THE CHURCH
We believe that the New Testament church is a visible assembly of baptized believers, associated by common faith and fellowship in the Gospel. The local church is to be governed by the Word of God, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by Scripture. The mission and purpose of the church is found in the Great Commission; that each local church has the absolute right of self-government with Christ as the Head, free from the interference of any hierarchy of any individuals, churches, or organizations. While we uphold the truth that all believers are placed in the family of God, we do not believe that the concept of a universal, invisible church is consistent with Scripture.
Local church leadership is defined in Scripture as being limited to a pastor and deacons whose qualifications, responsibilities and duties are outlined in 1 Timothy and Titus. We believe that God views men and women as being completely equal in spirit and importance, but He has defined distinct and unique roles for both. God has clearly stated that the spiritual leadership offices of the local church are limited to qualified men.
We believe local assembly of believers is charged with the responsibility and authority to administer and observe the ordinances of baptism by immersion and the Lord’s table. These ordinances convey no saving merit or grace, but are to be observed in obedience to the instruction of Jesus Christ and His Word. We believe that Biblical baptism is the immersion in water of a saved believer in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that it pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and also the believer’s death to sin and his resurrection to a new life. The authority to baptize rests in a local church which embraces sound doctrine.
We believe that observing the Lord’s Supper is a privilege and responsibility intended only for those who are baptized believers in Christ and who are members of the local church which is observing the ordinance. The sacred use of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine are symbolic only, commemorating together the death of Christ. It is to be preceded by solemn self-examination.
We would like to state that we are a Baptist church and are committed to preserving our identity and Baptist distinctiveness. We are Baptists, not by denomination, but by identification with the historic believers who, down through the centuries, have held to clear Bible doctrine and principles and have paid a great price to stand true to the Word of Cod and the preaching of its truth. We further state that we are not protestants in that Baptist people can be found throughout history that were never part of Rome and thus never needed to “protest.” Baptist history is truly a “trail of blood” and we are honoured and committed to be identified with such faithful people.
Matthew 18:17,• Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Timothy 3:1-13,• Titus 1:5-9,• Matthew 28:19-20,• Ephesians 5:23-24; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 6:3-5; Acts 15:22.
ISRAEL
We believe that Israel is God’s chosen national people. In God’s sovereign will, Israel serves as a channel of His blessing to the entire world for His glory and for His witness to the nations. Cod’s choice of Israel for this unique relationship is unchanging and irrevocable. We believe Israel is distinct from the church and is central to God’s plan — past, present, and future. The unfulfilled prophecies given to Israel in the Old Testament will find their literal fulfillment in Israel at a future time known to God Himself.
Genesis 28:13,• Genesis 12:3,• Isaiah 43:7, 10,• Romans 11:28-29,• Psalm 105:6-10
THE FAMILY AND SEXUALITY
We believe that God, as Creator of the human race, has made us spiritual, social, emotional, and physical beings. He has also designed the ways in which our needs in all those areas can be met and fully satisfied. When we follow His design, we can experience all the blessings He gives us to the fullest extent. God is the Author of marriage and has purposely limited its definition to one man and one woman lawfully joined together for life. Marriage is meant to continue until death and divorce is not in the plan of God. For the protection and blessing upon marriage, the family and society, God has commanded that intimate sexual relations are only to be practiced between a husband and wife within the boundary of marriage.
Therefore, any violation of that command is rebellion and sin against God. This includes fornication, pornography, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bi-sexual activity, incest, and bestiality. Each of these actions are distortions of God’s plan in creation and His gift of sex to the human race. Realizing that many individuals have violated God’s righteous standard for moral purity, we desire to reach out and help them find forgiveness, deliverance and freedom from sin through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
We believe it is God who gives our fundamental human identity and gender at conception. We believe that all humans, male and female, reflect the image of God. A person’s gender is sacred and has divine purpose. We also affirm that God loves all people, including those who struggle with their gender identity and expression. Therefore, we are to love all people, regardless of their struggles. However, the Bible describes human gender in binary terms. Genesis 1:27 provides the definitive statement: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Regardless of one’s anatomical parts or feelings about them, all humans have the same responsibility for stewarding physical attributes and abilities. The fall of Adam and the entrance of sin into the human race corrupted human sexuality in both spiritual and physical ways and it is this sin that has resulted in confusion and rebellion over these two fundamental genders created by God. We will, in grace and compassion, continue to uphold the Biblical view of gender and will adhere to its teaching on gender issues in our teaching and treatment of others.
Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20•.14,• Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15,• 23•.13-14; Mark 10:612; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5•.21-33,• 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21,• Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:1-7