Our Beliefs

Our major distinctives can be summed up in the principles that were the backbone of the Protestant Reformation. First, the inerrant and infallible Bible is our only authority. The Bible alone, not human tradition, teaches what we are to believe and how we are to live. Second, our God is not the weak and unprincipled being that men create in their own image; instead he is the powerful Creator of heaven and earth who reigns as a holy and righteous King over all he has made. He is our King, not our servant. We exist to do his will, not He to do ours. As the Sovereign Lord, he works all things after the counsel of his own will, especially in his work of saving spiritually blind and dead sinners. Third, our greatest need is the forgiveness of our sins. We’ve broken God’s law and deserve to perish in hell. Yet we cannot save ourselves; and we cannot be good enough to earn God’s saving favor. He alone can save us by his grace, which he offers freely to all who come to him, repenting of their sins and trusting in his Son. Fourth, Jesus Christ is our only Savior. Jesus died to save his people, suffering the punishment that our sins deserved. By faith in Christ we are right with God and at peace with him. Fifth, God gives his people the Holy Spirit, to dwell in us and to work in us so that we grow in likeness to Christ’s own character. Our duty is to strive to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

We regard the ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES as an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of God’s Word. We have adopted this historic document as our church’s confession of faith and commend it to you as a faithful summary of the teaching of the Bible. This historic document is included in this compilation.

Our Priorities

God’s Word sets our priorities as a church and as individual Christians. We are to grow in godliness and fulfill our duties in our community, work, family, and church. We are to glorify God by maintaining and promoting his worship both individually and corporately, both in our homes and in the church. We are to evangelize sinners and build up the saints. As a church we are called to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). We are committed to the proclamation of God’s perfect moral law and to the preaching of the glorious gospel of Christ throughout Moreland and even to the ends of the earth. We are committed to the defense of that “faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3) and to the pure and faithful celebration of the ordinances of the New Covenant. We pray that this church will be a lighthouse, from which the truth will shine forth to the benefit of many.

Our Statement of Faith (The Abstract of Principles)

1. The Scriptures
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God. Therefore, all scripture is authoritative, infallible and inerrant. The Scriptures are the only sufficient rule for faith and practice (Ps. 19:7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

2. God
There is only one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience that springs from faith. (Deut. 6:4; Ps. 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; 1Tim. 1:17)

3. The Trinity
The Scriptures reveal that the one God eternally exists in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person has distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. (Gen. 1:26; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)

4. Providence
God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and constantly upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events. Yet, God is not in any way the author or approver of sin, nor does He destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures. The plan of God does not force us to act in particular ways, but renders it certain that we will freely act in those ways. (Isa. 46:9-11; Prov. 16:33; Acts 4:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; Jas. 1:13-15)

5. Election
God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life—not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ—in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4, 11)

6. The Fall of Man
God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, Adam transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby he and all his descendants inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law. As a result they are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Eccl. 7:29; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3)

7. The Mediator
Since Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is fully God and fully man, He is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He will return again visibly and bodily. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe. (Isa. 53:10-12; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:1-3)

8. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit brings glory to the Father and the Son. He applies the work of Christ to believers and gives us everything we need for life and godliness. The Spirit empowers every believer according to His sovereign good pleasure for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Adoption, the Seal of our Salvation and the Guarantor of our inheritance in Christ. (John 14:16-17; 16:14; Acts 5:3; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:3)

9. Regeneration
A change of heart, worked completely by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to those dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone. (Eph. 2:1-6; Tit. 3:5; 1 John 5:1)

10. Repentance
An evangelical grace (a result of regeneration), wherein a person being by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the filthiness and manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself due to it, with godly sorrow, utterly disgusted by it, with a purpose and pursuit to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. (Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:10-11)

11. Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatever is revealed in His word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is worked completely in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-5; 4:17-25; 10:14, 17; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; Jas. 2:14-26)

12. Justification
God's gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not due to anything good or deserving in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, The sinner can only receive and rest on Him and His righteousness by faith. (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9)

13. Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in joyful obedience to all Christ's commands. (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27-27; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:13-24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11)

14. Perseverance of the Saints
All those whom God has regenerated will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall through carelessness and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6)

15. The Church
The Lord Jesus is the head of the church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular congregations; and to each of these local assemblies He has given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Elders (Pastors) and Deacons. (John 10:16; Acts 20:17, 28; Eph. 1:22; 5:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Tit. 1:5-9; Heb. 10:25)

16. Baptism
An ordinance of the Lord Jesus, commanded toward every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13)

17. The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with Him, and a display of their unity in like-minded service to Him. (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-34)

18. The Lord's Day
The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Each believer should be careful to regard every day as praiseworthy to God. (Ps. 118:24; Rom. 14:5; Col. 2:16Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10)

19. Liberty of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Earthly lawmakers and enforcers are given their authority by God, therefore, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for judgment, but also for conscience sake. (Matt. 15:9; Rom. 13:1-7; 14:4; Acts 5:29; Col. 2:20- 23)

20. The Resurrection
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:12-28; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:23)

21. The Judgment
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:6-11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 7:13-17; 14:9-11)

22. The Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Genesis 1.26-28; 2.15-25; 3.1- 20; Deuteronomy 6.4-9; Psalm 139:13-16; Proverbs 1.8; 5.15- 20; 23.13-14; 31.10-31; Ephesians 5.21-33; 6.1-4; 1 Timothy 5.8,14; 2 Timothy 1.3-5; Titus 2.3- 5; 1 Peter 3.1-7)

The Abstract of Principles was part of the original charter of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, adopted in 1858.

Reading & Adoption by NHBC September 23, 2007 at 6 p.m.
Original document was 21 articles.
Addition of Article 22: Reading & Adoption on March 3, 2019 at 11 am.