SECTION I: AUTHORITY OF THIS STATEMENT

Broadalbin Baptist Church’s statement of faith is a small snapshot of what we believe about key doctrines of the Christian faith but does not exhaust the extent of our faith. We do believe that the following statements accurately represent the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and that the Holy Scriptures themselves are the final source of authority and truth for all believers. Though there is great diversity of doctrinal beliefs amongst Christians, we believe that with increased responsibility in the church comes increased necessity for accountability and agreement. As such, this statement is broken up into three categories: CREED, CORE and CULTURE.  

Our CREED beliefs are central statements that are key declarations of followers of Christ that must be affirmed by all those wishing to fellowship with us as members. Our CREED and CORE statements are those that must be affirmed and practiced by all of those who teach in this ministry, hold a trustee or financial committee position or partner with us in the Gospel as a supported missionary. Our CREED, CORE and CULTURE statements are those that the Pastors, Deacons and Ministry Leaders must affirm and practice in their teaching, oversight and leading. Where there is a disagreement amongst our members on areas of our CORE and CULTURE, we believe that unity takes precedence over agreement and church members should endeavor to prefer one another and not use disagreement to cause division or subvert leadership or in any way undermine the whole of the CREED, CORE and CULTURE Statements of Faith.

SECTION II: CREED, CORE AND CULTURE DOCTRINES

• A. CREED
  
  Those doctrines we believe to be central and essential for identifying oneself as a surrendered believer in Jesus Christ, and necessary to identify as a member of Broadalbin Baptist Church.

  • 1. The Godhead: We believe in the eternal, infinite and personal, one true Triune God - three persons in One. All things exist from Him and for His glory. We believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct in personhood yet are co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut 6:4; Ps 102:26-27; Isaiah 45:5-6; Jer 23:23-24; John 17:3; John 10:30; John 14:19; Matt 28:19)

  • 2. The Holy Scriptures: We believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. We understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very word (verbal inspiration) of Scripture. We believe that the Bible is comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments; that these sacred writings are complete, fully authoritative (plenary inspiration), without error (inerrant) as they appeared in the original manuscripts and preserved in the totality of manuscripts for us today. We believe that all the Scriptures are at their core about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work, who is Himself the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1-2). Because of their divine inspiration, the Scriptures are the final authority for faith and life, profitable for reproof, correction and training in righteousness (II Tim 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matt 5:18; John 16:12-13).

  • 3. Mankind: We believe that mankind, both male and female, were created by God in a state of perfection, equally bearing the image of God (Gen 1:27-31). Adam, the father of the human race, sinned against God’s leadership and through that sin the race of humanity fell (Gen 3:6; Rom 5:12). As a result, all descendants of Adam are separated from God by sin (Eph 4:17; Gal 1:12; Rom 3:10-18), are spiritually dead, totally unable to do anything at all to remedy or fix their lost condition (Eph 2:1-3), are born as slaves to sin and are rebels against God (Rom 6:16; Rom 8:7; John 8:34). All mankind are in debt to God through sin that leads to death (Ps 51:5; Rom 6:23) and are in desperate need to be reconciled, made right, and made to be pleasing to God in righteousness (Matt 5:20; Rom 8:8; Isaiah 64:6; Rom 7:18).

  • 4. Person and Work of Jesus Christ: We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16; Acts 13:33). He was miraculously conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:35). He was sinless in His life on earth (Heb 4:15) fulfilling the demands of God’s law, and meeting God’s righteous standard. Through His obedience He is able to gift (impute) His righteousness to all who believe, leading to eternal life (Rom 5:15-21). Christ paid the debt of sin and ransomed men from slavery when He willingly offered Himself as a substitute (Matt 20:28; Rev 5:9) - a sacrifice for our sins - as He died on Calvary’s cross and took upon Himself our sin, our guilt, and our shame (Col 2:13-15; Heb 10:10). We believe in His physical resurrection on the third day (I Cor 15:3-4) and in His ascension to Heaven, where He sits at God’s right hand (Heb 1:3) making continual intercession for us as our High Priest (Heb 7:25). We wait with longing hearts for His return (Acts 1:11) to judge the world (Rev 22:12-13) and establish His righteous kingdom on earth (Luke 1:32).

