Article 1. The Afterlife

We believe that all men are created immortal, in that they will live forever in one of two literal places: Heaven or Hell. As described in the Bible, Heaven is a place of indescribable and incomprehensible bliss, reward, and face to face fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. A place is prepared for us there without sickness, sorrow, death, pain, sweat, hunger, torment or tears. Hell is a literal place or fire and torment in the center of the earth. A place of eternal damnation, it was prepared for the devil and his angels. We hold the body to be eternal. We believe in a bodily resurrection.

Romans 8:22-23; I Corinthians 15:20-23; II Corinthians 5:1; I Corinthians 15:51-57

While it may return to dust, yet it shall be resurrected. Therefore we hold to christian burial of the body tenderly laid away in the earth, under the coverlet of green, in a posture of rest or sleep, in as good a state of preservation as possible. Burial is a part of the Gospel. When we bury a Christian loved one, we are planting the seed for the resurrection body! It is a powerful testimony of our unwavering faith in God's Word regarding the promise of bodily resurrection.

I Corinthians 15:1-4

Article 2. The Bible

We believe the Holy Bible is inspired of God and written by men who were moved confluently by the Holy Ghost. We believe Scripture to be preserved pure in the Authorized King James Version (1769 Edition). We hold that translation of theWord of God to be verbal, plenary, inerrant, and infallible for English-speaking people. We believe its interpretation to be according to normal grammatical-historical meaning. Therefore, we find it to be the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried. It is the official and only translation used by this Church.

Psalm 12:6-7, 19:7-11, 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 21:33, 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39, 45-47, 12:48; Acts 1:16, 28:25; Romans 3:4, 15:4; II Timothy 2:9, 3:15-17; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19

Article 3. Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.  He descended into hell and on the third day he rose again from the dead and ascended into Heaven where He now sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. It is from Heaven that He now intercedes for believers and from there that he shall come again, at the Rapture and at the Revelation, to judge the quick and the dead. We hold the Lord Jesus Christ to be both the Son of God, and God the Son.

Genesis 3:15; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; I Corinthians 15:47; Galatians 4:4; I John 5:20

Article 4. The Church

Bible Baptist Church is an autonomous, local congregation of born-again, baptized believers; associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges given us by His Word. Our Mission is the Great Commission of preaching, baptizing disciples, and teaching them to observe all things commanded by Christ, both here and abroad. On all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the Church is authoritative and final.

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8, 2:41-42, 6:5-6, 14:23, 15:23, 20:17-28; I Corinthians 5:11-13, 6:1-3, 11:2, 12:4, 8-11, 16:1-2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11, 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-13; I Peter 5:1-4; Jude 3-4

Article 5. The Creation

We believe in the literal Genesis account of Creation. We are by that committed to twenty-four hour solar days of creation on God's part that we conclude from the sixfold use of the phrase "the evening and the morning were the... day." Our belief is that man was created in the image of God after His own likeness, and not as an animal. As the Bible declares "by man came death," we do not hold to a gap in time of judgement between Genesis 1:1-2. We denounce a pre-Adamic, prehistoric man and espouse an earth of approximately 6,000 years of age. Creation was not a matter of evolutionary change of species, or development over interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms, but all things were made directly by the power of God's Word and established to bring forth only "after their kind."

Genesis 1:1, 21-27; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Acts 17:23-26; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 10:6

Article 6. The Evangelism

We hold Evangelism to be the exclusive responsibility of our local church. Biblical Evangelism will focus on the primacy of preaching with an end to saving souls and planting churches in our town, our state and country, and all the world. ("in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.")

Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8,8:12; 13; I Corinthians 1:21, II Timothy 2:2, 4:2

Article 7. The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence under law of his Maker, but voluntarily transgressed and fell from his sinless and happy state. Accordingly, all mankind are now sinners, by choice, being under just condemnation without defense or excuse. We believe that God created man from the dust of the earth and made and formed him in His image and likeness - good, just, and holy; able by his own will to conform to all things in the will of God. However, he did not recognize his excellence, and subjected himself willingly to sin and consequently to death and the curse, lending his ear to the word of the devil. This sin, God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion, with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body. From this original corruption, by which we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. This corruption of nature, during this life, does remain in those regenerated; and although it is, through Christ, pardoned, and mortified; yet both itself, and all the motions of it, are truly and properly sin.

Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:10; 7:5; II Timothy 2:26; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 5:14,21 6:23; John 3:5; Romans 5:1; Philippians 1:29

Article 8. God

We believe that there is only one, living and true God. He is an infinite, intelligent, invisible Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there 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. We worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance; the Glory equal; the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, so is the Son, and so is the Holy Spirit, uncreated, infinite, eternal, almighty, God and Lord. And yet not three, but one. Just as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge each Person by Himself to be both God and Lord; so are we forbidden by Christian truth to say there are three Gods or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. Moreover, in this Trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and coequal.

