Faith

ARTICLES OF FAITH

1. We believe in THE HOLY SCRIPTURE: The absolute authority and accuracy of the sixty-six (66) canonical books of the Bible - Genesis to Revelation; its full verbal, plenary inspiration in the original manuscripts and its all-sufficiency as the Christian’s rule of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

2. We believe in THE ONE TRIUNE GOD: Who is personal, Spirit, and sovereign; perfect, infinite, and eternal in His being, holiness and love, wisdom and power; absolutely separate and above the world as its Creator, yet everywhere present in the world as the Upholder of all things; self-existent and self-revealing in three distinct persons (Trinity), God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each having a distinct ministry in God’s relation to His creation and people. (Genesis 1:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 John 5:7)

3. We believe in THE LORD JESUS CIIRIST: who is the second person of the Triune God, the eternal Word and only Begotten Son; that without any change in His divine Person He became man by miracle of the Virgin Birth, thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one Person with two natures; that as Man He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the cross becoming there the sin of the world, and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead; that He arose bodily from the grave and was glorified; that as our great High Priest He ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor. (John 1:1-2; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 2:26-28)

4. We believe in THE HOLY SPIRIT: Who is the third Person of the Trinity (Triune God), and the divine Agent in nature, revelation and redemption; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment; that He regenerates, indwells, seals, and anoints all who become children of God through Christ. All children of God are baptized in the Holy Spirit at salvation. He further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and fills believers who daily surrender to Him. (2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:14-27)

5. We believe ALL MEN ARE BY NATURE AND CHOICE SINFUL AND LOST: that man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature, the father of a fallen race which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation. (Romans 3:23, 5:12; Galatians 3:22)

6. We believe in SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH: that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all true believers have as a present possession, the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance, and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man; that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21, 7:9-10; Romans 6:23, 10:9, 10:10,13)

7. We believe in RIGHTEOUS LiVING AND GODLY WORKS: Not as a means of salvation in any sense, but as its proper evidence and fruit; and therefore, as Christians, we should obey the Word of our Lord, seek the things which are above, walk as He walked, and accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privilege of bearing the Gospel to a lost world; remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only for those who in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved mercies of God have presented themselves wholly to Christ. (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:10)

8. We believe in THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN: Who originally was created a holy and perfect being, but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God, thus becoming utterly depraved in character, the great adversary of God and His people, leader of all other evil angels and spirits, the deceiver, and god of this present world; that his powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God Who overrules all his wicked devices for good; that he was defeated and judged at the cross and therefore, his final doom is certain; that we are able to resist and overcome him only in the armor of God, by the blood of the Lamb, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, (Revelation 12:9; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Isaiah 14:12-15)

9. We believe in THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: That His return from Heaven will be personal, visible, glorious, pretribulational, and premillennial; a blessed Hope for which we should constantly watch and pray; the time being unrevealed, but always imminent; that when He comes He will first, by resurrection of the dead and translation of the living, remove from the earth the saved, then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world, afterwards descend with His church and establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:6)

10. We believe in FUTURE LIFE, BODILY RESURRECTION AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT: that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven; that their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for determination of rewards which will take place at the time when Christ comes for His own; that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment, at which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave, that they shall be judged and cast into the lake of fire, the place of final and everlasting punishment. (John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15)

11. We believe in THE INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: that each New Testament church is free to govern itself without ecclesiastical interference, and should cooperate with other New Testament churches as the Holy Spirit leads; that it is responsible to follow the pattern of the New Testament church and is directly accountable to God. (Acts 6:1-6; Galatians 1:1-2)

12. We believe in THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS: that Christ is our Great High Priest and through Him every born again person has direct access into God’s presence without the need of a human priest; that the believer has the right and responsibility to personally study and interpret the Scriptures guided by the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 2:5,9)

13. We believe in THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST: that He alone is the Head of the Body of Christ, of which all true believers of this age are members; that all members of this one spiritual body should assemble and identify themselves in local churches. (Matthew 23:10; 1 Corinthians 11:3)

14. We believe in THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: that a New Testament church is a local assembly of born again, baptized believers united in an organization to practice New Testament ordinances, to meet together for worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching and a united testimony, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission. (Acts 2:41, 4:32; Matthew 26:26-30, 28:19-20)

15. We believe in THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: with each having definite and distinct spheres of responsibility. (Romans 13:1-7; Ezra 6:7; Matthew 22:2 1; Acts 5:29)

16. We believe TIlE ORDINANCES GIVEN TO THE LOCAL CHURCH ARE TWO -BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER: that Baptism is by immersion of believers, thus portraying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (since baptism is both the first step of obedience in the Christian life and therefore a prerequisite to local church membership, we assume that anyone baptized would naturally desire membership in this church, unless it is a child whose parents are not members of the church or someone who is not living in the area); that the Lord’s Supper is the partaking of the bread and cup by the believers as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. (Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I. GENERAL. The membership of this church shall be composed of regenerate persons who manifest living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who have been baptized by immersion, and have been received into the fellowship by recommendation of pastor and deacons and majority vote of the church.

SECTION II. CANDIDACY. Any person may present himself as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church as a candidate for membership at any regular worship service or special preaching meetings in any of the ways outlined in ARTICLE V, Section lll, Reception of Members.

SECTION lll. RECEPTION OF MEMBERS:

A. By Baptism, upon profession of their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, and by accepting the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant in this document, then upon their baptism they may be received into the membership of this church.

B. By Transfer of Letter, from another Baptist church of like faith and practice.

C. By Statement of Faith, having already professed Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, having been baptized by immersion, and having read and agreed to abide by this Constitution, then they may be received into the membership of this church.

D. By Restoration, any person whose membership has been terminated may be restored to the membership of this church upon confession of their error and giving clear evidence of true repentance.

E. By “Watch care,” without voting privileges.

SECTION IV. DUTIES:

Members are expected to live a life which is consistent with this profession of faith in Christ. They are expected to attend faithfully the services of this church, and participate with their talents and material possessions, in the service of Christ, and to shun worldly habits and practices. All new members will be heartily encouraged to attend a “New Members” class which sets forth the first principles of salvation, Christian living, and church membership.

SECTION V. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP.

Membership in this church shall be terminated in any of the following ways:

(1)By letter of recommendation. Any member in good standing, shall upon request, be granted a regular letter of dismissal to any church of like faith and practice.

(2)By death.

(3)By disciplinary action of the church as outlined in Matthew 18:15-17 and I Corinthians 5. Any grievance against a member that necessitates church discipline must be presented by the person or persons making the charge at a special church meeting.

(4) By erasure. (However, erasure may not be used to escape church discipline).

SECTION VI. INACTIVE MEMBERSHIP ROLL During the last quarter of each year the church clerk shall review the membership roll. Any member habitually absent from the services of the church without due cause, and who is negligent to spiritual duties, shall be removed from active membership, upon recommendation of the pastor and deacons, and placed on the inactive membership roll. The individual shall be informed of this action. This section shall be implemented only after faithful efforts to reclaim the member have been pursued. Restoration to active membership shall be upon restatement of faith and by consent of the church. There is one exception: if the member has sickness which prohibits church attendance. No person on the inactive membership role shall be entitled to vote, hold office or teach. The pastor, deacons and members shall make a sincere effort to reclaim spiritually those on the inactive role. If an individual has been on the inactive membership role for a period of one year and all earnest efforts to reclaim such a one have been unsuccessful, such a one will be dropped from all church membership. However, efforts will be ongoing to minister unto and restore such a one to active Christian service and church membership as described in Article V of this Constitution and By-laws.