ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
1. Worshiping the triune God. (Isaiah 6; Psalm 150; Hebrews 10:25)
2.Preaching and teaching God's Word in such a fashion that people trust Christ as Savior and Lord and then continue to serve Him within the fellowship of His church (Ephesians 2:8-10; II Timothy 3:16-4:5)
3. Administering the ordinances of the New Testament:
a. Baptism of believers by immersion (Acts8:36-38; Romans 6:1-4)
b. The Lord's Supper (I Corinthians 11:23-26)
4. Equipping God's people for:
a. The life of obedient growth toward spiritual maturity (Galatians 5:22-23)
b. The work of ministry to the church (Romans12; I Corinth. 12; Ephesians 4)
c. The evangelical penetration of secular society (Matthew 5:12-14)
d. The outreach of the Gospel to the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20)
5. Helping persons in need, both within the church and in the world, through acts of
compassion and hospitality (Matthew 25:31-40; Hebrews 13:1-3;I Peter 4:8-11)
ARTICLE III - DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
1. The Word of God We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority and is sufficient for determining all matters of faith and conduct.
2. The Trinity We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
3. God the Father We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of each person, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
4. Jesus Christ We believe in Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
5. The Holy Spirit We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
6. Regeneration. We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
7. The Church We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members.We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible confession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
8. Christian Conduct. We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
9. The Ordinances. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
10. Religious Liberty. We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
11. Church Cooperation We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary basis.
12. The Last Things We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
ARTICLE IV - CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and to give up ourselves to Him, and having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, most solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with one another.
We commit by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to glorify God in this local church…
• by submitting to the kingship of Jesus Christ
• by being doers of the Word
• by living a godly life in private and public
• by supporting the church in prayer
• by regularly participating in its corporate worship and ordinances
• by cheerfully and regularly contributing to the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations
• by living together and supporting one another in Christian love
• by working and praying together for the unity of the Spirit among us
• by bearing each other’s burdens and sorrows and rejoicing at each other’s happiness
• by being slow to take offense, but always being ready for reconciliation
• by living in harmony with others to preserve unity in the body of Christ; striving to be a continual source of encouragement with an attitude of humility, honesty, openness, support, and cooperation
• by educating our children in the Christian faith
• by seeking the salvation of our family and friends
If we should need to leave this church, we will, if possible, unite with another church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
College Ave. Baptist Church Covenant Commitment Our end goal is that you and your family finish this life in Christ, that we bring as many people with us as possible, and we grow to become more like Christ until then (Ephesians 4:11-16). Having been led, by the Spirit of God, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and to give up ourselves to Him, and having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we commit by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to glorify God in this local church…
- By sitting under teaching that is Biblical, expository, and exegetical
- By participating in corporate worship that is Christ-centered, truth driven, and humbly led
-By serving the needs of the church with ownership and love
-By giving, to slay the material idol, to sow into the ministry, and to renew the mind around money
-By community in which we create Godly friendships, support one another, and spur one another towards love and good deeds
