We believe that the Scriptures teach that a Baptist Church is a local, visible, assembly of baptized believers associated
by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested
in them by His Word; that its only Scriptural offices are pastors (elders, bishops), and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the New
Testament; that the true mission of each church is found in the Great Commission, first to make individual disciples, second, to build up the church by baptizing those
believers, third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded; that this order cannot be reversed; that each church has the absolute right of self government, free from
interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only head of each church is Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for
churches of like faith and order to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel, but that every church is sole and only
judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the free will of each church is
final (Acts 2:41-42 & 47, 5:11; I Corinthians 4:17, 5:5,11; 11:2 & 23; II Corinthians 8:5, 23-24; I Timothy 3:5,15; II Thessalonians 3:7; Romans 16:17-20; Matthew 18:15-20;
28:19-20; John 14:15; 15:10; I John 4:21; I Thessalonians 4:2; II John 6; Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23, 15:22-23, 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Ephesians 1:22,23,
4:11; I Corinthians 12:4,8-11; Acts 6:5-6; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; I Peter 5:1-4; Jude 3-4; I Corinthians 5:11-13, 6:1-3).
We believe that the establishment and continuance of churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Matthew 16:18; Acts 13:1-3, 14:27, 20:17, 28-
32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural and only ordinances of the church.