Our Strategies

Preamble

We, the undersigned, affirm this statement of faith as a faithful representation of the core doctrines of the Christian faith as understood in the tradition of Reformed Baptist theology. It is our desire that this confession serves as a means to unite believers in truth and to glorify God, to promote His kingdom, and to edify His people.

Scripture

We believe that the Holy Scriptures, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, are the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Word of God. They are the final and sufficient authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21). The Scriptures reveal God’s character, His redemptive plan, and serve as the ultimate guide for all matters of doctrine, conduct, and worship. The Word of God is not only historically and prophetically accurate, but it is also spiritually transformative. It is through the Scriptures that believers are brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, equipped for every good work, and enabled to grow in maturity and godliness (Hebrews 4:12; James 1:21).

God

We believe in one true and living God, who is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each equally deserving of worship and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). God is infinite in His perfections, sovereign in His rule over all things, and holy, just, and loving. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, working all things according to the counsel of His will (Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:11). God’s character is the foundation of all that He does; He is perfectly just, displaying righteousness and judgment, while simultaneously being merciful and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6-7).

The Trinity

We believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each fully God, yet there is only one God. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. Each person of the Trinity is distinct yet fully and equally divine (John 1:1-3, 14; John 15:26; Matthew 3:16-17). The Father is the source and sustainer of all things, the Son is the redeemer and mediator, and the Holy Spirit is the sanctifier and comforter. Together, they work in perfect harmony in the creation, redemption, and sanctification of God’s people (Ephesians 1:3-14).

Creation

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing by His Word for His glory, and everything that was created was good (Genesis 1:1-31; John 1:3). Humanity, male and female, was made in the image of God to glorify Him and to enjoy fellowship with Him forever (Genesis 1:26-27). God’s creation reflects His power, wisdom, and beauty, and humanity was given the responsibility to steward and cultivate the earth, ruling over it as God’s representatives (Genesis 2:15). Though sin marred creation, God’s purpose remains that His creation would be redeemed and restored to its original glory (Romans 8:19-21).

The Fall of Man

We believe that Adam, representing humanity, sinned by disobeying God, bringing guilt and corruption to all people (Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 5:12, 19). All humanity is now born with a sinful nature, spiritually dead, and separated from God, being in desperate need of redemption (Ephesians 2:1-3). The fall introduced death, suffering, and the curse into the world, leaving humanity hopeless apart from God’s intervention. It is only through God’s gracious promise of a Redeemer, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, that humanity can be reconciled to Him (Genesis 3:15; Romans 3:23-24).

Jesus Christ

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who became fully man without ceasing to be fully God, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (John 1:14; Luke 1:35). He lived a sinless life, was crucified as the substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and now intercedes for His people (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 7:25). Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), and through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, He satisfied the demands of God’s justice, providing a way of salvation for all who believe (Romans 5:18-19). He will return in power and glory to consummate His kingdom and reign forever (Revelation 19:11-16).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. God, in His mercy, regenerates the hearts of His elect, enabling them to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Justification is an act of God’s grace where He declares sinners righteous through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them (Romans 5:1, 19). Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Spirit conforming believers to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). Salvation is wholly a work of God from beginning to end, encompassing regeneration, justification, sanctification, and ultimately glorification (Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:30). Believers are called to persevere in faith and good works, relying on God’s grace to bring them to final salvation (Hebrews 10:39).

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, who works to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). He regenerates sinners, indwells believers, and equips them for service and spiritual growth (Titus 3:5; Galatians 5:22-23). The Spirit assures believers of their adoption as God’s children and empowers them to live a godly life. The Holy Spirit also distributes spiritual gifts to the church for the edification of the body, enabling believers to serve one another and fulfill the mission of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). He guides believers into all truth, seals them for the day of redemption, and bears witness with their spirit that they are children of God (John 16:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:16).

The Church

We believe in the universal Church, the body of Christ, which includes all the redeemed from every age, tongue, tribe, and nation (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 5:9). The local church is a visible community of baptized believers who join together for worship, edification, fellowship, and the proclamation of the gospel. The ordinances of the church are baptism, for believers as a public testimony of faith, and the Lord’s Supper, as a remembrance of Christ’s death (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The church is the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), called to disciple the nations, care for one another, and display the wisdom of God to the world (Ephesians 3:10; Matthew 28:18-20). The church operates under the lordship of Christ and is led by qualified elders and deacons who shepherd and serve the congregation (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that baptism is an outward expression of faith, symbolizing the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-4). The Lord’s Supper is a memorial instituted by Jesus Christ, where believers partake of bread and wine in remembrance of His sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Both ordinances are acts of obedience and symbols of grace but are not means of salvation. Baptism is to be administered to those who profess faith in Christ, symbolizing their death to sin and resurrection to new life (Acts 2:38; Colossians 2:12). The Lord’s Supper serves as a reminder of the unity of the church, the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and His future return (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Matthew 26:29).

Christian Living

We believe that every Christian is called to live a life of holiness, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Believers are to grow in grace, live by the Word of God, and bear fruit that glorifies God (Colossians 3:1-17; Galatians 5:22-23). Christians are also called to demonstrate the love of Christ by serving others and proclaiming the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). The Christian life involves daily repentance, submission to the lordship of Christ, and a commitment to pursue righteousness and justice (Luke 9:23; Micah 6:8). Believers are to engage in regular prayer, study of the Scriptures, fellowship with other believers, and acts of service that display the compassion and mercy of Jesus (Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 10:24-25).

Last Things

We believe in the visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will come in glory to judge the living and the dead (Acts 1:11; Matthew 25:31-46). There will be a bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked: the righteous unto eternal life and the wicked unto eternal punishment (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15). God will establish a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells, and where His people will enjoy eternal fellowship with Him (Revelation 21:1-4). The return of Christ will be sudden and glorious, bringing to completion the redemptive plan of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Believers are called to live in anticipation of His return, remaining steadfast in faith and proclaiming the gospel until He comes (2 Peter 3:11-14; Matthew 24:42).

Sovereignty and Grace

We believe in the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, who chose His people before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5). God, by His grace, effectually calls, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies His people, all for His glory alone (Romans 8:30; John 6:37-40). The doctrines of grace highlight God’s initiative and power in saving sinners, emphasizing that salvation is entirely the work of God and not based on human merit (Ephesians 2:1-9). God’s grace is irresistible, ensuring that all whom He calls will come to faith in Christ, and His grace will preserve them to the end (John 10:27-29; Philippians 1:6).

Conclusion

We affirm that this statement of faith is a summary of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We pledge, by God’s grace, to live and teach these truths, relying on the Holy Spirit to make us faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.