Who We Are

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I><B>I</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>NDEPENDENT</B></I></FONT><I><B> B</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>APTIST</B></I></FONT><I><B> C</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>HURCH</B></I></FONT><I><B> L</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>OCATOR</B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |  </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Independent Baptist Church Locator"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FIND A CHURCH"><U><B>FIND A CHURCH</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="UPDATE or ADD a Church"><U><B>UPDATE or ADD a Church</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MILITARY MEMORIAL"><U><B>MILITARY MEMORIAL</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><B>Who We Are</B><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CONTACT US"><U><B>CONTACT US</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="heaven.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN"><U><B>HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pastor/Worker Needed"><U><B>Pastor/Worker Needed</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FREE RETREAT 4 PASTORS"><U><B>FREE RETREAT 4 PASTORS</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id177.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Helpful Links"><U><B>Helpful Links</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SEGREGATION?"><U><B>SEGREGATION?</B></U></A><B>   ·   </B><A HREF="church_helps.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHURCH HELPS"><U><B>CHURCH HELPS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#CC0000" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U> <a href="http://www.ifb1000.com/"> <img src="http://www.ifb1000.com/button.php?u=militarygetsaved" alt="IFB 1000" border="0" /> </a>  </U></B></div> <div> <B><U>Last update 12/11/07</U></B></div> <div> <B>Our Abbreviated Doctrinal Statement</B><B>  is found below, the comprehensive one to the right!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>For a short intro we are believers in the Biblical New Testament, Local, Independent, Fundamental ,Soul-winning, Sin-hating, Holy Living, Men dress as Men, Ladies dress as Ladies, Non-dating, Home-schooling as a Conviction, Church school as a ministry (Optional), Non-prejudice, KJB preaching, teaching, and studying, Pre-Trib, Pre-millenial, Non-tongue speaking, Amening, Conservative Christian Music Listening and Singing, Devil Hating, Non-compromising, Compelling & yet </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Compassionate</B></FONT><B>, Unaffiliated Biblical New Testament Baptist Church!</B></div> <div> <B>For the longer statement it is found on the right towards the end!</B></div> <div> <B> <IMG SRC="http://members.tripod.com/bin/counter/id17.htm?0000FF" ALT="[Tripod Counter]">  </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="852e0803.jpg"> <div> <I>Who We Are</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Missionary Vince Williams is the sole editor of this website.  We are in Calcium, NY, right outside of Fort Drum and 6 miles North of Watertown, reaching the men and women of Fort Drum, Watertown, & the surrounding areas.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE WILLIAMS FAMILY</B></div> <div> <B>Vince, Jennifer, Jason, David, Sarah, Benjamin, Joshua, & Adam!</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>.  Bro. Williams is a </B></FONT><B>NY native</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B> Born in Norwich, NY, 30 miles below Utica, NY.  He attended High School in Florida.  His wife </B></FONT><B>Jennifer</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B> is from LA.  She attended Christian School in Jennings, LA.  Jason was born in Jacksonville, FL, David in Gulfport, MS, Sarah in Ocean Springs, MS, Benjamin in Earlville, NY,  Joshua in Watertown, NY, Adam in Watertown, and finally our newest, Jack was adopted out of Canada when he was 6 weeks old.   </B></FONT><B>We love the ministry</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>, and we love helping people.  Just like every one in the ministry ought to be, we are </B></FONT><B>people persons</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>!</B></FONT></div> <div> Bro. Vince Williams (& Family)</div> <div> <IMG SRC="7c04f630.jpg" border=0 width="79" height="99" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="7c24a630.jpg" border=0 width="74" height="99" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="8229bff0.jpg" border=0 width="667" height="511" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="083176c0.png" border=0 width="279" height="108" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Including the</B></div> <div>  <img src="HTMLobj-133/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="432" height="47">  </div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="101b57b0.png" border=0 width="181" height="123" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>INFORMATION ON OUR MINISTRY</B></div> <div> <B>Welcome H.O.M.E. Servicemen</B></div> <div> <B>ONE MINISTRY THAT LITERALLY COVERS THE GLOBE!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>VINCE'S TESTIMONY</B></div> <div> From <B>1962 to 1974</B> I grew up on a farm in <B>upstate New York. </B>Most of those years were spent on a <B>dairy farm</B> just outside of <B>Sherburne, New York. </B>For a few years I was a<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Bus Kid</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>that was a ministry of <B>Bible Baptist Church, </B>an independent work in <B>Norwich, NY. </B>As a result of this witness I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my <B>personal Saviour on July 22, 1970.</B></div> <div> Due to a drop in dairy prices my parents sold the farm and bought a <B>fish camp in </B><B>Earleton, FL</B><B> (just East of Gainesville). </B>By this time our parents had stopped sending us to church, and not even one person invited me to their church while I lived in Earleton.</div> <div> <B>     </B>At the age of <B>18</B> I joined the <B>U.S. Air Force </B>and ended up at<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Keesler AFB</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>for the training in my electronics career field (6 months). It was this year that I finally realized relationship was not enough and started to <B>seek fellowship with my Heavenly Father</B>. After the training was completed I received orders to<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Torrejon Air Base</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>(now closed) just outside of <B>Madrid, Spain.