DOCTRINAL STATEMENT 

FINAL AUTHORITY: This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of the universal church and humanity itself, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Waitsburg Christian Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, unanimous agreement by our board of Elders serves as the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application for our church. 

SCRIPTURE: We believe the Bible is the unique and complete self-revelation of God. It is verbally inspired of God, inerrant and infallible as originally written by the human authors (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Word of God is the supreme objective authority for all areas of life (Psalm 19:7-11; Hebrews 4:12). When properly interpreted and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, it becomes the only foundation for ascertaining the purposes of God and comprehending the created universe in which we live (Psalm 36:9; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15). 

THE TRINITY: We believe in the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4), who is the Creator (Genesis1:1; John 1:3), Sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe (Psalm 103:19; Acts 17:25, 28; Colossians 1:17), eternally existing as one essence, yet three co-equal persons, the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:1-2). Each member of the Trinity has the same attributes and perfections and is worthy of the same worship, trust, and obedience. 

GOD THE FATHER: We believe in God the Father, unchangeable in His being, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, grace, and truth. He orders all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8-9; Daniel 4:34-35; Acts 17:24-28; Ephesians 1:11). At the center of His plans and purposes is the redemption of those who come to have a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Ephesians 4:6; Jude 1:24-25). 

JESUS CHRIST THE SON: We believe in Jesus Christ, divinely conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 23, 25; Luke 1:26-35), who is fully God and at the same time fully man (John 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:5-8). He is perfectly righteous and without sin (Luke 1:35; Acts 3:14; 2 Cor. 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26). His death served as an atoning sacrifice to provide redemption and forgiveness for human sin (Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24-25; Colossians 1:14). He was crucified and bodily resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He ascended into Heaven where He serves as the High Priest and Advocate for believers (Acts 2:30- 31; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 2:17; 9:24; 1 John 2:1). 

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the Holy Spirit who convicts the world regarding issues of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11). He regenerates sinners, joining them to the person of Christ, sealing them until the day of final redemption (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5). He indwells, guides, and comforts believers while empowering them to live godly lives (1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Romans 8:2-13; Galatians 5:16, 22). 

HUMANITY: We believe that human beings were created uniquely in the image of God to glorify and enjoy an eternal relationship with Him (Genesis 1:26-27). However, that relationship was severed due to Adam’s fall into sin. Subsequently, all of humanity suffers under a curse having inherited a sin nature from Adam (Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22). All human beings are born spiritually dead and are willful sinners in thought, word, and deed and incapable of attaining salvation apart from divine grace and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Romans 3:9-18; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 2:13). 

SANCTITY OF LIFE: We believe that because all human life is created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27; James 3:9), it is therefore of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death (Psalm 139). We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13; Matthew 22:36-40). Furthermore, every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). 

SEX AND MARRIAGE: We believe God creates each person in His image distinctly, immutably, and biologically as male or female (Genesis 1:26-27). Therefore, one’s divinely determined biological sex should not be rejected. Furthermore, marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6). Sexual intimacy should occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). Any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Our beliefs concerning sex, and marriage are in accordance with the Nashville Statement: A Coalition for Biblical Sexuality (2017). 

SALVATION: We believe salvation is a free gift of God to all who exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Salvation is the result of God’s grace alone through faith alone and is in no way affected by any amount of one’s moral or religious efforts (John 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:8-9). Those who trust in Christ are freely justified by God whereby their sin is imputed to Christ and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them (Romans 3:23-5:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 5:21; Philippians 3:8-9; Col. 2:13-14). Genuine faith is accompanied by repentance (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; Hebrews 6:1) and it produces in the believer a life of love and good deeds toward God and others (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20; Ephesians 2:10; James 2:18-26; 1 John 4:19-21). All true believers are kept by the power of God and are incapable of losing their salvation (John 10:28-29; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Peter 1:5). 

THE CHURCH: We believe in the Church, the one universal, united spiritual body and bride of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Revelation 19:7; 21:9) whose mission is to bring glory to God. This goal is to be accomplished by locally organized churches who are engaged in spreading the gospel of salvation to the entire world, making disciples of Christ among all peoples (Matthew 28:18-20). Furthermore, they are to be engaged in worship, prayer, instruction in the Word of God, keeping the ordinances, and fellowship with one another (Acts 2:42-46; Colossians 3:12- 17; 2 Timothy 3:15-16). Each member of Christ’s body has spiritual gifts to be used in service to the local body for its edification (Romans 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1Peter 4:10-11). 

THE ORDINANCES: We believe that the two ordinances of the Church given by our Lord are Baptism and the Lord’s Table (Communion). Baptism is by water immersion and commanded of all who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38, 41). It is an act of obedience signifying the believer’s death, burial, and resurrection “in Christ” (Romans 6:1- 11). The Lord’s Table (Communion) is a memorial celebration symbolizing the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The bread represents the broken body of Christ and the cup represents His shed blood for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 22:17-10; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32). 

LAST THINGS: We believe in the bodily resurrection of all humanity, followers of Christ to eternal life in the everlasting kingdom of heaven (Daniel 12:2; Romans 8:11, 19-23; 2 

Corinthians 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), and those who reject Christ to divine judgment and everlasting conscious suffering in hell (Daniel 12:2; John 3:36; 5:29; Revelation 20:13-15). We believe in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish a literal, earthly thousand-year kingdom before the final judgment of the world and consummation of this kingdom of God in the New Heavens and the New Earth (Isaiah 60:1-22; 65:17-25; Jeremiah 50:4-5; Daniel 9:25- 27; Romans 11:25-27; 1Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; Titus 2:13; Revelation 20:1-6; 22:1-5).

Our Shepherds:

Pastor: