STATEMENT OF FAITH AND CHURCH COVENANT

Reposing our Faith wholly in the Lord Jesus Christ for our Salvation, believing in the teachings and practices of Fundamental, Bible-believing Christians, and in those great distinctive principles for which they have stood, namely:

1. The pre-eminence of Christ as our Divine Lord and Master.

2. The supreme authority of the Bible and its sufficiency as our only rule of Faith and Practice.

3. The right of individual Soul Liberty and Priesthood of the Believer in direct approach to God.

4. The absolute separation of Church and State.

5. A regenerate Church Membership, (Members must be Saved Individuals).

6. The beautiful and symbolic ordinance of BELIEVER'S BAPTISM in obedience to the command of Christ.

7. The complete autonomy (independence) of the Local Church.

8. The solemn obligation of majority rule, guaranteeing equal rights to all, and special privileges to none.

9. The spiritual unity of all Believers, for which the Master prayed so earnestly.

10. A worldwide programme of missionary fervour and evangelism in obedience to the final command of the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, accepting the general summary of Doctrines and Duties of the Foundations Baptist Church Covenant; we, therefore, band ourselves together as a body of Scripturally Baptized (immersed) Believers in Jesus Christ and adopt for our government, plan of worship, and service, the following articles:

CHURCH COVENANT

Having been led, as we believe, by the holy Spirit of God, to receive The Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, and on the profession of our faith, having been Scripturally Baptized by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this Assembly, most joyfully, enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. We engage therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to give it a Sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and from other forms of intoxicating substances; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Saviour (to bring many souls to Christ).

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offence, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rule of our Saviour to secure it without delay.

We, moreover, engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with another Fundamental, Bible-believing Church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant, and the principles of God's Word.

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT.

1. The Bible in its original documents is the INSPIRED, INFALLIBLE, AND INERRANT WORD OF GOD: it is the written record of His Supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and without errors in its statements. THE KING JAMES VERSION (THE AUTHORIZED VERSION) is the English Version used by this Church, believing it to be the PRESERVED WORD OF GOD FOR THE ENGLISH SPEAKING WORLD. II Tim. 3:16; John 10:35; Psalm 89:34 ; Heb. 6:18 ; II Pet.3:16.

2. There is one God, eternally existent, Creator of the heavens and the earth. He is manifested in three persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Gen. 1:1-2; Deut. 6:4 ;Isaiah 9:6 ; I Tim. 3:16; I John 5:7

3. The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God (COLOSS. 2:9) Who took on flesh and dwelt on earth. He was (and is) sinlessly perfect, and gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for sins by shedding His Blood and dying on the Tree (the Cross). He came back from the dead (the Resurrection), paying in full once and for all, for all sins (PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE) for all who believe on Him. II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9 ;Titus 2:14 ; Heb. 10:10-13 ; Heb. 9:12-28 ; Acts 13:38-41 ; I Pet. 2:24; I John 3:5 .

4. God is absolutely Sovereign, and in His Sovereignty gave man a free will to accept or reject the salvation that He provided through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God's will that all would be saved, and that none should perish. God foreknows, but does not predetermine any man to be condemned (all men outside of Christ are already condemned, that's why they must get saved from that condemnation, John 3:18 , 36). God permits man's destiny to depend upon man's choice. I Tim. 2:4; II Thess. 2:13; I Pet. 1:2; II Pet. 3:9; John 6:64-65 ; Romans 8:29-30 ; Acts 10:34 .

5. Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, lost, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary, essential for salvation. The moment a person receives Christ as his/her Saviour, immediately the Holy Spirit indwells the Believer who is sealed until the day of Redemption. Rom.3:23; John 3:7 ; Rom. 8:9 ; I Cor.6:19; Ephes. 1:13-14 & Ephes. 4:30; Titus 3:5 .

6. Man is saved by Grace through Faith, and nothing of man enters into his salvation; it is a free gift. Man's efforts, regardless of how good or well-intended, before or after salvation, have nothing to do with it. Salvation is by the finished work of Christ and nothing can be added to it. Ephes. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16; Rom. 11:6 ; Coloss. 2:13; Titus 3:5 ; Rom. 3:22 .

7. Every true child of God possesses eternal life, being justified by Faith, sanctified by God, sealed with the Holy Spirit, is safe and secure for all eternity, and cannot lose his salvation. . I Cor. 3:11-17; Heb. 12:5-11 ; I Cor. 11:30-32.

8. A true child of God has 2 births; one of the flesh, one of the spirit, giving man a flesh nature and a Spirit nature.  John 3:3-7 ; Rom. 7:15-25 ; Rom. 8:8 ; Gal. 5:17 ; 1John 3:9; I Pet. 1:23; I John 5:18 ; I John 1:8 .

9. A Christian should live righteously and maintain Godly works, not as a means of Salvation in any sense, but as the proper evidence and fruit of Salvation. Ephes. 2:10; Titus 3:8 .