</B> It was at Torrejon, due to a faithful witness from <B>Torrejon Baptist Church</B>, that my spiritual growth really blossomed. <B>I was called into full-time service while in Spain. </B>During this time I was still a very shy country boy. <B>I knew I needed to be a soul-winner</B>, but I just could not bring myself to talk to people about my Heavenly Father. Realizing how important this was, I got down on my knees and <B>begged God to give me the strength to witness</B> for Him. Two weeks later God answered my prayer in the way of new orders which cut my tour 6 months short to go back to<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Keesler AFB to become a Technical Training Instructor</B></FONT><B>. </B>I had to go through teaching school and God delivered me from the shyness!</div> <div> <B>    </B> The next four years was a time of tremendous spiritual growth as<B> I learned to be a soul-winner, Sunday School Teacher, Children's Church Preacher, Nursing Home Preacher, Bus Captain, Bus Director & a very strong believer in the work of and under the Local New Testament Independent Baptist Church.</B> It was during this time <B>(1983-1987)</B> that <B>God burdened my heart for the military ministry</B> at Keesler<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" >(Luke 22:32, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.)</FONT>.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>     </B></FONT>After my USAF enlistment was up I enrolled in a<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > <B>Independen</B>t <B>Baptist College in Florida</B></FONT><B>. </B>It was there that I met and married the wonderful <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Jennifer Abshire</B></FONT><B>.</B> Jennifer grew up at <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Calvary Baptist Church in Jennings</B><B>, LA,</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>under then Pastor <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Dr. Bob Sensat</B></FONT>. During this time I also handled the <B>Children's Church, Teen class, </B>and worked on a <B>bus route </B>of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Freedom Baptist Church in Keystone Heights, FL</B></FONT>. I graduated in '92 and to make a long story short, we are now in <B>New York full-time in the Church Planting and Military Ministry.</B>  My wife and I have been personally allowed to be used of God to lead an <B>average of 100 folks to our Lord during the last 15 years (92-2007).</B> We have worked in the <B>fair ministry</B> and have been used of God to draw many more times that in the net for other workers to deal with (I am not shy anymore!). During the last 15 years we have seen <B>16 military men </B>(that we are aware of) called to the ministry out of the ministry God has given us at Keesler AFB, and <B>we praise the Lord for that.</B>  That ministry was first out of <B>Tri-City Baptist Church in Biloxi, MS</B>, then <B>Grace Independent Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, MS. </B> In 2002 God burdened the heats of the Kevin Knight family to come and reach the People of Keesler AFB.  God burdened our heart for the <B>West Point/Newburgh</B> area and made the call clear through some trials in Mississippi.  We were planning on starting a new work, and while looking over the area we located a small church <B>North of Newburgh</B> that needed a pastor<B>.  </B>They also expressed their desire to move to Newburgh so we met with the Folks in July and God sent us to pastor <B>Berean Baptist Church in Plattekill, NY,</B> August 2002.  So in August we packed up and move 1400 miles to the parsonage in Plattekill. At the time of the call the church had 4 families in its membership and was averaging around 30 in its attendance (including the children from the van ministry).  In January it became obvious that the people of that BC <B>and my philosophy of ministry were different.</B>  The changes the four families expected from me were not something that we could agree to so <B>we were voted out of that pastorate</B> by them.  <B>I believe in public prayer, I believe in church discipline and I believe holy living by the church members.  I believe the whole Bible is available to preach from during any service, I believe Jesus will not build His church if we are not conduits of that process.  These values were at that time opposed by them. </B> God opened the doors to go help at <B>Maranatha Bible Baptist Church, </B>a new church plant in <B>Watertown, NY</B>, to assist <B>Pastor Mark Roper,</B> while we find an area to plant a new church near <B>Fort Drum for the specific purpose of emphasising on the military.  </B>Pastor Roper resigned from the pastorate and we filled in as Interim pastor for 3 months.</div> <div> <B>We are now in Calcium, NY, </B>with the goal of reaching the <B>Military of Fort Drum </B>and planting <B>LOCAL INDEPENDENT, KJV, BAPTIST CHURCHES</B> in the nearby areas.</div> <div> <B>Our First Church Plant started on Mothers Day, May 13th, 2007.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Serving Our Saviour, Vince & Jennifer Williams & family</B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><IMG SRC="78b13c20.jpg" border=0 width="531" height="194" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>WHY SUPPORT A MILITARY MINISTRY:</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>IT IS MISSION FIELD THAT COVERS ALL AREAS IDENTIFIED IN ACTS 1:8--</B></I><B> </B></div> <div> <B><U>Acts 1:8</U></B><B>, </B><I><B>But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>both in Jerusalem</B></I></FONT><I><B>, and in </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>all Judaea</B></I></FONT><I><B>, and in </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Samaria</B></I></FONT><I><B>, and unto </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>the uttermost</B></I><I><B> </B></I></FONT><I><B>part of the earth.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>1. JERUSALEM & JUDEA</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT></div> <div> <B>National Guard and Reserve troops passing through any Military Base are from your neighborhoods & communities. The Active Duty Military are from your neighborhoods & your communities.</B></div> <div> <I><B>2. SAMARIA</B></I></div> <div> <B>Every state and ethnic area is represented by the men and women that pass through any Military Base.</B></div> <div> <I><B>3. UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH</B></I></div> <div> <B>Our military personnel are literally stationed around the world. Some are foreign officers from our allied countries. When these folks are saved & discipled they become </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008080" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>overseas missionaries at our governments expense</B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>!