Baptist Distinctives

Biblical Authority

The Bible is the final authority in all matters it speaks of in life, doctrine, and ministry because it is inspired by God and inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16).

Autonomy of the Local Church

The Local Church is an independent body of genuine believers accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the Church (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:40-41; Colossians 1:18)

Priesthood of the Believers

All true believers of Christ are priests of God with the right to directly enter into God’s presence in prayer and worship through our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:9)

Two Ordinances

The Local Church practices two ordinances: (1) Baptism of Believers by immersion in water and (2) the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

Individual Soul Liberty

Every individual has the freedom to choose what he or she believes is right in the religious realm according to his conscience and the Word of God (Romans 14:6)

Saved and Baptized Church Membership

Local Church is restricted to individuals who profess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by grace through faith, not by works. These individuals have publicly identified themselves with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection unto a new life (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:4-6)

Two Offices

The Bible teaches two offices in the Church (1) Pastor who is called elder and bishop. The pastor feeds, leads, cares for, counsels, and disciplines – with the church, God’s flock (Acts 20:17, 28; 2 Timothy 3:1-7); and (2) Deacon (2 Timothy 3:8-13) who is responsible to assist the pastor in material and spiritual ministry of the church.

Separation of Church and State

God established both the Church and the government, and He gave each it’s own distinct sphere of polity and ministry (Matthew 22:15-22). Separation of the believer from sin, worldliness, compromise, and various unbiblical organizations.

Doctrinal Statement

Marriage and Human Sexuality

We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of Holy Scripture, which is our infallible guide (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Since the Holy Bible does speak to the nature of human beings and their sexuality, it is imperative that we correctly understand and articulate what the Bible teaches on these matters.

We are committed to the home and family as set forth in Holy Scripture. We believe God has ordained and created marriage to exist between one man and one woman, with absolute marital fidelity. The Bible sets forth specific home and family values, which include the distinct roles of husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and children. It is our firm conviction that we uphold the dignity of each individual as we embrace the unchanging and longstanding principles of scriptural truth.

Based on Holy Scripture and the constant moral teaching of the universal Church, we believe:

Marriage

We define marriage as the legal, permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal “one flesh” union of one man and one woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child.
(Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:18-24, Matthew 19:4-9, Mark 10:5-9, Ephesians 5:31-33)

Sexual Immorality

We believe that sexual acts outside marriage are prohibited as sinful. Consequently, GRACE members must resist and refrain from any and all sexual acts outside marriage — including but not limited to adultery, fornication, incest, zoophilia, pornography, prostitution, voyeurism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, sodomy, polygamy, polyamory, sologamy, or same-sex sexual acts.
(Exodus 20:14, Leviticus 18:7-23, Leviticus 20:10-21, Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 15:19, Matthew 5:27-28, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Hebrews 13:4, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 4:17-19, Colossians 3:5)

Sexual Identity

We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal personal dignity. Consequently, GRACE members must affirm their biological sex and refrain from any and all attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with their predominant biological sex — including but not limited to elective sex-reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary “genderqueer” acts or conduct.
(Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Sexual Orientation

We believe that God created and ordered human sexuality to the permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal “one flesh” union of man and woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child. Consequently, GRACE members must affirm the sexual complementarity of man and woman and resist any and all same-sex sexual attractions and refrain from any and all same-sex sexual acts or conduct, which are intrinsically disordered.
(Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:5-9, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 21:2)