Beliefs

First Baptist Church has never been the building, the name, or even "The Old Country Church." She has always been the people - dedicated to God. A people who from age to age - A 100 years of them - have passed the torch of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the next generation.

Statement of Faith

While accepting the Holy Scriptures to be our only authority for faith and practice, we subscribe to the following doctrinal statement:

Section A. The Word of God

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

Section B. The Trinity

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing and disclosing Himself to man in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three persons of this Trinity possess the same essence and attributes, yet each executes distinct but harmonious functions.

Section C. God the Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

Section D. Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death by the shedding of His blood, burial, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, continual intercession for His people and personal visible return to earth. He is the only means of salvation for mankind. (John 14:6)

Section E. The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.

Section F. Regeneration

We believe that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Section G. The Church

The Church, according to the New Testament, is a local body of believers, baptized by immersion, having pastors, deacons, and united under the headship of Christ, voluntarily joining for the worship of God, service to their fellow men, and for carrying out Christ's commission as given in Matthew 28:19-20. The authority of the local Church rests with its members who have equal rights and responsibilities to govern matters touching their Church in a democratic manner, and in a Christ-like spirit.

Section H. The Ordinances

The ordinances are two in number; baptism being the immersion of the believer in water, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thus symbolizing the believer's previous experience through faith and his union in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as set forth in Romans 6:2-11. Secondly, the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ as a memorial of His atoning sacrifice, by the giving of His body and shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary for our sins. The Bread and the Cup symbolize His one eternal sacrifice.

Section I. Religious Liberty

We believe that the church should have full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends and from interference by any political authority; therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other. Individuals have the inherent right and freedom to exercise liberty of conscience, and may communicate with God through prayer and Bible reading, without human mediators.

Section J. The Last Things

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal bliss of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.