Genesis 17:1; Exodus 15:11, 20:2-3; Psalm 147:5, 83:18, 90:2; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24, 10:30, 15:26 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:33; I Corinthians 2:10-11, 8:6, 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 2:18, 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11

Article 9. The Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society and that Christians  "may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." We believe that rulers and ministers of the government are to be prayed for and conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the one true King of kings and Lord of lords. As Scripture teaches, for this we pay taxes. We therefore render to all their dues: tribute, custom, fear and honor.

Exodus 18:21-22; II Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28, 22:21, 23:10; Acts 4:19-20, 23:5; Romans 13:1-7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14, 17

Article 10. The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God. Divine in His Person, He is equal with God the Father and God the Son, having the same nature. He was active in creation and is now restraining the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled in this world. He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness and bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony. He is the agent in the New Birth and further seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. We believe the baptism in the Spirit was a one-time occurrence at Pentecost and is not to be repeated. All true believers are since and now indwelt by the Holy Ghost at salvation and repeatedly filled with the Holy Spirit after salvation. We believe "sign gifts" have ceased, but "serving gifts" endure throughout this age.

Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 3:11, 28:19; Luke 1:35, 3:16, 24:49; Mark 1:8, John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26, 15:26-27, 16:8-11,13; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:7,13; I Peter 1:2; Hebrews 9:14

Article 11. The Home

We hold the home to be the sacred first and primary institution of God. We believe the husband is responsible for the provision of his family's needs, including Christian instruction and life training. He will answer to God for his loving rule of the home.We believe that physical intimacies are a gift of God intended only for expression in marriage between a man and his wife. God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until death. Children are an heritage of the Lord and we hold that life begins at conception. We find the absence of social dating in the Bible significant. As commonly defined, it is defrauding in its practice and destructive to purity without strict discipline.

Ephesians 5:31; Hebrews 13:4; Genesis 4:1; Luke 1:41; I Corinthians 7:1; Romans 13:14; I Timothy 5:8;  Genesis 3:16,18:19; Malachi 2:14-16; Deuteronomy 6:7

Article 12. Justification

Upon freely believing the Gospel, a person is declared righteous on the merits of Jesus Christ, their Substitute, and made perfect in their standing with God.  The sinner is declared "as not guilty" and is forgiven, acquitted, pardoned, and promoted to peace and life everlasting.

Zechariah 3:4; Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:19; Hebrews 10:17, 8:12; Romans 3:19, 20, 24, 28, 5:1; Titus 3:7; I John 3:2

Article 13. The Ordinances

Ordinances are specific traditions commanded the local church by Our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only ordinances and are not sacraments. We administer baptism under church authority only, to believers only, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, by  immersion only, because it pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The believer is thereby added, as a member, to this body of Christ, Bible Baptist Church. The Lord's Supper is a memorial of the body and blood of Christ that shows forth His Death. It is to be observed by the members of Bible Baptist Church until the Lord's return. It is a solemn self-examination, followed by the sacred use of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine.

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39, Romans 6:4-5; I Corinthians 11:23-28; Ephesians 1:22-23

Article 14. The Perseverance of Saints

We believe that real believers prove themselves by enduring. They can be distinguished from false professors by their persevering attachment to Christ. We believe a special Providence watches over their welfare and that they are kept by the power of God.

Article 15. Priesthood of the Believer

(Soul Liberty) We believe every Christian has direct and immediate access to God without any mediator other than Christ. Since the veil was rent in twain at Our Lord's Crucifiction, we do not need a human priest, pastor, or professional to mediate authoritative communication with God. God does not tell people to tell us things in the prophetic sense, other than preaching or teaching from the Bible. Responsible believers can and should respond directly to the personal activity of God in their lives, through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. As believer-priests, we minister to one another and the world in such ways as offering our bodies a living sacrifice, praying for one another, confessing sins to one another, and bringing others to Christ.

I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:24, I Peter 2:5; Matthew 27:51; Ephesians 2:14; James 5:16; Genesis 19:16, Exodus 15:26; Nehemiah 5:14-15, 18 9:20-21; Psalm 121:3; Daniel 6:10; Zechariah 4:6; Malachi 3:11; Matthew 13:19-21; John 8:31-32, 10:28-29; Romans 8:28, 35-39; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 1:14; I Peter 1:5; I John 2:19

Article 16. Regeneration

God regenerates according to His will through the Holy Spirit when a person believes the Gospel as revealed in the Word. It is the work of God that takes place in an individual. Regeneration is a change in us; not an act by us. It is a quickening that involves partaking of the divine nature.

John 1:12-13, 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:1, 5, 10, 4:24, Matthew 19:28; II Corinthians 3:18, 5:17; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:4, 3:9; Hebrews 12:10; James 1:18; I John 3:2, 4, 9, 14

Article 17. Repentance and Faith

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; by which being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with detestation of our sin and self-abhorrency, in unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; while heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour. Although even the smallest sin deserves damnation, yet there is no sin great enough to bring damnation on those who repent. As repentance is to be continued through the whole course of our lives, because of the body of death, and the motions of it, it is therefore every man's duty to repent of his particular known sins particularly.