  • 5. Salvation: We believe that salvation is a gift from God for all who trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:29-31). The gift of salvation is not dependent on human goodness, obedience, desire, or works but solely given by God to man through grace (unmerited favor; Eph 2:8-10) and received by personal faith (confident trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12). The evidence of saving faith will be repentance (turning away from sin), belief (turning to Jesus Christ in trust) and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). We believe that all the redeemed once saved are kept by God’s power and are secure in Jesus Christ forever (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30; Rom 8:1; Rom 8:38-39; I Cor 1:4-8; I Peter 1:3-5) and are therefore assured of their salvation by the same grace that accomplished their rescue (Eph 1:3-14; Rom 8:28-29; Phil 1:29).

  • 6. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God (Ps 139:7; Isaiah 40:13). He makes people aware of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8). He brings new life (or regeneration) to the hearts of those who believe (Isaiah 44:2-4) and He seals them as a guarantee until the day of salvation (Eph 1:13-14). Through His indwelling ministry (I Tim 1:14) He provides witness to God’s word (I John 2:20), enlightens people regarding Jesus (John 15:26) and leads believers in truth (Eph 1:17-18; I Cor 2:10). The Holy Spirit leads and empowers believers to live holy lives before God (Ezekiel 36:25-27). The Holy Spirit provides a comforting presence (Acts 9:31), confirms our relationship with Christ (Rom 8:9-16) and gives gifts and abilities to each believer for the purpose of service (I Cor 12:4-11).

  • 7. Ordinances: We believe Baptism and The Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the church. Baptism is a one-time personal act of obedience and declaration of belief for those who have professed faith in Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 2:28; Acts 8:35-38). We baptize by immersion as water baptism is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in likeness of His death and resurrection. It signifies that the old life as a slave to sin has been put to death, buried and resurrected to new life in Jesus Christ and oneness in Jesus Christ (Rom 6:1-11). Although we do not forbid any individual from celebrating the Lord’s Supper, we believe the Lord’s Supper is only observed in sincerity by those who have become genuine followers of Jesus Christ. This ordinance is done often as a remembrance and memorial of the breaking of Jesus’s body and the shedding of His blood as payment for our sins. The Lord’s Supper proclaims Jesus Christ’s death and is symbolic of the unity believers share with one another (Luke 22:7-22; I Cor 10:16-17; I Cor 11:23-24).

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  B. CORE
  
  Those doctrines that we hold to and require agreement with for all those who teach in this ministry, hold a Trustee or Financial Committee position or partner with us in the Gospel as a supported missionary.

  • 8. The Church: We believe that the church (a called out assembly) is the universal body of redeemed persons in all places who have been made alive together in Jesus Christ by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, baptized into one body (I Cor 12:13). This called out assembly of believers is tasked with making disciples (followers of Jesus Christ) and the proclamation of the Gospel to this world. In the book of Matthew, Jesus Christ gave those men and women (His disciples) a Great Commission to go into all the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the good news) and make disciples who follow Jesus Christ. The church is that gathered group of Christ followers who God has chosen to be the primary tool to spread the Gospel. Therefore the primary way in which we accomplish this Great Commission is the building up of the church by teaching, equipping and preparing the church to communicate the Gospel, the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and plant more churches thus continuing the cycle of growth the Church of Jesus Christ has seen from the very beginning. We affirm that a local church is a group of believers who gather in particular locations, regions, cities and towns under qualified elders as a local expression of the universal church. The purpose of the local gathering is for believers to submit to the Word of God, to be equipped to service, to celebrate and proclaim the work of Christ in their lives through corporate worship, to serve one another with their gifts, to encourage one another and to observe the ordinances - believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Eph 1:22-23; Eph 5:25-27; I Cor 12:12-14; II Cor 11:2; Rom 14:7-12)

  • 9. Marriage and Sexuality: We believe that God uniquely designed men and women in the gender of their birth by divine design and should celebrate their uniqueness by expressing themselves in ways that honor the divine design, distinct roles and unique responsibilities (Gen 2). We believe that marriage was designed by God in His perfect wisdom as a sacred spiritual covenant between one man and one woman (Gen 2:24). God’s design for sexual intimacy is a gift for a husband and wife for their pleasure and God’s glory, protected in the bonds of covenant marriage (Gen 2:25). Through this sacred union God unites for life one man and one woman into one indivisible flesh (Matt 19:6; I Cor 6:15-20). God’s creative design for men and women in a covenant relationship is to live in a monogamous marital heterosexual union with each other, as a living parable and picture of Christ’s relationship with His church. We believe Biblical marriage between a man and a women proclaims the plan of God of the restoration and ultimate sanctification of the bride of Christ (the church) through Jesus Christ’s work and thus proclaims God’s redemptive relationship with the church (Eph 5:31-32).