</B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>THIS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE</B></I></div> <div> <B>(Doctrinal Statement of Faith)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>THE WORD OF GOD</B></div> <div> <B>a)</B> We believe that the Holy Bible is a supernatural Book; that it is the very God-breathed Word; that it is the full, the final, and the complete revelation of God's will to man; that it has God the Holy Spirit for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any admixture of error for its matter; that it was written by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; that it is verbally and plenary inspired and a perfect treasure of holy instruction; and that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and is, therefore, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. </div> <div> <B>b)</B> We believe the King James Version to be the preserved Word of God for the English speaking people,<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>faithful and true to the original autographs</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>(Textus Receptus & Masoretic); that<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>other versions are inferior and flawed</B></FONT>, with most being outright intentional perversions of God's Word; that<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>other English versions are totally unnecessary</B></FONT>, as the King James is not only faithful, but an absolutely effective conveyance of God's message to English speaking mankind.  We believe that the King James Bible does not just contain the Word of God but is the very Word of God for English speaking peoples.</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >c) We believe that the King James Bible should be used in all English preaching services, in the Sunday School,</FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>in all English Christian literature and publications</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >, in all memory work, and in all other places except in the case of showing errors of the other versions; that all the verses in the King James Bible belong in the Old and the New Testaments because they represent words that were in the original Texts; and that, though there might be other renderings from the original languages which could also be acceptable to us today, for an exhaustive study of any of the words or verses in the Bible, the student should return directly to the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Traditional Received Greek Text</FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>rather than to any other translation for help</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >.  We do believe that the</FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>King James Bible is without error</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >and that no other rendering could "better" convey the word of God than it does now.  We believe that all officers and workers in our church and mission endeavors that we support must adhere to this position and only use the KJV in preaching, teaching, and study except in the case to prove errors to others found in the other English versions.</FONT></div> <div> d) We believe that the books known as the Apocrypha are not the inspired Word of God in any sense whatsoever.  (<U>Ps. 119:89; II Tim. 3:16-17; Rev. 22:18-19; Jn. 17:17; Jn. 3;32-34; II Pet.1:20-21; I Pet.1:10-12; Zeph. 1:1; Ps. 19:7-11; Ex. 20:3-17; Ps. 1:2; Jn. 12:48</U>)</div> <div> (*We will not hold to nor endorse close fellowship with churches that do not stand on the Textus Receptus of the New Testament and the Masoretic text of the Old Testament.  This means we will be separate from those churches that use any English version other than the KJV.  We expect all the missionaries that we support to also adhere to this standard)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE TRUE GOD</B></div> <div> We believe that there is one, and only one, true and living God; that He is absolute in nature, perfect in attributes, holy in character, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that He is infinite in wisdom, marvelous in power, and amazing in love; that He is holy, righteous, and true, worthy of all confidence and love; that He unites in Himself the infinite, the eternal, and the Almighty Three - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; that the three persons of the Godhead subsist in the same divine nature, essence and being; and that they are co-existent and co-equal in every divine attribute, each one executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (<U>Gen 1:1; Deut 4:39; Mark 12:29; Gen 17:1; Matt 5:48; Isa 6:3; I Chron 29:11-12; Ps 103:19; Rom 11:33-34; Matt 19:26; Ps 19:9; Matt 28:19; I Pet 1:2-3; I John 5:7; Ex 3:14; Gen 1:26; Titus 3:3-7</U>)</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>1: God the Father</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B> </B>We believe that God the Father is the first person set forth in the Divine Trinity; that He is almighty, merciful, and just; that He is holy, righteous, and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; and that He, in harmony with His divine office, loves, provides, and protects, thus exercising providential watchcare over the sons of men, and especially a fatherly care over the children of God. (<U>Matt 28:19; Gen 17:1; Matt 19:26; Ps 19:9; Isa 6:3; Ps 100:5; Prov 15:3; Ps 139:1-6, 13-14; Ps 103:13; Matt 6:25-30; Matt 10:29-31; Matt 7:11</U>)</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>2: God the Son - Virgin Bor</B><B>n</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT>We believe that god the Son is the second person set forth in the Divine Trinity; that He is Very God of Very God; that He is almighty, merciful, and just; that He is holy, righteous, and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; that God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, is actually and eternally His divine father, and Mary the Virgin is actually and innocently His human mother; and that He, in harmony with His divine office, mediates, seeks, and saves, thus exercising the mediatorial office of redemption. We believe that the two whole, perfect and distinct natures, the Godhead and Manhood, were inseparably joined together in one Person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; that this Person is very God and very Man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man ; that, on the human side, Christ became and remained a perfect man; that He was without sin throughout His life; that He could not sin; that He retained His absolute deity, being at the same time very God and very man; and that His earthlife sometimes functioned within the sphere of that which was human and sometimes within the sphere of that which was divine.  