Psalm 2:6, 51; Mark 1:15; Luke 18:13, 15:18-21; John 16:8; Ephesians 2:8; I John 5:1; Hebrews 1:8, 4:14, 8:25; James 4:7-10; Acts 2:37-38, 3:22-23,  11:18, 16:30-31; Romans 10:9-13; II Corinthians 7:11; II Timothy 1:12

Article 18. The Return

We are pre-millenial, pre-tribulational rapturists. In accordance with Acts 1:11, we are looking for the Return of Christ. He will come in the air the first time when we will be caught away to meet Him. Then we go to the Judgement Seat of Christ, followed by the Marriage Supper of the Lamb while the earth experiences the Tribulation. We  then return to the earth with Him to rule and reign for 1,000 years in the Messianic Kingdom promised the nation of Israel.

Psalm 72:8, 89:3-4; Isaiah 11:4-5; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; Matthew 24:27, 42, 28:6-7; Mark 16:6, 19; Luke 1:32, 24:2-7, 39, 51; John 14:3, 20:27; Acts 1:9, 11; I Corinthians 15:4, 25, 42-44, 51-53; Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Timothy 2:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9-10, 8:1, 6, 9:28, 12:2; I John 2:1; Revelation 3:21, 20:1-4, 6

Article 19. Satan

We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed high heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that, although restrained by God, he is still the now 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 judgement of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3, 13:39, 25:41; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; I Thessalonians 3:5; II Thessalonians 2:7-11; I Peter 5:8; II Peter 2:4; I John 2:22, 3:8, 4:3; II John 7; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-10, 13:13-14, 19:11, 16, 20, 20:1-3, 10

Article 20. Stewardship

We hold personal stewardship to be the happy responsibility of all Church Members.  Whether it is with services and activities of the Church in times of worship, or with preparations and projects of the Church in work, or whether in the exercise of talents in ministry or with supply of tithes and offerings; all are expected to participate. God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him.

Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth.

Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18, 23:21; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4, 19-21, 19:21, 23:23, 25:14-29; Luke 12:16-21, 42, 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47, 4:34-37, 5:1-11, 17:24-25, 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; I Corinthians 4:1-2, 6:19-20, 12, 16:1-4; II Corinthians 8-9, 12:15; Ephesians 4:8, Philippians 4:10-19; I Peter 1:18-19

Article 21. Counseling Philosophy

The Lord changes lives and accomplishes His purposes directly through reading and applying the Scriptures, meditating on the truths of the Scriptures and prayer. The Lord also uses those who minister His Word as they encourage, exhort, admonish, edify, implore, reprove, rebuke, console and support others toward godliness.

Scripture confirms the trinity of man: body, soul, and spirit, but warns about soulish emotional experiences which are not confirmed in the Bible. Medicine deals with the body. The spirit-soul should be dealt with in accordance to Scripture, not psychology and psychiatry, which we do not support.

God needs no new or unique insight into the human condition in order to change lives, regardless of whether that insight is gained through psychology or some other tool of human origin. Psychological theories that may help people live healthier and more effectively are embellishments of principles already revealed in the Scriptures. Although some forms of human wisdom are true, they are not the Word of God. They are infinitely subordinate to, and not to be compared with, the matchless value of the Scriptures.

Problems that are approached by integrating the Scriptures with subjective, psychological theories tend to deceive individuals into diminishing the God of the Scriptures and into believing that He has not provided and cannot provide sufficient truth, insight and wisdom to change their lives.

There are occasions when a medical doctor may diagnose a physical problem that manifests itself in attitudinal, behavioral or emotional struggles. In those occasions, the use of medications may be appropriate. However, when psychology and other social sciences step beyond observing human behavior and seek to explain the causes of that behavior, they enter spiritual territory. Only the omniscient God can explain such causes and offer solutions that lead to godliness and a fruitful, joyful life.

God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. He changes us as we discipline ourselves through obedience to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. Each Christian's passion should be to become more like Christ and fulfill the Great Commandment to love the Lord with the entire heart, soul, mind and strength. The Christian who learns and applies the Word becomes mature and, in turn, can help others mature.

Bible Baptist Church is a community of faith "a living body with Jesus Christ at the head" that influences, supports and helps bring men, women and children into healthy relationships with the Lord and with others of the church. A healthy church body applies biblical principles to relationships at all levels (i.e., the overall church context, ministries within the church, families within the church and individuals within the church). God-honoring application of biblical principles throughout the church leads to healthier relationships at all levels. This application also helps ensure the integrity of the church's corporate and individual witness to a watching world.

I Thessalonians 5:23; Psalm 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; John 17:17; Colossians 2:8-10; II Peter 1:3; I Timothy 4:7; II Peter 1:5-11; Romans 8:29; I John 3:2; Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37-38; II Timothy 2:2; Colossians 1:17-18; Ephesians 4:14-16; Hebrews 12:12-13; 1 Peter 2:12