  • 10. Creation: We believe in the literal account of creation found in the Scriptures, that the physical universe of space, time, matter and energy has not always existed but was supernaturally created out of nothing by the very Word of God Who alone has existed from eternity (Heb 1:10; Heb 11:3; Col 1:16; Rev 4:11; John 1:1-3; Job 38:3-11; Ps 33:6; Isaiah 42:5; Jer 10:12-13). The Creator God specially and supernaturally created human life as the pinnacle of His creation (Gen 1:26). The first human, Adam, was formed from the dust of the earth and given life through the breath of God (Gen 2:5-9). God created the first women, Eve, out of Adam’s own side (Gen 2:21-22). All humanity is unique and distinct from the rest of creation as they fully bear the image of God. We believe that God also created spiritual servants to aid in the work of God as messengers to humanity, which the Bible refers to as angels in the English language (Psalm 148:2,5; Col 1:16; Job 38:6,7; Jude 6). We believe that some of these angels (called demons) chose to follow Lucifer in rebellion against God and have become a force of darkness against the will and purposes of God. This evil force is in a constant pitched battle to the church and the message of the Gospel (Eph 6:11-12; Ez 28; Is 14; Matt 13:39)

  • 11. Eternity: We believe that just as Christ has been raised from the dead, there will also be a future physical resurrection of the dead of all people (I Cor 15). Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal life, avoiding the conscious punishment of eternal separation from God in hell (Matt 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15).

  • 12. Consummation: We believe that Jesus Christ will return (Rev 22:7) personally and visibly (Acts 1:8-11) in power and glory (Mark 14:62; Rev 19:11-16) to consummate His salvation and His judgment (Rev 22:12). The consummation of all things includes the future, physical, visible, personal and glorious return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the translation of those alive in Jesus Christ (I Thess 4:15-18; I Cor 15:50-54), the judgment of the just and the unjust and the fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom in the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1-8). In the consummation, Satan, with his hosts and all those not made one with God through Jesus Christ (I Cor 6:17) will be separated from the benevolent presence of God enduring eternal punishment (Rev 20:7-15); but the righteous, in glorious immortal bodies (I Cor 15:53) will live and reign with Him forever, serving Him and giving Him unending praise and glory. Then the eager expectation of creation will be fulfilled, and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God who makes all things new (Rev 21:22-27).

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  C. CULTURE
  
  These are our Scriptural and Doctrinal convictions based upon our CORE and CREEDS. They are for us a culmination of CORE and CREEDAL doctrines which will be reflected in our church, vision, mission and practice; and must be affirmed by all of those individuals serving as Pastors, Deacons or Ministry Leaders.

  • 13. Church Leadership:1 We believe Jesus Christ is the leader and Senior Pastor of the church (Col 1:8; Eph 5:23). Under Christ’s authority God has ordained the specific office of Elder to exercise Christ’s authority over a local assembly of believers (Eph 4:11-16). Elders are given as gifts to the church to teach, lead and bear responsibility for the spiritual welfare of those they serve (Heb 13:15). Based upon the creative order (I Tim 2:11-13), the role of Elder is held by men who meet the Biblical qualifications (I Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and who are called by the Holy Spirit for this role and responsibility (Acts 20:28). God has also gifted the church with men and women who are called and qualified to serve the church as deacons and who hold a recognized office of servants using their spiritual gifts to help lead the church under the authority of the Elders, who are in submission to Jesus (Acts 6:1-8; I Tim 3:8-13; Eph 4:11; Rom 16:1).

  • 14. Human Equality and Dignity: We believe God created man and woman to equally bear His image (Gen 1:27). Men and women are equal in essence, spiritual gifting, dignity and future inheritance but are also different and complementary by divine design (Gal 3:26-28; I Cor 12:12-13; Col 3:11). As God created human life in His own image, all human life from conception to death is to be protected (Ps 139:13), respected and honored (Gen 9:6). As image bearers of God, all human beings, regardless of race, gender, malady or economic class are set apart from creation, are sacred, valuable and must be treated with honor, protection, dignity, and above all sacrificial love (Acts 10:34-35; John 13:34; James 2:24-25; Luke 10:27).

  • 15. Spiritual Gifts: We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing, administering and empowering of spiritual gifts in believers for the common good of the church (I Cor 12:1-3). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (I John 5:14-15; James 5:13-15). We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given to them (Rom 12:1-8; I Cor 13; I Peter 4:10-11).