His mother Mary remained a virgin until after the Birth of Christ and that she plays no part today in the redemption of man. We believe that the doctrine of the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is of great importance in the Bible; that Christ's Blood has been under attack in centuries past as well as in recent decades by modernist apostates; that Christ's Blood is not a mere figure of speech or "metonym" to be equal to "death"; that Old Testament sacrifices had two distinct parts: (<B>1</B>) the death of the sacrifice; and (<B>2</B>) the application of the blood of the sacrifice; that death was not sufficient, but the blood had to be applied properly; that it is the blood that makes "atonement for the soul"; that Christ's Blood was "shed for the remission of sins"; that Christ's Blood "purchased" the Church; that Christ's Blood was from God, as to its source, hence, it is Divine; that Christ's Blood provides redemption; that Christ's Blood is incorruptible; that Christ's Blood propitiates God the Father; that Christ's Blood justifies us; that Christ's Blood brings us near to God; that Christ's Blood gives us peace; that Christ's Blood provides forgiveness; that Christ's Blood provides reconciliation to God; that Christ's Blood purges the conscience, purifies the heavenly things, cleanses us from all sin, and washes us from our sins; that some of Christ's Blood was taken by Him to heaven and placed on the heavenly mercy seat thus cleansing the heavenly tabernacle; that Christ's Blood is now in heaven as the "Blood of sprinkling"; that Christ's Blood gives us boldness and access to the holiest in heaven; that Christ's Blood makes us perfect in every good work to do His will; and that Christ's Blood overcomes Satan. (<U>Matt. 28:19; John 1:1-3; Isa 9:6; Matt 28:18; Titus 3:5-6; John 8:15-16; II Cor 5:21; Heb 13:8; Phil 2:6; John 2:24; Matt 28:20; Luke 1:35; Luke 2:7-14; I Tim 2:5-6; Luke 19:10; John 3:16</U>)</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>3: God the Holy Spirit</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT>We believe that God the Holy Spirit is the third person set forth in the Divine Trinity: that He is almighty, merciful, and just; that He is holy, righteous, and true; that He is eternally existent, glorious in nature, possessing the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; that He restrains the world, the flesh and the devil; that He witnesses to the Truth, convicts the lost, extols the Christ, and testifies to the righteous judgments of God; that He, in harmony with His divine office, comforts, teaches, testifies, preaches, guides; regenerates, empowers, sanctifies, and anoints, thus exercising the quickening role in the works of saving the lost and the supervising role in the life of the saved. We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings were temporary; that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or the filling of the Spirit; and that the deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection.  We believe the Charismatic Tongues Movement is an unscriptural error relating to God the Holy Spirit and is not of God; that genuine tongues in the New Testament were authentic languages rather than the present ecstatic utterances which are counterfeit and spurious; that the sign gifts such as speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, special knowledge, and others, were all sign gifts which were manifested during the Apostolic age; that all such sign gifts ceased with the completion of the New Testament canon around 90 or 100 A.D.; that this movement seeks to unite apostates with believers in an unscriptural, ecumenical movement; and that true believers should separate from the Charismatic Tongues Movement immediately and completely. (<U>John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-13; Heb 9:14; I Pet 4:14; Isa 40:12-15; I Cor 2:10-12; Ps 139:7-12; II Thes 2:6-7; Jn. 3:6; Eph 1:13-14; Acts 1:8; I Pet 1:2; Isa 61:1</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE DEVIL OR SATAN AND HIS ANGELS</B></div> <div> We believe that Satan is an actual person, and not an imaginary influence; that he once enjoyed high heavenly honors and glorious heavenly privileges; that he, through pride, ambition, and self-will attempted to betray the Almighty and brought down upon his head the judgment of God; that he operates today as the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air; that he is a diabolical inventor, and arch-deceiver, and the father of all lies; that he is the greatest enemy, the mightiest tempter, and the most relentless accuser of the saints; that he shall one day be incarnated in the person of the Anti-Christ and in that role will finally meet the Christ in the battle of Armageddon; that there "The seed of woman shall bruise the serpents' head;" and that he shall eventually be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal place of punishment, prepared for the devil and his angels.  (<U>Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Ezek 28:12-19; Isa 14:12-27; Gen 3:14; II Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; Matt 24:11; II Thes 2:7-11; John 8:44; I Pet 5:8; Gen 3:1-6; Rev 12:10; Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20; Gen 3:15; II Cor 11:13-15; John 14:30</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE CREATION</B></div> <div> We believe that the Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative; that God personally created the heaven and the earth in six literal 24 hour days; that He miraculously brought forth all original matter out of nothing; that He actually fashioned all organic forms as specific creations subject to limited changes within the specie; that He definitely ordained each specie to bring forth after its kind; that He finally formed man out of the dust of the ground, not by any process of evolution but by instant action, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became immediately a living soul; that He created man in the image and likeness of God; that His every creative act was complete and perfect in itself; and that not one of His creations was conditioned upon antecedent changes naturally wrought during interminable periods of time.  (<U>Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:1-3, 14; Heb. 11:3; Gen. 1:21, 24-27; Gen. 2:7; Col. 1:16</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE FALL OF MAN</B></div> <div> We believe that man, originally created in holiness and actually associated with God in innocence under His law, did, by voluntary transgression of the Lord's command, fall from the high and happy state in which he was created, and as a consequence, became a sinner alienated from God and brought upon himself and all mankind just condemnation; and that he is now, by virtue of his fallen nature, utterly devoid of holiness, positively inclined to evil, and actually condemned to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse. (<U>Gen 1:26-27; Ecc 7:29; Gen 3:6; 3:23-24; Ezek 18:4; Rom 5:12; 1:21-23; 3:10-18; Rev 21:8</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED</B></div> <div> We believe that there is a monumental and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who through faith are justified in the Name of The LORD JESUS and sanctified by The SPIRIT of our GOD are truly righteous in HIS esteem; while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in HIS sight wicked and under the curse. We believe in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (<U>Mal 3:16-18; John 3:6; Rom 3:22, 24; 4:3; 1:17; 8:1-17; Acts 20:32; John 15:3; Rom 8:17; 6:23; II Cor 4:4; Rev 21:8; Matt 23:37; Prov 29:1; Matt 25:41</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>HEAVEN AND HELL</B></div> <div> We believe in a literal Heaven and Hell; that Heaven is the eternal abode of those redeemed by GOD's grace; that Hell (and in latter days the Lake of Fire), is the eternal abode of all lost, unregenerate sinners. (<U>Rev 20:11-15, 21:1, 8</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>SALVATION BY GRACE AND REGENERATION</B></div> <div> We believe that grace is elective and saving; that it embraces the personal triune and redemptive ministry of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that it comprehends all of the labors put forth by the Almighty in the interest of perfect righteousness and the salvation of the lost soul; that it and it alone, saves even unto the uttermost all who repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that salvation thus wrought is wholly by grace, "The free gift of God." requiring neither culture nor works in any form to secure it or to keep it; that it is God's plan that those who are saved be "Holy and without blame before him in love;" that <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>ALL</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>who believe will receive the adoption, which is related to the redemption of the body (cf. <U>Rom 8:22-23</U>), when all our inheritance based upon sonship is received; that predestination pertains to God's plan that we be conformed to the image of Christ; that we are to begin that process in this life, but God's sovereign purpose will be performed in perfection when all who have been saved are changed and are in the presence of Christ. We believe that in order to be saved lost sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration is a recreative act, far beyond comprehension, wrought in the believer's heart by the direct personal ministry of the Holy Spirit; that it is instantaneous, miraculous, and not evolutionary or cultural; that it embraces the divine acts of cleansing the heart from all inward sins and of pardoning the soul of all outward guilt, in connection with the work of begetting a new creature in Christ Jesus; that the dead sinner is made to live through the new birth, becoming thereby a regenerated spirit, possessing eternal life, the gift of God; that the new birth, becoming thereby a regenerated spirit, possessing eternal life, the gift of God; that the new birth comes after the Holy Spirit secures voluntary repentance and belief in the gospel; that it is the actual impartation of the divine life, not a mere transformation of the human life; and that the proper evidence of regeneration appears in the holy fruits of obedient followers of the Lord Jesus.  The Bible teaches it is God's will that all get saved and that anyone has the opportunity and the calling from the Holy Spirit of God to get saved up until the day of their death. (<U>II Tim 1:8-9; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-7; I Pet 1:2-5; Matt 23:37; Rom 8:28-30; Heb 7:25; Acts 20:20-21; Rom 6:23; 11:6; 5:20; Isa 1:18; 55:1</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>JUSTIFICATION</B></div> <div> We believe that justification is one of the great gospel blessings secured through Christ for all who trust Him; that it is a legal and divine decree, declaring the believing sinner just; that it is thus a state of being free from condemnation, including forgiveness for inward sins and pardon from outward sins; that it secures through faith freedom from legal bondage, exemption from the wrath of God, and possession of peace which passes all understanding; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely upon the evidence of faith in God and the Redeemer's blood; and that it brings us into a state of unchanging peace and favor with God and secures every other blessing needful for time and for eternity.</div> <div> (<U>Rom 3:24-25, 28; 8:33; 8:1; John 5:24; Rom 4:3-8; 6:6; 5:9; 5:1; Phil 4:7; </U></div> <div> <U>Rom 8:31-33; Gen 15:6; Heb 2:4</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>REPENTANCE AND FAITH</B></div> <div> We believe that repentance and faith are solemn and inseparable prerequisites of salvation; that they are inseparable graces wrought in the heart by the quickening Holy Spirit; that the alien sinner, being deeply convicted of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come by the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit, and by Him having his understanding enlightened so that he can see the way of salvation through Christ, does actually repent, turning to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication, and does actually believe, surrendering himself wholeheartedly to the Lord Jesus, immediately receiving Him as personal and all-sufficient Saviour.  We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ; that repentance is a vital part of believing; that repentance is in no way, in itself, a separate and independent condition of salvation; and that no other acts, such as confession, "lordship salvation," baptism, prayer, or faithful service, is to be added to believing as a condition of salvation.</div> <div> (<U>Acts 20:21-22; Mark 1:15; Acts 11:18; Eph 2:8; John 6:44; John 16:8-11; Matt 3:1-2, 8; Acts 3:19; Luke 13:3; 18:9-14; Acts 9:6; Rom 10:10</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER</B></div> <div> We believe that salvation wrought by grace is everlasting; that the saved soul journeying through the valley of the shadow of death need fear no evil; that the Holy Spirit-begotten and born are kept by the power of God; that the believer in Christ Jesus shall not be brought into judgment; that no one can lay anything to the charge of God's elect; that they are securely held in both the hand of the Father and the Son; and that the age-old Baptist doctrine, "Once saved, always saved," is heavenly and gloriously true.</div> <div> (<U>John 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; 6:35, 44; Ps 23:4; Isa 37:23-24; Phil 1:6; I Pet 3:5; John 5:24; Rom 8:1; John 10:27-29; Rom 8:35-39; II Tim 1:12</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE CHRISTIAN HOME</B></div> <div> Our church and society will be no stronger than the home. The home is where Biblical principles are to be applied first. Children should obey their parents, wives should submit to their husbands, and husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The younger women should be taught to when they are married to stay at home and love their children and husbands and guide the house</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT> Furthermore, the<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>education of the child should be at home if at all possible</B></FONT>, cultivated by their church and definitely not by the world.  We believe it is<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>primarily the responsibility of the parents, not the government or church, to insure that children are properly educated</B></FONT><B> </B>in matters pertaining to daily living.  We believe the best Biblical way to accomplish this objective is at home.  The mother is to be the keeper of the home and raise the children. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>We believe it is against scripture for both parents of young children to work outside of the home.</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B> </B>It should be the endeavor of every Christian family to strive to obtain the Scriptural criteria for life at home.</div> <div> (<U>Eph 2:22-33; Eph 6: 1; Deu 6:6-8; Psalm 78:5</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>SANCTIFICATION </B></div> <div> We believe that sanctification is a divine work of grace; that it is not a state of sinless perfection attained through a "second blessing" or through a special "Baptism of the Holy Ghost;" that it is an act of grace by which the believer is separated unto God and dedicated unto His righteous purpose; that by it we enter into divinely appointed privileges and thus become larger partakers of His holiness; that it is a progressive work, begun in regeneration, and carried on in the life of every believer by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and that it is nurtured only by heaven's appointed means, especially by the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the saved through his self-examination, obedience, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer. (<U>I Thes 4:3; 5:23; Rom 15:16; Jer 1:5; Prov. 4:18; John 17:17; II Cor 3:18; I John 2:29; Rom 8:5; I Tim 4:5; Luke 9:23; Matt 24:42; 7:7-11</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>SEPARATION</B></div> <div> We believe Biblical separation is an important Bible doctrine; that we should obey the Biblical commands to separate ourselves wholly and completely unto God; that evil, false doctrine, and spiritual compromise are all contagious; that separation from such evil is the only dependable Biblical safeguard to remain spiritually clean; that we should therefore separate ourselves from worldliness, modernism, ecclesiastical apostasy, Neo-evangelicalism, the Charismatic Movement, immorality, Biblical compromises, and "disorderly" brethren; that obedient believers should not have close fellowship either with unbelievers or with "disorderly" brethren; that we should repudiate cooperation with men or movements which attempt to unite true Bible believers and apostates in evangelistic or other cooperative spiritual efforts; that we should be in sympathy with, and have close fellowship with only those organizations or movements whose speakers, associates, leaders or sponsors are NOT connected in any way with religious apostasy, neo-evangelical compromise, or charismatic confusion; that we should be in sympathy with, and have close fellowship with only those persons who speak on the platforms of men, churches, organizations or movements whose other speakers, associates, leaders or sponsors are NOT in any way connected with religious apostasy, neo-evangelical compromise, or charismatic confusion; and that we should have the above principles of Biblical separation not only stated on paper, but also put into practice. (<U>2 Corin 6:14--7:1; 1 Thess 1:9-10; 2 John 1:9-11; 1 Corin 15:33; 2 Corin 6:17; 2 Thess 3:6, 11, 14-15; 1 Tim 6:3-5; Rom 16:17</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>HUMAN SEXUALITY</B></div> <div> We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. (<U>Gen 2:24, 19:5,13, 26:8-9; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1 Cor 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thess 4:1-8; Heb 13:40</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>ABORTlON AND BIRTH CONTROL</B></div> <div> 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. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Birth control pills perform essentially the same job as abortion</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>causing the fertilized egg to be rejected.  and thus is just as Biblically wrong as physical abortion. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>We also believe that any method of birth control is usurping the authority of God as the Scriptures teach that it is His prerogative and not ours to open and close the womb</B></FONT>. (<U>Job 3:16; Psa 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa 44:24; 49: 1&5; Jer 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44</U>).</div> <bR> <div> <B>DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE</B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies and gives no other ground separation after the marriage has been consummated. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery in the Bible and thus one should not remarry until one of the divorced parties has died or they both reconcile. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Biblically</B> </FONT>be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (<U>Mal 2:14-17; Matt 19:3-12; Rom 7:1-3; 1 Tim 3:2,12; Titus 1:6</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>LAWSUITS BETWEEN BELIEVERS</B></div> <div> We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (<U>1 Cor 6:1-8; Eph 4:31-32</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>HOME SCHOOL-CHRISTIAN SCHOOL-PUBLIC SCHOOL</B></div> <div> <B>We believe that it is the responsibility of the parents to control what their children are taught both spiritually and secularly</B>.  We believe the Bible teaches the ideal family situation includes the home-schooling of the children.  We will do all that we can to support and assist this type of education.  We do acknowledge that due to circumstances beyond a persons control or debt whether justly or unjustly accrued may prevent this.  