mission statement
First Baptist Church Havelock exists to glorify God (Rom. 15:5-6; Gal. 1:3-5), stand firm on scripture and prayer (Eph. 6:11-20; 1 Cor. 15:58), make disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 10:9-10), love God and love others as ourselves (Matt. 22:35-40; 1 Cor. 16:13-14).
vision statement
To be a beacon of truth and action!
Values
We value that salvation is:
by the Grace of God alone,
through Faith alone,
the finished work of Jesus Christ alone,
revealed in Scripture alone,
for the Glory of God alone!
by the Grace of God alone,
through Faith alone,
the finished work of Jesus Christ alone,
revealed in Scripture alone,
for the Glory of God alone!
In agreement with the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, we believe:
I. The Scriptures*
The literal interpretation, expository teaching, and personal observation of God's inspired, inerrant, and infallible word*
2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
*see also the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
II. God
There is one and only one living and true God existing eternally in a perfect triune nature; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of essence, or being.
A. God the Father - God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men. Matthew 28:19
B. God the Son - Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. Philippians 2:5-11.
C. God the Holy Spirit -The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Ephesians 1:13-14.
III. Man and Sin*
- Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation.
- In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race.
IV. Salvation
Involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. Romans 1:16-18.
V. The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. Acts 2:41-42.
VI. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
- Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19-20
- The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. 1 Corinthians 10:16.
VII. The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Matthew 12:1-12.
VIII. Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. Revelation 22:13.
IX. Evangelism and Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. Matthew 9:37-38.
X. Education
Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10.
XI. The Family*
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.
* see also the Nashville Statement on Human Sexuality