Church Overview
Our Mission
Making disciples through Christ’s love at work within us.
What We Believe
Our Statement of Faith and Doctrinal Position
ABOUT GOD
We believe there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4), an infinite intelligent Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, in one essence but eternally existing, and subsistent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Psalm 139:8; 2 Corinthians 13:14), each equally deserving the same in worship and obedience. (Acts 17:24-29; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 19:10)
God the Father
We believe in God the Father — the first person of the Trinity is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ and He relates Himself to His own as their Father (Luke 3:38, John 1:12-18; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 4:13).
God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ — the second person of the Trinity possesses all the Divine excellencies, and thus He is co-equal with the Father, and He is co-substantial and co-eternal with Him (John 10:27-30; John 14:9). Jesus was virgin-born (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:25; Luke 1:26-35), was God incarnate (John 1:13-18; 1 John 1:3), lived a sinless human life, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
God the Holy Spirit
We believe in God the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, eternal, possessing all the divine excellencies, and that in these, He is co-equal with the Father and the Son, and is co-substantial with Them (Acts 5:3-4). He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily (2 Corinthians 3:17, Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27). He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved; speaking in tongues (unlearned languages) and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
ABOUT THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is the written revelation of God, and the 66 books of the Bible constitute the complete Word by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:7-14). It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living (Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:34; John 10:35). Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error (Isaiah 30:8). There may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, but there is but one true interpretation, and it is to be found as one diligently applies the grammatical-historical-contextual method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (John 7:17; John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20).
CONCERNING MAN
We believe man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. The purpose of man’s creation was to glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish His purpose for man in the world (Genesis 1:26-30; Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). He was created free from sin with a rational nature, intelligence, free will, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God. Because of Adam’s sin of disobedience, he lost his innocence and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death. He and all people of all ages are hopelessly lost, apart from the salvation, which is in the redemptive work of Jesus. All men, thus, are sinners by divine declaration, by nature, and by choice (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; Romans 5:10-20; James 2:10).
ABOUT SALVATION
We believe salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer for forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty (Romans 6:23). When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. God declares as righteous those who believe in Christ (Romans 8:33). This righteousness is through faith alone and only through the merit of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are, thus, secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; John 6:37-50; 19:27-30). The grace and power of God, not the self-effort of the Christian, maintain salvation. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security (2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5). We are also sealed by the Holy Spirit of God until we see Jesus. (Ephesians 4:30)
ABOUT ETERNITY
We believe people were created to live forever. We will either live eternally separated from God by our sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be separated from God is to be in Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and Hell are literal, real places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; John 14; Romans 6:23, Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9).
ABOUT ANGELS
We believe that angels are created beings, and therefore are not to be worshipped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they were created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; Hebrews 2:6-7; Revelation 8:11). The Bible teaches the literal existence of Satan (a created angel and the author of sin), as an evil and powerful adversary, who acts as personal tempter and accuser, and his current and future defeat at the hands of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
ABOUT THE AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe that Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24)
God has ordained the church to practice two visible symbols as reminders of Christ’s death (ordinances): taking part in the Lord’s Supper, and believer’s baptism.
The Lord’s Supper
Taking part in the Lord’s Supper is a simple reminder of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). It is to be partaken of by those who are saved (Mark 14:22-26). The Lord’s Supper offers the believer a time of self-examination, confession, recommitment, and restoring fellowship with the Lord. The Lord’s Supper is not to be taken lightly or ritually, but to be remembered.
Believer’s Baptism
We believe that baptism by immersion (Matthew 3:16, John 3:23, Acts 8:39) is an outward sign (public identification) of an inward relationship. Christ commands believers (those who have trusted Christ as their personal savior) to follow in believers baptism as a first act of obedience (Matt. 28:19-20). Baptism does not contribute to one’s salvation but identifies the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4-5).
God has ordained the church to hold two scriptural offices in the church: pastor(s), and deacon(s).
Pastor(s)
Pastor(s) are the shepherd(s), and overseer(s) of the local church. Under the Lord Jesus Christ, the Pastor(s) role is to prepare God’s people for the work of the ministry, and to watch over the church, that the body of Christ might be built up. (Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-2; 1 Timothy 4:11-16)
Deacon(s)
Deacons are chosen to serve tables allowing the pastor(s) freedom for preaching, teaching, and praying. Deacons will therefore aid and assist the pastor(s) as he cares for the church (Acts 6:1-7; I Timothy 3:8-13).
ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
We believe the Biblical record as stated in Genesis, including the literal six-day creation of the universe and everything in it; Adam and Eve as the parents of all human life; the literal Fall and its resultant curse on creation; and the worldwide Flood and its cataclysmic effect (Genesis 1, Genesis 2).
ABOUT FUTURE THINGS
We believe that physical death involves no loss of consciousness (Revelation 6:9-11; Matthew 10:28), that the soul of the saved passes immediately into the presence of Christ, that there is a separation of soul and body, and that such separation will continue until the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, Revelation 20:4-6). The Bible teaches the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:6, 13-15). The Bible teaches that the souls of the unsaved at death descend immediately into torment, where they are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 20:1-15). We teach the visible, personal, and premillennial return of our Lord to translate His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11), and to reward them according to their works (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10), with sufficient time elapsing between this event and His glorious return with His church to allow for the judgment of believer’s works. This period includes the Tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-31; Matthew 25:31-46).
ABOUT MISSIONS
In accordance with the Holy Scriptures and the Articles of Faith derived from them, the focus of missions of Open Door Baptist Church will be to assist Pastors in establishing and/or strengthening Indigenous Bible-believing churches throughout the world.
ABOUT MARRIAGE
God-breathed Holy Scriptures is that the marriage covenant shall be reserved only for one biological man with one biological woman. The idea that marriage is a covenant only between one biological man and one biological woman has been the traditional definition of marriage for all of human history (“Traditional Definition of Marriage”). Because of the longstanding importance of the Traditional Definition of Marriage to humans and their relationships and communities, and, most importantly, the fact that God has ordained that marriage be between one biological man and one biological woman, as clearly conveyed in God’s inerrant Scriptures, including for example in Matthew 19:4-6 wherein speaking about marriage Jesus referred to the fact that “he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,” the Church will base its applicable policies on this statement of faith.
Common-Law Marriage
In no case shall persons be accepted into membership and/or employment who are known to be living in a common-law state of matrimony.
ABOUT SEXUALITY
Sexuality and the divinely prescribed boundaries for the expression thereof is covered clearly in the Holy Scriptures, which limit sexual expression to the marital relationship of one biological man with one biological woman. Homosexual acts, adultery, bestiality, and all forms of fornication are categorically condemned in the Holy Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Romans 1:26-27; Proverbs 5:3-5, 8-13; Proverbs 7:21-27; Galatians 5:19; Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18; Matthew 5:27; Matthew 19:18; Luke 18:20; Romans 13:9; James 2:11; Leviticus 20:10-21; 1 Corinthians 10:8; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Jude 1:7.)
Furthermore, the Church believes that sexuality is assigned by God at birth, whatever that may be, and the Holy Scripture does not permit an individual from altering their sexual identity physically or otherwise. (Deuteronomy 23:1)
