Our church's official doctrinal statement is the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, which is also the doctrinal statement of the Southern Baptist Convention. Below is a brief summary of our beliefs.
Scriptures
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were written by men, but the books were verbally and equally inspired and preserved by God. We believe the Bible is inerrant in truth and is the only infallable standard for faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21)
The Godhead (Trinity)
We believe there is only one God, who eternally exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are infinite, perfect and fully equal in authority and nature of being, yet exercising different offices. (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14)
The Person of God the Father
We believe that God, the Father, is sovereign and infinite. He is Holy. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is immutable. He is the Creator. (Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 32:17, Acts 17:24-28, Leviticus 11:44, Psalm 147:4-5, Psalm 139, Malachi 3:6)
The Person of Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, and that He is both fully eternal God and fully Man. He lived a sinless life and was ordained to provide redemption for mankind. He shed His blood and died on the cross as the substitutionary sacrifice for all who would believe. He was resurrected bodily on the third day. He now sits on the right hand of God the Father as our intercessor. (Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Philippians 2:6-8, I John 2:1)
The Person of the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the divine person of the Trinity involved in the conviction of the lost. He is involved in the regeneration, baptism into the Body of Christ, indwelling, sealing and filling (control) of the yielded Christian. He also enlightens, or teaches, the scriptures to the saved. (John 16:5-15, Ephesians 1:13, John 14:26, Romans 8:9-11, I Corinthians 12:13)
Man and Creation
We believe that God created the universe and man in six literal 24-hour days. God created man and woman in His own image. Man, however, chose to sin. As a result, mankind inherited a sinful nature. Mankind is completely unable to save himself from his fallen condition. (Genesis 1-3, Romans 3:23, 5:12, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation
We believe salvation is solely through the blood of Jesus Christ. He paid the price demanded by God for man’s sinfulness. Through the righteousness imparted to believers through salvation, they become joint heirs with Christ. Salvation also gives believers eternal life in heaven with Christ. There is nothing man can do to merit or keep salvation. It is a free gift to all, held by God, not man, therefore, a believer cannot lose his salvation. (II Corinthians 5:21, John 10:28-29, Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Church
We believe the Universal Church is the spiritual body and bride of Christ. It is composed of all the believers from Pentecost to the Rapture. At salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes believers into this body. The Local church is an organization of believers who meet for fellowship, worship, service, and observation of the two ordinances instituted by Christ–Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The local church should be self-governing. We believe the church has two scriptural offices. These are the office of pastor, also called bishop (overseer) and elder in the New Testament, and the office of deacon. Biblically these offices are limited to men. (Acts 2:41,47, I Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 4:12, Colossians 1:18, 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 1 Peter 5:1-4, Revelation 19:7)
Baptism
We believe baptism is an identification of the union between the believer and Jesus Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. The mode of baptism is immersion of the believer. (Romans 6:3-4, Acts 8:38)
The Lord’s Supper
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial ordinance to show forth the Lord’s death until He returns. (I Corinthians 11:23-29, Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:19-20, Mark 14:22-25)
Eschatology
We believe in the immanent bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ to Rapture His church. After the Rapture there will be 7 years of tribulation followed by the earthly 1,000 year kingdom reign of Christ. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 11:2-3, 13:5, 20)
Scriptures
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were written by men, but the books were verbally and equally inspired and preserved by God. We believe the Bible is inerrant in truth and is the only infallable standard for faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21)
The Godhead (Trinity)
We believe there is only one God, who eternally exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are infinite, perfect and fully equal in authority and nature of being, yet exercising different offices. (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14)
The Person of God the Father
We believe that God, the Father, is sovereign and infinite. He is Holy. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is immutable. He is the Creator. (Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 32:17, Acts 17:24-28, Leviticus 11:44, Psalm 147:4-5, Psalm 139, Malachi 3:6)
The Person of Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, and that He is both fully eternal God and fully Man. He lived a sinless life and was ordained to provide redemption for mankind. He shed His blood and died on the cross as the substitutionary sacrifice for all who would believe. He was resurrected bodily on the third day. He now sits on the right hand of God the Father as our intercessor. (Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Philippians 2:6-8, I John 2:1)
The Person of the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the divine person of the Trinity involved in the conviction of the lost. He is involved in the regeneration, baptism into the Body of Christ, indwelling, sealing and filling (control) of the yielded Christian. He also enlightens, or teaches, the scriptures to the saved. (John 16:5-15, Ephesians 1:13, John 14:26, Romans 8:9-11, I Corinthians 12:13)
Man and Creation
We believe that God created the universe and man in six literal 24-hour days. God created man and woman in His own image. Man, however, chose to sin. As a result, mankind inherited a sinful nature. Mankind is completely unable to save himself from his fallen condition. (Genesis 1-3, Romans 3:23, 5:12, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Salvation
We believe salvation is solely through the blood of Jesus Christ. He paid the price demanded by God for man’s sinfulness. Through the righteousness imparted to believers through salvation, they become joint heirs with Christ. Salvation also gives believers eternal life in heaven with Christ. There is nothing man can do to merit or keep salvation. It is a free gift to all, held by God, not man, therefore, a believer cannot lose his salvation. (II Corinthians 5:21, John 10:28-29, Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Church
We believe the Universal Church is the spiritual body and bride of Christ. It is composed of all the believers from Pentecost to the Rapture. At salvation, the Holy Spirit baptizes believers into this body. The Local church is an organization of believers who meet for fellowship, worship, service, and observation of the two ordinances instituted by Christ–Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The local church should be self-governing. We believe the church has two scriptural offices. These are the office of pastor, also called bishop (overseer) and elder in the New Testament, and the office of deacon. Biblically these offices are limited to men. (Acts 2:41,47, I Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 4:12, Colossians 1:18, 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 1 Peter 5:1-4, Revelation 19:7)
Baptism
We believe baptism is an identification of the union between the believer and Jesus Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. The mode of baptism is immersion of the believer. (Romans 6:3-4, Acts 8:38)
The Lord’s Supper
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial ordinance to show forth the Lord’s death until He returns. (I Corinthians 11:23-29, Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:19-20, Mark 14:22-25)
Eschatology
We believe in the immanent bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ to Rapture His church. After the Rapture there will be 7 years of tribulation followed by the earthly 1,000 year kingdom reign of Christ. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 11:2-3, 13:5, 20)