comprehensive beliefs

We believe the whole Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments (which excludes the Apocrypha) is verbally and fully inspired by God and without error in the original writings, and it is the supreme and final authority in faith and life.

Scripture References: John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three co-equal Persons. The Father and the Son and the Spirit are each God, and the Father and the Son and the Spirit are each a distinct Person, yet one God.

Scripture References: Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4;
1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 2:9

We believe the Father is the first person of the Trinity and the source of all that God is and does. He is the designer of creation, the speaker of revelation, the author of redemption and the sovereign of history.

Scripture References: Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 6:6; John 14:10;
1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:3

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God so that he now abides eternally as fully God and fully human. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order to live a sinless life, reveal God, fulfill prophecy, and redeem sinful humankind. He accomplished our redemption through His substitutionary and sacrificial death on the cross, His burial, and His bodily resurrection. Our redemption and salvation are guaranteed by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is the only means of salvation.

Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, the uncreated creator, the firstborn of all creation, the sustainer of heaven and earth. He is the head of the Church, and exercises that headship through the commands of Scripture, the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the leadership of godly people, whose leadership members of a local church are called to obey. The Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God the Father where, as high priest to His people, He serves as our advocate and intercedes for us.

Scripture References: Matthew 1:18, 28:5-6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14, 18, 14:6; Acts 4:12;
Romans 3:24-26, 4:25; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-19; 2 Corinthians 5:21;
1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:3, 3:1, 4:14-15, 7:23-25, 13:17; 1 John 2:1-2

We believe God the Holy Spirit is a person who restrains evil in the world and convicts people of sin. He also regenerates those who receive Christ as Savior, baptizes them at the moment of regeneration into the body of Christ (the Church) indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts on each one, and fills those yielded to Him.

Scripture References: John 3:8, 14:16-17, 16:7-11;
1 Corinthians 12:4-13; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ died in our place for our sins on the cross, and all who believe in Him are saved because of His shed blood. We believe salvation is a gift of God and is received through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. We believe a person is justified by grace through faith apart from works. We believe Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation and no one is saved apart from a conscious and personal decision to trust in Him as Savior. We believe all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever.

Scripture References: John 10:27-30, 14:6; Acts 4:12, 13:38-39, 16:31;
Romans 3:24-26, 6:23, 8:1, 38-39, 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; Ephesians 2:8-10

We believe all believers still possess a sinful nature in this life, but God has made full provision for believers to overcome this sinful nature and to live for God through identification with Christ, a proper understanding of and obedience to the Scriptures, and by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is positional, progressive, and ultimate. Positionally, it is already complete since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God. Since the Christian retains his sinful nature, however, there is need for progressive sanctification whereby he grows in grace by the power of the Spirit. Ultimately, the child of God will be set apart from sin in his practice (as he is now in his position in Christ) when he is taken to be with Christ and shall be like Him.

Scripture References: John 17:17; Romans 7:15-21, 6:1-11, 8:11-13;
2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10, 5:25-27;
1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:10, 14

We believe the Church in its invisible form is the universal and true body of Christ. All believers in Christ Jesus, from the day of Pentecost until the Church is caught up to heaven, are members of the universal Church regardless of organizational affiliation. A believer is placed into the universal Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit at the moment of saving faith. In regard to the Old and New Covenants of the Bible, we do not believe that the kingdom promises made to Israel have either been forfeited because of their rejection of Jesus or are merely spiritually fulfilled in the Church. The local church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purposes of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances, Christian fellowship, mutual encouragement, equipping for and practice of kingdom service, specifically stewarding our lives for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Scripture References: Matthew 16:18, 28:19-20; Acts 1:5, 2:42-47, 11:15-16;
1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 10:32, 12:13; Colossians 1:18;
Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:4-6, 11-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 5:11

We believe angels are spiritual beings who were created sinless personalities and that they presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states, the former including Satan and his demons. Angels in heaven engage in spiritual warfare in support of God and His people, while fallen angels engage in spiritual warfare in opposition to God and His people.

Scripture References: Genesis 3:1-19; Isaiah 14:12-14;
Daniel 10; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Ephesians 6:10-20;
Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10

We believe that Satan, by his own choice, is the originator of sin, that he led our first parents into sin, that he now rules as the god of this world, and the enemy of God and His people, that he was judged at the cross, and that he and the demons will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Scripture References: Genesis 3:1-5; John 8:44;
Romans 16:20; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:1-6

We believe humankind was created innocent and in the image of God, but humankind sinned, bringing both physical and spiritual death to themselves and their posterity, can do nothing to merit God’s favor, and as such is in need of salvation. We believe humankind’s sinful nature is rebellious toward God and His good design for life and worship.

Scripture References: Genesis 1:27, 31, 2:7, 3:19; Isaiah 59:1-2;
Romans 1:20-24, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:16-21;
Ephesians 2:1-3; James 1:13-15

We believe God created humankind in His image and assigned gender to His people, male (man) and female (woman), creating them sexually and biologically different at conception, but with equal personal dignity and value. In a fallen world, God’s design is corrupted by physical, emotional, and spiritual issues. We are called to show mercy and extend compassion to all brokenness, but we hold that His design is good because He affirmed it.

Scripture References: Genesis 1:1-25, 26-28, 2:1-24; Micah 6:8

We believe God ordained marriage as a lifelong union between one biological man and one biological woman. Those who accept and live within God’s design for sex, biological gender, and marriage experience the blessing of His good design. Decisions to change, alter, or modify God’s will in marriage, sex, or biological gender are part of humankind’s brokenness and lead to despair.

Scripture References: Genesis 2:18; Psalm 1:1-3, 128:1-4; Matthew 19:4-9;
John 3:17,10:10; Romans 1:21-22, 5:8; Ephesians 5:31-33;
Titus 3:3-7; James 1:13-15; 1 Peter 5:6-7

We believe Christ instituted the ordinance of water baptism which is to be observed by believers until He returns. In water baptism a believer publicly identifies with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but should not be baptized until they can personally articulate their faith and the purpose of baptism.

Scripture References: Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21

We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death and an expression of our faith in His future coming that is to be continually practiced by all believers until He returns. Every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, but participation must always be preceded by solemn self-examination.

Scripture References: Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

We believe in the future, visible, bodily, and premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth, commonly called the Second Coming. This will be preceded by His return for the Church, all living and dead members of the body of Christ. Jesus Christ will reign in righteousness and peace over the nations when he establishes His earthly, millennial kingdom.

Scripture References: Zechariah 14:4-11; Matthew 24:15-31;
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:1-6

We believe sinners who die rejecting Christ will be eternally punished while true believers will live eternally in Heaven.

Scripture References: Matthew 25:46; John 5:29; 6:40; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

FBC ministry leaders (Deacons, Elders, Ministry Team Leaders, Missionaries, Missions Team, Pastors, Small Group Leaders, Teachers) are required to support this Comprehensive Doctrinal Statement. While it is not expected that every ministry leader will have come to an informed and settled conviction on every point of doctrine in this statement, there is agreement that they will neither hold to nor will teach anything contrary to the Comprehensive Doctrinal Statement. Naturally, we will have higher expectations for levels of understanding and conviction for those seeking to serve as Elders or on Pastoral Staff.