That is the purpose of the Christian School.  It is to provide a ministry of education for those that are currently unable or permanently unable to home school their children.  We, under no circumstances can condone the attendance of public schools by our children.  It is our view  that the goal of all families is to have a Biblical home as much as possible.  This can and may include the operation of a Christian School.  If this be the case it will be the intent and mandate of this ministry to include in the curriculum of such school to teach the tenets of the Bible as outlined in the articles of faith.  It will also require faithful adherence to Biblical concepts and principles in the discipline of the students.</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE CHURCH</B></div> <div> We believe that a Baptist Church, according to divine purpose and plan, is a visible, local, organized body; that it is composed of baptized believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; that New Testament validity flows from strict obedience to essential principles of New Testament Law; that it is a sovereign, independent, democratic, and militant body; that its ministry is gloriously blessed with the presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit and the light and revelation of the written Word; that its work should ever be from within to without and never from without to within; that it is a self-governing body and is the sole judge, under the limitations of the Scriptures, of the measure and method of co-operation; that it is the only ecclesiastical tribunal the Lord has on earth; that its judgment concerning membership, missions, benevolence, and support is final; that it was personally founded by Christ Jesus during His ministry on earth; that it is the only organization with authority to administer the Lord's Supper and Baptism; that it is subject to His laws and is the custodian of His ordinances; that the perpetuity of our faith, our doctrines and practices, ordinances and ordinations, has been effected through the Holy Spirit personally planting and preserving local Baptist Churches of like faith and order down through the centuries even until now; that the local Church is the only body with authority to carry out the Lord's work upon the earth in this age, and as such, all authority over membership, affairs, and missions is autonomous to the local Church; that the only organization authorized to do mission work is the local Church, and that the pattern of Acts 13 is the only one sanctioned and permitted by God; that the authority to send out missionaries is not in name or formality only, but is a matter of the practical aspects of sending, supervising, and authorizing missionaries to win souls, baptize, and teach, with the goal of establishing a New testament Baptist church; that no place in Scripture allows for mission boards, fellowships, or conventions to do this work; that a sponsoring church is responsible for the activities and doctrine of missionaries authorized by her, and is responsible to the missionary for his needs and well-being; that the Local church cannot surrender this authority and responsibility to any organization and remain faithful to Scripture.  We totally reject the false doctrine of the universal invisible church. (<U>Matt 28:19-20; I Cor 1:1-3; Acts 2:41-42; II Cor 8:5; Matt 16:19; 18:15-17; Jlhn 14:16-17, 26; Acts 1:8; 13:1-4; Matt 18:17-18; Matt 26:19-20; I Tim 3:15; Mark 3:13-14; Luke 6:12-13</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>NON-DISCRIMINATION DUE TO ETHNICITY</B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >It is the objective of our church to glorify God in all of its endeavors. To this end all services and</FONT> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>all functions (this includes the institution of marriage)</B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >of the Church are open to all Bible-believing individuals without regard to race, color, or national origin.  It is the clear teaching of the Word of God for all true Bible believers to live together in Unity of Faith.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>CHURCH ADMINISTRATION</B></div> <div> We believe that the local Baptist church and the State should be kept completely separate; that civil officers should be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; that diligence should be had in seeking the will of God in all church matters; that missionary endeavor should ever be executed from within the local church to without; that pastors and deacons are the only divinely appointed church officers; that the Lord's Day, the first day of the week should be honored by the saints; that the Bible teachings should be constantly and consistently fostered by local Baptist churches; that members should be received into the fellowship of the local body by the local body; that unruly church members should be prayerfully and Scripturally disciplined by the local Baptist church; and that letters of membership should be granted to sister local Baptist churches of the same faith and practice.  We are against having any children's ministry unless there is more than one adult in the class. We are not opposed to the Sunday School class which consists of non-segregation in ages.  (<U>Acts 1:8; 13:1-35; Rom 13:1-7; Acts 14:23; 6:1-6; 2:42; Rev 1:10; Matt 16:19; Acts 10:47; Matt 18:15-17; Acts 15:19-27; 18:27; Rom 16:1-2; Matt 28:19-20</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE ORDINANCES</B></div> <div> We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances personally set in the church of the living God by the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Baptism is the burial (by immersion) of a believer in water by the authority and instruction of the local Baptist church; that it symbolizes the death and the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; that it also typifies the believer's death to sin, the burial of his old nature, and his resurrection unto a new life; and that it is administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Lord's Supper is a memorial spread and administered by the authority and instruction of the local Baptist church; that participation in the observance of the Lord's supper is restricted to a closed communion within the membership of our local Baptist church; that it symbolizes the broken body and the shed blood of the Son of God; that its observance points backward to the crucified Lord on Calvary and forward to the returning Lord in glory; that the elements of the Lord's Supper are unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice, referred to as "The cup" and "The fruit of the vine;" We believe all members of this local church are candidates for the Lord's Supper except for those under church discipline.  