Beliefs

WHAT WE BELIEVE:

  • It has been said, “To keep the faith, we must know the faith.” We encourage all those attending NAB churches to study the Word of God. Dig deep. Ask questions. Know what you believe.  We have briefly outlined below several key beliefs that are essential to being North American Baptist.  For a detailed Statement of Beliefs, click here .
  • We believe the Bible is God’s Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God’s revelation of Himself to humanity (II Timothy 3:16).
  • We believe in the one living and true God, perfect in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love (I Timothy 1:17; Psalm 86:15; Deuteronomy 32:3-4).
  • We believe God created an order of spiritual beings called angels to serve Him and do His will (Psalm 148:1-5; Colossians 1:16).
  • We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His creation (Genesis 1:26-28).
  • We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin and death (II Timothy 1:9-10; I Thessalonians 5:23).We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe in Him are members (Ephesians 1:22-23; Romans 12:4-5).
  • We believe religious liberty, rooted in Scripture, is the inalienable right of all individuals to freedom of conscience with ultimate accountability to God (Genesis 1:27; John 8:32; II Corinthians 3:17;  Romans 8:21; Acts 5:29).
  • We believe Christians, individually and collectively, are salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16).
  • We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and the new earth (Ephesians 1:9-10, Revelation 21:1).

 

A NORTH AMERICAN BAPTIST IS A CHRISTIAN WHO:

  • Believes God is revealed through His son, Jesus Christ
  • Acknowledges Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior
  • Professes the Christian faith as contained in the Old and New Testaments
  • Believes that church membership is only for those who have personally experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ
  • Publicly affirms new life in Christ through the ordinance of believer's baptism by immersion, which symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as the believer's death to the old life and rising to new life in Jesus Christ
  • Seeks to live a Christian life and remains a faithful member of the church, and supports it with worship participation, prayers, gifts and service
  • Regularly observes the Lord's Supper in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ for our salvation
  • Believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the only infallible authority for the Christian; uses the Bible for teaching and guidance, studies it daily, with the right to interpret the Scriptures through the illumination of the Holy Spirit
  • Believes in soul liberty — the right of every person to approach God directly without another person as a mediator — and so communicates daily with the Lord
  • Seeks to be led by the Holy Spirit and demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit in life
  • Responsibly and prayerfully participates in determining and implementing the goals and ministries of the local church
  • Enthusiastically participates in the worship, Bible study, and outreach of the local church
  • Helps the local church to be true to the teachings and practices of the New Testament
  • Evidences new life in Christ through a witness before fellow Christians and others in daily contacts
  • Believes that the local church is a spiritual democracy with all members equal; affirms a congregational form of church government
  • Defends religious freedom for all and the separation of church and state — neither one controlling the other