We are Baptist in tradition and practice. As a body of believers under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we value the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the individual and in the life of the church. We discern God’s voice individually in our faith and practice and as a church family we hold together in union these basic beliefs:
God:
We worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Satan:
The Bible teaches that Satan is a fallen angel who now roams the earth seeking to destroy peoples’ lives. Just as Satan tempted Jesus, he still tempts us today and tries to mislead us into a life of sin. (I Peter 5:8-9)
The Church:
The local church is a community of believers who gather together to grow spiritually, serve each other and the community and develop Christ centered friendships. We believe the local church is to be autonomous and governed by the local church body under the Lordship of Jesus Christ as the Head. God has an eternal purpose for the church to witness and to share the message of the good news (Gospel) of Jesus Christ with the world.
The Bible:
We consider the whole Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be God’s holy and inspired Word. It is a source of inspiration and revelation. It is beneficial for teaching, correction, training, and equipping believers in faith and service.
(II Timothy 3:16-17)
Humanity:
Although all are created in the image of God, all have fallen as the result of sin. (Romans 3:23). Therefore, all are in need of God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace for salvation.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper:
We practice “believer’s baptism” as the New Testament model for baptism and church membership. Believer’s baptism means that we believe first and repent of our sinfulness, and then we are baptized as an outward expression of an inward transformation within our heart. (Matthew 3:1-11). We also celebrate the Lord’s Supper or Communion, which is a symbolic act of obedience memorializing Christ’s redemptive death.
Marriage:
We believe the Bible beautifully presents marriage as a life-long union between a man and a woman and a covenant between them and God. (Genesis 2:24)
(Mark 10:6-9)
Priesthood of the Believer:
Each believer has a God-given competence to know and follow God’s will. Therefore, we affirm that every believer has direct access to God. (I Peter 2:5)
Salvation:
We believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. It is through Him only that we receive salvation. (John 14:6) (Acts 2:38)
Churchland Baptist Church has remained steadfastly together by the following practices: