Our Beliefs
What We Believe
Jesus is God.
John wrote about Him: In the beginning was the Word [poetic description of Jesus], and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1 ESV).
He created the world and all that is in it (John 1:3). The religious leaders of his time understood that Jesus claimed to be God (John 5:17-18).
Paul wrote that when Jesus died, the Father revealed to the entire world that He was God (Philippians 2:5-11).
Jesus is the Son of God.
According to the Bible, “Son of God” means: (1) He is fully God. (2) He is one of three persons who together make up the One God. This concept is called the “Trinity.”
The religious leaders of Jesus’ time understood this concept: This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God (John 5:18 ESV).
Jesus is the Savior of the World.
Anytime we disobey God is called sin. The penalty for sin is death, but God in his love wants us to live. Therefore, he sent the promised Messiah (also called Christ) to save the world (John 1:41).
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to earth to die in our place. Because He lived a life without sin, only He was qualified to pay for our sins by His death on a cross. He then demonstrated His power over death when He rose from the grave three days later. Therefore, only through Jesus can our sins can be forgiven and we can come to God (Acts 4:12).
Jesus Christ is the Savior of everyone in the world (John 3:16).
Our Ordinances
Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth. But, He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection. He gave the church two visible symbols (called “ordinances”) as reminders of His death. These two ordinances are: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.
Baptism
Baptism does not save you. It is an outward expression or witness of the inward change that happens when we accept Jesus as Savior. As a result of this, we practice believer’s baptism by immersion and require every member to be baptized in this way:
- To follow the example set by Jesus. Mark 1:9; Matthew 3:16
- Because Jesus commands it. Matthew 18:19-20
- It demonstrates that I really am a believer. Acts 18:8; 1 John 2:3
The Lord’s Supper
Jesus gave His disciples this symbol to remember and celebrate His sacrifice on the cross for everyone. We practice the Lord’s Supper regularly and invite all believers to participate. The Lord’s Supper is:
- A simple act given by Jesus. 1 Corinthians 11:23
- A reminder of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 11:24
- A symbol. 1 Corinthians 11:25
- A statement of faith. 1 Corinthians 11:26
Our Practices
Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following seven practices:
Bible As Our Sole Authority
2 Timothy 3:15 “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right.”
Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say?” We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.
Autonomy of Each Local Church
Colossians 1:18 “Christ is the head of His Body, the church. He is the source of the Body’s life…” GN
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.
Priesthood of Every Believer
Revelation 1:6 “Christ loves us, and by His death He has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God…” GN
1 Peter 2:9 “You are…the King’s priests…God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God.” GN
The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.
Tithing
Leviticus 26:30 “A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”
At SBC we practice tithing for the support of Christ’s body, the church, as God commands. As a result, we recognize that giving 10% of our income is the Biblical standard of giving.
Immersion
Colossians 2:12 “For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ…” GN
We practice baptism by immersion under water — the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.
Spirit-Led Living
John 15:5 (Jesus said), “I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing.”
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. Therefore, we seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right (Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 5:18).
Telling Others About Christ
1 Peter 3:15 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those with whom God brings us into contact. Therefore, we practice personal sharing about Christ and inviting others to know Him.
