The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the only Authority for faith and life. The sixty- six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only English translation used by the ministry that God has entrusted to us. We believe that God has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness in His Word. Therefore, the Bible should govern all ministries. (Psalm 12:6-7, 19:7-11, 119:89, 152, 160; Prov. 30:5-6; Isaiah 40:8; Mat. 5:18, 24:35; Lk. 21:33; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 1:3, 19-20).

Dispensationalism

We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. (Gen. 1:28; 1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25,27; Rev.20:2-6)

The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19: 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26).

The Person and Work of Christ

1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).
2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
3. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Heb.9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; (the Father drawing us to Christ through the Spirit) and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing unto the day of redemption and He is the Authority and Power by which believers are baptized into the local church. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1: 13-14).
2. We believe that The Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who guides believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1: 17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).
3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12).

The Sinful State Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is wretched, and in need of salvation through Christ’s work on the cross.(Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God given to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19) We believe that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” We are neither Calvinistic nor Armenian.

Baptism

We believe that all who have received Christ as Lord and Saviour should be baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit; that baptism is by immersion in the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We believe that baptism publicly identifies with Christ and adds the individual to the local church under whose authority they are being baptized. (Matthew 26:26–30; 28:19–20; Romans 6:3–6; Acts 2:41).

The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

We believe that all the redeemed, once truly saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5).2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Rom. 13:13¬ 14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

The Church

1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again and baptized believers. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27).
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28¬ 32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control of any hierarchy, government, state or any other entity; that the church is not a legal entity but a scriptural and spiritual body placed under the headship of God alone. (Acts 5, 13:1-4; 15:19-3 1; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:14).
4. We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the local church. We practice closed communion with members in good standing only. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41¬ 42; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

Church Membership

We believe that church members are those who have been saved as described in section G. and baptized in this church or as described in section H. Baptized, that is, by a Baptist church whose doctrines line up with the doctrines of the Bible as lined out here in this statement. We believe that membership transfers are possible based upon the authority of the sending church and the acceptance of the receiving church upon declaration of agreement with the statement of faith and church covenant. (Acts 2; Phil. 2:25-30)

Church Discipline

1. Purpose: We believe that the purpose of church discipline is to reconcile a wayward member or separate them from the assembly for the good of both them and the church. (Mat. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5; Gal. 6; 2 Thess. 3; Titus 3:9-11) We believe that the causes of church discipline are clearly laid out in God’s Word. We will address them here:
i. Gross moral misconduct – Any individual who is persistent in living a life contrary to the Word of God, and brings reproach upon the testimony of the church and shame to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 5; Eph.5:3)
ii. Doctrinal deviation – For holding and advocating doctrines or practices opposed to those set forth in the church’s Statement of Faith or Covenant.
iii. Deliberate discord – Romans 16:17 “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
iv. Unreconciled relationships – (Matthew 18:15-20). Anyone unwilling to reconcile a broken relationship with another Christian shall be disciplined.
2. Procedure: We believe that the Bible clearly lays out the procedure for church discipline in Matthew chapter 18. This shall be our guiding passage when we address this topic in the church as more fully described in Article VII.

Church Offices

We believe that there are two offices in the church: pastor and deacon. (1 Tim. 3)1. Pastor- We believe that a church should have one pastor that leads the flock who may, through Scriptural process, appoint other men to assist in the leadership of the church as needed. We believe that the Lord gives the pastor to the church for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ.
i. Selection of a pastor- When a church starts, the man that God sends to start the church pastors it until he trains and appoints another to take over as the Lord leads (Paul’s example). We have no scriptural example of a candidating process for a church that is without a pastor. The only example of replacement of a “bishoprick” in the Bible is that of an apostle in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 1:20-26). Using that as a guideline, we find that a man from “among us” should be selected from those qualified to hold the office. Much prayer should go into the selection. We believe that 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 tells us what a pastor must be.
ii. Removal of a pastor- We believe that the pastor is held to the same standard as the other believers in the assembly and is subject to church discipline as well as the rest. We believe that the pastor is to be dismissed only in the cases of disqualification based on the Scriptures and as set out in these Bylaws.
2. Deacon- We believe that deacons are to be characterized as described in Acts 6 and 1 Timothy chapter 3. We believe that the selection of deacons is laid out and described in Acts 6.

Church Leadership

We believe that Jesus Christ, our Chief Shepherd is the One to make decisions in the church. Therefore, all church decisions will be prayerfully considered, and scripturally executed. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in importance before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).