10. There will be a Resurrection of the saved and of the lost; of the Saved unto eternal life, and of the lost unto eternal, conscious punishment. Dan. 12:2 ; Thess. 4:13 - 18; Rev. 20:5-15 ; Matt. 25:41 .

11. We Believe in the personal, pre-tribulational, and pre-millennial Return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; His pre-tribulational Return in the air for the Church, and His pre-millennial Return to the earth to set up His Kingdom. I Thess. 5:9-11; I Thess. 1:10; II Thess. 2:1-8; Rev. 3:10 ; Titus 2:13 ; Isaiah 26:19-21; Rev 4:1 .

12. Satan is a person, the author of sin, and he and his angels will be eternally punished. Ezek. 28:13-17; Isaiah 14:12-15 ; Rev.20:10; Matt. 25:41 .

13. God can heal, but physical healing is not guaranteed because we are saved. God heals miraculously today when it is His will to do so. Rom.8:23; II Cor. 12:5-19;James 5:14-16 ; I John 3:2 ; I Cor. 11:30-32; Matt 8:17 (before He was crucified);Philippians 2:26-27 ; II Tim 4:20; I Tim 5:23; IICor 11:30 - Acts 28 .

14. The gift of tongues (natural languages) was a manifestation of the Spirit’s Power for demonstration of God's wisdom, purpose, and power in the establishment of the early Church; to confirm the message of the Gospel when the New Testament had not at that time been compiled; and was always spoken in a language (natural, ethnic, national language) that was in use; the "sign gifts" in the Book of Acts listed below show the Apostles demonstrating the "Signs of an Apostle". The Modern "tongues movement" has only come into being in the last 90 years, or so, and is not the Tongues of the Bible, but a self-induced, ecstatic experience, sometimes hysteria, sometimes trance, sometimes demonic manifestation. Acts 2:6-8 ; I Cor.14:21-22; Acts 2:22 ; 43  Our evidence of Salvation is that of being justified by faith, Heb. 11:1 ; Rom. 1:16 ; I Cor. 15:1-4; ICor. 1:18-24; Rom. 8:24-25 , vs16; Heb. 12:6-8 . Tongues in Acts 10 & 19 were languages. Gifts I Cor 12, Rom 12 , Ephes 4. From the time I Cor. 12, 13, 14 were written to Romans 12 and Ephesians 4, TONGUES CEASED!

15. The true child of God is not under the Law but under Grace. Saved by Grace, Kept by Grace, disciplined by Grace. Rom. 6:14-15 ; Rom. 11:6 ; II Cor. 3:17; I Cor. 10:23-31.

16. It is Every Christian's privilege and duty to make clear God's plan of Salvation wherever and in whatever vocation he of she may be. Matt. 28:19-20 ; I Thess. 2:4.

17. We believe in the separation of the Church and the State, with each having definite and distinct spheres of responsibility. Matt. 22:17-21 .

18. We believe in the Priesthood of all Believers. Christ is our Great High Priest and Mediator; and through Him, every born-again Believer has direct access into God's presence without the need of a human priest.  Rev. 1:6 ; Heb. 4:14-16 ; I Tim. 2:5; II Tim. 2:15; II Pet. 1:20-21.

19. We believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and that He alone is the Head of the Body of Christ, into which all true Believers are immediately baptized at the time of Salvation by the Holy Spirit; that all members of this one spiritual Body should assemble and identify themselves in local Churches, which represent the Body of Christ on earth. Acts 2:36 ; Coloss. 1:18; I Cor. 12:13; Heb. 10:25 ; I Tim. 3:9.

20. We believe in the importance of the Local Church; and that, is an Assembly of Born-again, baptized Believers, united in organization to practice New Testament ordinances, to meet together for worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching, and a united testimony, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission. Matt. 16:18; Acts 13:1-3 ; Acts 15:4 ; Acts 16:5 ; I Cor. 11:2.; Heb 10:25 ; I Cor 4:2; Matt 25:23;Luke 19:17 ; Luke 16:10 ;

21. We believe in the independance and autonomy of the Local Church, and that no religious hierarchy has any Scriptural grounds to dictate and run the affairs of any Local Church. Acts 13:1-3 ; Acts 15:22-23 .

22. We believe the ordinances given to the Local Church; Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is by immersion of Believers only, thus portraying the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper is the partaking of the UNLEAVENED BREAD, and UNFERMENTED WINE, (grape juice, pure blood of the grape) by the Believer as a continuing memorial of the Broken Body and Shed Blood of Christ our Saviour, until He Returns to claim His Own. Rom. 6:3-4 ; I Cor. 11:2, 23-26

23. Marriage is a life-long heterosexual union (until death do you part), believing that only the death of one spouse ends the ONE FLESH relationship. Romans 7:1-3 ;1 Cor. 7:39.