and by whom all things were created (I John 1:1-10).

  4. We believe in the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He, by the grace of God tasted death for every man and that all must be born again through faith in Him or are forever lost.  Redemption is accomplished by the cross and blood of our Lord.  Jesus Christ, by grace through faith, believing in the heart that God raised Him from the dead.  Salvation is by Jesus Christ and none other for God has highly exalted Him and given a name, which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, earth and those under the earth.  We further believe that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.  (Hebrews 2:9, John 3:1-18, John 6:44-49, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9, Philippians 2:9-11).

  5. We believe in the physical resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that He ascended bodily into the heaven and is now at the right hand of the Father as our Mediator, High Priest and Advocate. (Acts 3:12-26, John 20, Hebrews 9:24, I Corinthians 15:12-28).

  6. We believe in water baptism and Holy Communion – The Lord’s Supper as the ordinances of the church to be observed as public declaration of salvation through Jesus Christ and the commemoration of His death, burial and resurrection in victory over Satan, death, hell and the grave.  (Matthew 3:11, 14, 26:26-29, Luke 22:17-23).

  7. We believe in the personal, visible, imminent return of Jesus Christ both for His Saints and with His Saints in reign to victory. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Corinthians 15:50-55, Revelation 19:19-20, 20:1-6).

  8. We believe in the authority of the believer over the enemy Satan and the victory to be gained by the exercise of that authority in the areas of deliverance, healing and holiness. (Ephesians 1:20-23, 6:10-7).

  9. We believe in the personality and reality of Satan as the enemy of the Kingdom of God, Saints of God and of the Lord; and in his ultimate defeat by the Lord Jesus Christ and potential defeat in the lives of spirit filled believers clothed in the Armor of God.  (Revelation 12:9-10, Matthew 4:2-11, Isaiah 14:12-17, John 8).

  10. We believe in the autonomy of the local church as an independent entity with regard to matters of government, polity operation and discipline. (I Corinthians 5:5, II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15, Acts 11:22, Titus 1:5).

FULL GOSPEL DISTINCTIVES

  1. We believe the Full Gospel includes: (A) the proclamation of both the eternal power of Calvary and the potential power of Pentecost; (B) the baptizing Power of Jesus Christ for salvation because of Calvary, and (C) the filling/controlling power of the Holy Ghost for service and Holy victorious living because of Pentecost. (Ephesians 5:18, Acts 20:27).

  2. We believe in the perpetual and continuing ecclesiastical value of all spiritual gifts for the edification of the Body of Christ until the end of this Church Age, which will be consummated by the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13; I Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12).

  3. We believe in the Divine personhood of the Holy Spirit and His present-day ministry to Believers, including the sovereign distribution of Spiritual Gifts which empowers believers for service in the Contemporary Church. (I Corinthians 12:7-11).

  4. We believe in Jesus Christ as the Sovereign Giver of Spiritual Gifts to the church.  We further believe that Spiritual Gifts are given for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ and are given without regard to ethnicity, social class or gender. (Ephesians 4:7-12, Galatians 3:26-28).

  5. We believe in the full autonomy of the local church as an independent entity under the Lordship of Christ, through pastoral authority, with regard to: (A) government, polity, and operations (Titus 1:5; Acts 15:1-35), (B) discipline (I Corinthians 5:5,Matthew 18:15-17, 2 Thessalonians3:6, 14-15), and (C) with the added value of the Episcopacy as a covering (Titus 1:5; Acts 15:1-35).

  6. We believe in the value of biblical terminology for leadership in the contemporary church: Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, Elder, Minister and Deacon.  We believe that all of these are designations for servant-leaders. (Jeremiah 3:15, Acts 20:28, II Corinthians 6:4, I Timothy 3:1-7).

  7. VII.We believe in the formal and intentional praise and worship of Almighty God as a proper spirit-led, corporate acknowledgement and response to His person and work. (Psalm 46-50, John 4:23, 24).

  8. We believe in Jesus Christ as the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, who brings men and women at salvation into relationship with Himself and His Body, the Church.  We further believe that it is the baptism of the Holy Ghost that places one into the Body of Christ.  All believers have been baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33; I Corinthians 12:13).

  9. We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost for all Believers and that the Holy Ghost verifies and validates the Believer as a part of the Body of Christ. (Romans 8:9).

  10. We believe the spirit-filled life as desirable, valuable and an issue of obedience for all Believers who are commanded to be filled with the Holy Ghost.  We acknowledge that within the Body of Christ, the term “filled with the Holy Ghost” is often used interchangeably with the term “baptism of the Holy Ghost”.  When referring to the controlling presence and power of the Holy Ghost, as a result of the submissive will and desire of the Believer, we allow such alternation of terms.  We believe it is the will and command of God that every believer be “filled,” “walk in,” be “led by,” and “live in” the power of the Holy Ghost. (Ephesians 5:18).

  11. We believe all believers are exhorted to be filled, walk in, be led by and live in the power of the Holy Ghost. (Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:16, 18, And 25).

  12. We believe that it is God’s desire that all believers live under the “Divine Direction” of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the filling of the Holy Ghost is an ongoing ministry of the Spirit in the life of the Believer that enables the Believer to live a life of power, victory, and glory to God (Acts 1:8, 2:4, 4:8, 4:31).

  13. Compendium on Distinctives VIII and X

    We believe the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the filling of the Holy Ghost are distinct, separate, valid, and valuable ministries of the Holy Ghost which may occur simultaneously at salvation.

        • Being filled with the Holy Ghost may and should occur subsequent to salvation in obedience to biblical exhortation.

        • The baptism of the Holy Ghost occurs once and for all at salvation.

        • Being filled with the Holy Ghost should not only be a continuous reality, but an ongoing characteristic of the Believer’s consecrated holiness (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:18).