We also believe in closed communion.  The word "unworthily" is an adverb, pertaining to the method of partaking, not the "worthiness" of the one partaking;  We believe that these ordinances are not sacraments, but are sacred symbols, pointing to the world's only Saviour, and bidding the sons of men to look unto and everlasting fellowship with the King of kings and Lord of lords when He shall return to take over the reins of all government. (<U>Matt 26:26-29; 28:19; Rom 6:3-5; Matt 16:19; Acts 10:47; I Cor 11:23-26; Prov 20:1; Isa 28:7; Lev 10:9-10</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>CHURCH CO-OPERATION</B></div> <div> We believe that it is the privilege and the right of local Baptist churches to co-operate with each other in carrying out the commission of the Lord; that such co-operation is righteously effected only when the principles of Christ are preserved in the work fostered; and that all associated endeavors of local Baptist Churches should be carried on in such a way as to preserve the sovereign integrity of each local Baptist Church in all matters of faith and practice. (<U>II Cor 8:1-6, 16-24; II John 1-4; Matt 16:18-19; Acts 15:19-27</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>HERESY AND APOSTASY</B></div> <div> We believe in total and complete separation as taught in the Word of God, from all heresy and ecclesiastical apostasy. We believe the Scripture teaches that we are to: </div> <div> Try them, <U>I John 4:1</U>. Mark them, <U>Rom 16:17</U>. Rebuke them, <U>Titus 1:13</U>. Have no fellowship, <U>Eph 5:11</U>. Withdraw ourselves, <U>II Thes 3:6</U>. Receive them not, <U>II John 10,11</U>. Have no company with them, <U>II Thes 3:14</U>. Reject them, <U>Titus 3:10</U>. Separate ourselves, <U>II Cor 6:17</U>.</div> <bR> <div> <B>CIVIL GOVERNMENT</B></div> <div> We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that all civil authorities are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in the things opposed by the Word of God which reveals the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. That church and state should be separate, the state owing the church protection and full freedom. No ecclesiastical group or denomination should be preferred above another by the state. The state should not impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal. (<U>Rom 13:1-7, 1 Tim 2:1-3</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>MISSIONS</B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >We believe that GOD's command to the local New Testament church concerning missions is clear and unmistakable In HIS WORD; that it Is the responsibility of a church to support prayerfully and financially missionaries of like faith and practice, with the goal of winning the lost and establishing or supporting independent New Testament Baptist Churches home and abroad. A church will share in the spiritual blessings that come from helping other to win the lost. </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>We believe </B><B><U>Acts 1:8 </U></B><B>clearly gives the priority of missions for a church: 1) All Jerusalem-Biloxi, 2) All Judaea-The surrounding countryside, 3) Samaria-Nearby rival cities & counties, 4) The uttermost-the rest of the world.  Although all areas need to be a vital part of the missions program, the emphasis needs to be maintained in the order God sent forth in His Word.</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" >We also believe that all monies collected will go directly to the missionaries sponsored from the church not to any outside co-operative program for disbursement nor any mission board.  The only Scriptural "mission board" is the local church.  Any "mission board" not under the authority of a local church is not a scriptural entity.  No "mission board" should force a missionary to give part of his hard earned support to the "mission board."</FONT></div> <div> (<U>Matt 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor 9:10</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE GRACE OF GIVING TO THE LOCAL CHURCH</B></div> <div> We believe that God's method of financing His earthly work of spreading The Gospel to all nations, and the care of the churches and the support of the ministry, is by tithes and offerings of His people through their local church; that this form of Scriptural giving is one of the Fundamentals of The Faith; that it is to be given to The Lord through His church to be distributed as directed by the leadership of The Holy Spirit as the need arises; that every believer is accountable to The Lord for one-tenth of his or her gross income, and that tithing was instituted long before the Mosaic Law was ever given and was practiced by the early church. (<U>Gen 14:17, 20, Lev 27:30, Pro 3:9 & 10, Mal 3:8-10, 1 Cor 16:2, 2 Cor 9:6-8</U>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE END TIMES AND RELATED EVENTS</B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>a) The Rapture -- The Blessed Hope:</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of Christ in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus; that this event will be premillennial (before the Millennium) and pretribulational (before any part of the seven year Tribulation); that it may occur at any moment; that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, for which we should be constantly looking; and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in incorruptible, glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given immortal, glorified bodies without tasting death.   (<U>John 14:1-3; 1 Thess 4:16-18; 1 Corin 15:42-44, 51-54; Rev 3:10; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Corin 15:42-44, 51-54; Philip 3:20-21</U>) </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>b) The Tribulation:</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>We believe that the' translation or rapture of the church will be followed by the Tribulation of seven years, which is the fulfillment of Daniel's seventieth week for Israel; that, during the seven year Tribulation, the church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven; that the whole period of Daniel's seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth; that at the end of the tribulation the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close; that the latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob's trouble, which our Lord called the Great Tribulation; that universal righteousness will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ; that the world is day by day ripening for judgment; and that the age of Grace will end with a fearful apostasy. (<U>Dan 9:25-27; Rev 6:1--19:21; Jere 30:7; Matt 24:15-21; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-5</U>) </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>