February 2023...

WHO ARE WE AS BAPTIST...

The key to understanding who we are as Baptist is understanding that we are people of the Word.  We believe the Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself.  We believe the Bible is complete, therefore, there is no need to any additions to amplify the Bible.  It is the complete revelation of God.

We believe in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We accept that Jesus is the eternal Son, incarnate, fully God and fully man.  That He was born of a virgin, died on the cross for our sins, rose from the grave, ascended into heaven, and will return in glory to judge the world.  We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ who died to pay the penalty for our sins.

We believe in the church universal that consist of all believers of all time.  However, when we refer to the church we are usually talking about the local church.  We believe each local church is autonomous.  Each baptizing believers and adding them to the church.  A church consists of baptized believers and its officers, the pastors, and deacons.

There are two ordinances that we practice as Baptist.  First is believers’ baptism by immersion after a person has publicly declared their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The second is the Lord's Supper.  The Lord's Supper is a family meal taken together as a church memorializing Christ death and His anticipated return.  In the Lord's Supper the bread symbolizes Christ body that was broken for us and the juice symbolizes Christ blood which was shed in payment for our sins.  We celebrate the Lord's Supper as a symbolic memorial of Christ death and in anticipation of His return.

This is just a quick summary of what Baptist stands for when considered with other churches.  It is important that we remember our Baptist distinctives.

God bless you all,
Harry