Faith Memorial MBC's Mission
We Are Faith In Action
We live by Faith – Matthew 4:4
We pray in Faith – Mark 11:4
We walk in Faith – 2 Corinthians5:7
We seek God in Faith – Hebrews 11:6
We share our Faith – Romans 10:17
“We receive immeasurably because of our Faith in God.
We are growing relationally in 2018.”
Our Purpose
The purpose of Faith Memorial Baptist Church is to lead people to faith in Christ and engage them in worship, evangelism, discipleship, fellowship and ministry. Faith Memorial Missionary Baptist Church will endeavor to bring people into a closer relationship with God based on personal fellowship where Christ is the center of every activity we undertake.
Worship; (Mt 4:10, John 4:23-24); Evangelism; (Eph 3:10, II Peter 3:9); Ministry; (Jn 13:35); Discipleship; (Heb 6:1 and, Prayer; (Acts 1:14, Jn 17, I Pet 5:7); Fellowship (Acts 2:42; 1 Jn 1:3; Phil 2:1)
Faith Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, Inc. is a non-profit, charitable institution functioning within the parameters of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Revenue Law). The church is to be financed through tithes and offerings by its members- no church can succeed without expenses; therefore, each member must support the Church financially (Mal 3:8; Prov 3:9; I Cor 16:2; II Cor 9:7).
What We BelieveStatement of Faith & Covenant
The Holy Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.
Matthew 24:35; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21
The True God
We believe the Scriptures teach that there is one, and only one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is Jehovah, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Isaiah 45:21; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 1:14, 5:26, 14:10, 26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:8
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. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians. 2:5-8)
2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through 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; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
3. We believe that 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; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2)
The Person & 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; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
2. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists 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. (Ephesians 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 church to do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. Ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, although God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (1 Corinthians 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but Adam voluntarily sinned, the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
The Way of Salvation
1. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought 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. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. (Matthew 12:31-32; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:9)
2. We believe the Scriptures teach that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by cordial, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own determined depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which rejection involves him in a aggravated condemnation. (Ephesians 1:13, 2:8)
3. We believe that once a person is saved, he is kept by God’s power and remains secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:4-5)
4. 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 sin. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
5. We believe the Scriptures teach that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; by virtue of which faith, His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God; it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity. (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8)
6. We believe the Scriptures teach that in order to be saved, the sinner must be regenerated, or born again; regeneration consists of giving a holy disposition to the mind that it is affected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith, and newness of life. (John 1:12-13, 6:44, 16:7-11; Ephesians 1:4)
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 believers. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 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. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control, and any affiliations, societies, organizations, associations, or agencies this church affiliates with to further the objectives stated in the Purpose Statement are not authoritative in matters of church practice or belief. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4)
4. We recognize water baptism by immersion as prerequisite to the privileges of church membership, and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. (Matthew 3:6, 3:13-17, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 8:36-38; Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12)
5. We believe that the only scriptural officers are Bishops, Pastors, and Deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus (Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 12:12-27; Ephesians 2:19-21; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy. 3:1-10; Titus 1:6-9)
Repentance and Faith
We believe the Scriptures teach that repentance and faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.
Acts 2:38; Ephesians 2:8)
God’s Purpose of Grace
We believe the Scriptures teach that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable; that it utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of His free mercy; that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; that is may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel; that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demand and deserve the utmost diligence.
Romans 10:13-16; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12)
The Christian Sabbath
We believe the Scriptures teach that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, or Christian Sabbath, and is to be kept sacred. for religious purposes, by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations, by the devout observance of all means of grace, both private and public and by preparation for that rest that remains for the people of God.
John 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
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. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 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 resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6)
3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne of Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of 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. n all who truly believe the Gospel; that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demand and deserve the utmost diligence.
Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10
Creation
We believe that the Genesis account of creation is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of God’s creation of the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin.
Genesis 1-2; Ex. 20:11
Marriage and Family
1. We believe God ordained marriage and family as the foundational institution of human society, and that the only legitimate marriage is a sacred and permanent covenant relationship between one natural born man and one natural born woman, symbolizing the union of Christ and His Church. The husband is to be the servant leader in the home and is to love his wife as Christ loves the church, and the wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 5:22-25; Col 3:18; I Tim. 2:8-15, 3:4-5, 12)
2. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-25; Ex. 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Matthew 19:4-6; Mk. 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7)