Central Baptist Church exists to...
proclaim the gospel for the hope of the lost..."But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:4-10 |
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Articles of Faith
Article I. We believe that the Holy Scriptures are our only authority for the way of salvation, the Christian life, and the practice of the Church; that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Article II. We believe in the one true and living God revealed in the Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 14:7-9, 15-26; Matthew 28:19).
Article III. We believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; that the way of salvation is by faith receiving God’s free gift of grace, which is given through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus by His atoning death on the cross and His victorious resurrection (Romans 3:23-26, 4:23-25; Ephesians 2:1-10).
Article IV. We believe that all true believers, those genuinely born again of the Spirit of God, shall be kept by the power of God through faith; that no power or person shall be able to pluck them out of the Father’s hand or to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus; that they have eternal life as a present as well as a future reality; that should a child of God fall into sin, God will, in love, chasten him as a son and seek to lead him to repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing of sin through confession of sin to God (John 3, 10:27-29; 1 Peter 1:5; Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 1:9, 5:11-13; Hebrews 12:5-11).
Article V. We believe that all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; that baptism is by immersion in likeness of the believer’s union with Christ in death to sin, burial, and resurrection to walk in newness of life; that the Lord’s Supper should be observed by the churches in remembrance of Him and to show forth His death for our sins until He comes again (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Article VI. We believe that each local church is autonomous as far as human government is concerned; that each church should look to Christ alone as its head and earnestly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit; that we can please God and promote His work by cooperating together for missions, publications, education, and many other joint efforts (Ephesians 1:23; Revelation 3:22).
Article VII. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, that every Christian has direct access to God in prayer through Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest; that there is no mediator between God and man other than Christ Jesus (Revelation 1:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:5).
Article VIII. We believe in the imminent, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that the righteous dead shall be raised immortal to dwell eternally with the Lord; that the unrighteous dead shall be raised to be sentenced to the second death of the lake of fire (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 20:11-15).
Article IX. We believe in religious liberty for all men and the separation of Church and State; that a free Church in a free State is the Christian ideal (Matthew 22:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Article X. We believe that we are under a mandate from our Lord as stewards of the Gospel and of our lives and possessions to live holy and separate lives of Christian love and to give cheerfully and liberally of our time, talent, and means to bear witness of Christ both personally in our own lives and corporately through our churches and missionary efforts (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 9:6-15; 1 Peter 1:13-21; Matthew 5:14-16, 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; John 20:21-23.
Article II. We believe in the one true and living God revealed in the Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 14:7-9, 15-26; Matthew 28:19).
Article III. We believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; that the way of salvation is by faith receiving God’s free gift of grace, which is given through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus by His atoning death on the cross and His victorious resurrection (Romans 3:23-26, 4:23-25; Ephesians 2:1-10).
Article IV. We believe that all true believers, those genuinely born again of the Spirit of God, shall be kept by the power of God through faith; that no power or person shall be able to pluck them out of the Father’s hand or to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus; that they have eternal life as a present as well as a future reality; that should a child of God fall into sin, God will, in love, chasten him as a son and seek to lead him to repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing of sin through confession of sin to God (John 3, 10:27-29; 1 Peter 1:5; Romans 8:35-39; 1 John 1:9, 5:11-13; Hebrews 12:5-11).
Article V. We believe that all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; that baptism is by immersion in likeness of the believer’s union with Christ in death to sin, burial, and resurrection to walk in newness of life; that the Lord’s Supper should be observed by the churches in remembrance of Him and to show forth His death for our sins until He comes again (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Article VI. We believe that each local church is autonomous as far as human government is concerned; that each church should look to Christ alone as its head and earnestly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit; that we can please God and promote His work by cooperating together for missions, publications, education, and many other joint efforts (Ephesians 1:23; Revelation 3:22).
Article VII. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, that every Christian has direct access to God in prayer through Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest; that there is no mediator between God and man other than Christ Jesus (Revelation 1:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:5).
Article VIII. We believe in the imminent, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that the righteous dead shall be raised immortal to dwell eternally with the Lord; that the unrighteous dead shall be raised to be sentenced to the second death of the lake of fire (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 20:11-15).
Article IX. We believe in religious liberty for all men and the separation of Church and State; that a free Church in a free State is the Christian ideal (Matthew 22:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Article X. We believe that we are under a mandate from our Lord as stewards of the Gospel and of our lives and possessions to live holy and separate lives of Christian love and to give cheerfully and liberally of our time, talent, and means to bear witness of Christ both personally in our own lives and corporately through our churches and missionary efforts (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 9:6-15; 1 Peter 1:13-21; Matthew 5:14-16, 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; John 20:21-23.
Our Southern Baptist Roots
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Founded in 1960, we have been affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention of churches from the beginning. We remain a Southern Baptist Church and believe that our denomination’s statement of faith, the “Baptist Faith and Message 2000,” accurately describes our understanding of the basic truths of God’s perfect Word.
Read what Southern Baptists believe here, or by clicking on the SBC logo. |
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Central Baptist Church Covenant
I. Salvation and Baptism
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, 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, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. (John 1:1-12; Matt. 28:19-20)
II. Duties of the Church
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 (John 13:34-35; Phil 1:27); to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines (Hebrews 10:25; Matt 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Jude 3); 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. (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9).
III. Duties of Personal Christian Living
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; 2 Timothy 3:15); to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances (Acts 1:8; Matthew 4:19; Psalm 126:4-6; Proverbs 11:30); to live holy and moral lives (1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8); to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in all our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment (Ephesians 5:15; Philippians 2:14-15; 1 Peter 2:11-12) to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger (Ephesians 4:31, 1 Peter 2:21; Colossians 3:8; James 3:1-18); to be sober-minded, not to be drunk, but to be filled with the Spirit (Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 5:8); and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior (Titus 2:13-14).
IV. Duties to Fellow Members
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love (1 Peter 1:22); to remember each other in prayer (James 5:16); to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech (Galatians 6:2; James 2:1; 1 Peter 3:8); to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 18:15).
V. Duties When We Move Away
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word (Acts 18:24-28; Romans 16:1-2).
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, 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, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. (John 1:1-12; Matt. 28:19-20)
II. Duties of the Church
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 (John 13:34-35; Phil 1:27); to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines (Hebrews 10:25; Matt 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Jude 3); 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. (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9).
III. Duties of Personal Christian Living
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; 2 Timothy 3:15); to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances (Acts 1:8; Matthew 4:19; Psalm 126:4-6; Proverbs 11:30); to live holy and moral lives (1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8); to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in all our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment (Ephesians 5:15; Philippians 2:14-15; 1 Peter 2:11-12) to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger (Ephesians 4:31, 1 Peter 2:21; Colossians 3:8; James 3:1-18); to be sober-minded, not to be drunk, but to be filled with the Spirit (Proverbs 20:1; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 5:8); and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior (Titus 2:13-14).
IV. Duties to Fellow Members
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love (1 Peter 1:22); to remember each other in prayer (James 5:16); to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech (Galatians 6:2; James 2:1; 1 Peter 3:8); to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 18:15).
V. Duties When We Move Away
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word (Acts 18:24-28; Romans 16:1-2).