Separation

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Rom. 12: 1 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7: 1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).
1. Music. We believe that the purpose of music is to glorify God. Music is not amoral, and by its very structure and presentation can either arouse base and carnal passions of man or can minister to edify man and glorify God. We believe that regenerated man must have a new song that departs from the world and identifies with the Lord. God-honoring music requires the verbal message of music to be doctrinally pure and prominent while the musical construction of melody, harmony, movement, and rhythm support the presentation of that message rather than compete with it. We believe that Christian music is not for performance but for ministry, and that those who minister in Christian music should exemplify a changed life in Christ in both physical appearance and in demeanor. We oppose the unequal yoke of the Gospel message with the world’s sound. We believe that there is no place in the local church or any ministry for the music of the world. We oppose any and all music by whatever title that does not edify man or glorify God, including but not limited to rock ‘n roll, heavy metal, rap, country, and Contemporary Christian Music. (Exodus 32:17-18; I Samuel 16:23; Psalm 40:3; 100:1,2; I Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Philippians 4:8)

Eschatology

1. Rapture: We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture the saints prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1: 10; 1 Thess. 4; 13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3: 10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
2. At death: We believe the Scriptures teach that at death the spirit of the believer passes instantly into the presence of Christ and dwells there until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His own (Mk. 9:4; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Tim. 4:6; Rev. 6:9-11). At death, the spirit of the unbeliever descends immediately into Hell to await the resurrection of the wicked into judgment; there the conscious soul is tormented in fire (Mk. 9:43-49; Lk. 16:22-31).
3. Looking: Right now, every believer should be looking for the blessed hope of and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ as He personally, pre-tribulationally, and pre-millennially comes to catch up or “rapture” the church age saints away before the Tribulation (1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 4:13-18; 5:1-9; Titus 2:13). The ‘rapture’ as stated before, is pretribulational, pre-millenial and therefore imminent (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Titus 2:13).
4. The Tribulation Period: God’s righteous judgments will then be poured out on an unbelieving world during the Tribulation (Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:2; Mat. 24:21; Rev. 6-18). This is the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27) or Jacob’s Trouble (Jer. 30:7). During this period, the anti-christ will be revealed, and the climax of this fearful era will be the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth in great glory for the great battle which is fought in the valley of megeddo this battle is known as Armageddon. In this valley, God will destroy all of His enemies.
5. The Millennium: Christ will then establish the Davidic Kingdom (Mat. 16:27; 24:30-31; 26:64; Rev. 1:7; 2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-4). Israel will be saved and restored completely to their land and kingdom (Isaiah 2:2-5; 60; 66:20-24; Joel 3:1-2; 18-21; Zech. 14; Rom. 11:25-29). Satan will be bound, and the curse will be lifted from the physical creation (Isaiah 11:6-9; Rev. 20:1-4).
6. Following the Millennium, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit, will lead one last unsuccessful rebellion, and will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever (Rev. 20:7-10). This will be followed by the judgement of the unbelieving dead at the great white throne of our Lord (Rev. 20:11-15) and the establishment of the New Heavens and the New Earth (Rev. 21-22; 2 Pet. 3:10-13).

The Eternal State

1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13).
2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resur-rection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6).
3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment in hell until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear to be judged by God before His great white throne, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer ever¬ lasting conscious punishment and torment (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark. 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).

The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a person (denoting personality, not humanity), the instigator of sin and the beguiler concerning the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2¬-11; 25:41; Rev. 20: 10).

Creation

We believe that God created the universe in six literal 24 hour days. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Ex. 20: 11).

Civil Government

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equally sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

Human Sexuality

We believe that God designed marriage as a unique conjugal relationship joining one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, life-long union, and God intends sexual intimacy only to occur with that relationship. Further, God creates each person with an immutable biological sex—male or female—that reflects the image and nature of God (Genesis 2:21-24; Genesis 5:2; Mark 7:21; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 18-20; Ephesians 5:25-32; Hebrews 13:4).

Abortion

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16: Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

Missions

We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to all nations and not wait for them to come to us. We believe this is through evangelizing, baptizing and discipling those in our “Jerusalem” and the same in our Judea and Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth. The healthy result of such will cause many churches to be planted everywhere. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20).
X. Giving. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of all of God’s wealth entrusted to them, is obligated to support the work of the Lord financially. We believe that every Christian should give proportionally of their income, consistently, sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of those who labor in the Word, the spread of the Gospel, and the relief of the poor in the local church. We believe that the offerings and property used for the Lord’s work belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ and is used for His benefit. We believe that individuals relinquish all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:12; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1Cor. 9; 1 John 3:17).

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Foundations Ministries’ faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Pastor and Deacons are Foundations Ministries’ final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.