What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of True Fellowship Baptist Church based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

We believe that God is the Sovereign Creator of the  universe.  He is an intelligent,  spiritual and personal Being.  We also  believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons: The Father, the Son  and the Holy Spirit.  In essence these  three are one God, co-existent, co-eternal and co-equal.
We believe that every believer has the responsibility to  worship God and God alone.  He has  created mankind to have fellowship with Him and one another.  He is the only true and living God, holy and  immutable in His character.  God although  incomprehensible, is knowable and personable.
(Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20)

We believe that Holy Bible is the inspired, living word  of God.  We further believe that the  Scripture consisting of both Old and New Testaments is the absolute authority  for faith and practice and it is without error in its instruction.
(II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; II Peter 1: 20 –  21)

We  believe that Jesus the Christ is the eternal Son of God who came into the world  that He might make known the love of God to all mankind.  We believe that Jesus Christ is the risen  Savior and redeemer of the world.  In  that He is the only means to the Father for salvation.  Jesus Christ is the head of the church.  He was born of the Virgin Mary, tabernacled  on earth in a human body with a sinless nature without ever ceasing to be God.
(John 1: 14-18; 3:16-17; Philippians 2: 5-11; Acts 4:12)

We  believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross as the ultimate sacrificial lamb  that submitted to the Father’s will to satisfy the righteous demands of a Holy  God.  He thus became the propitiation for  mankind taking away the sins of the world.
(II  Cor 5: 14-15; Col 1: 13-14; I Tim 2: 5; Hebrews 10: 14; I  John 2:2)

We believe that this same  Jesus was resurrected from the grave on the third day morning with a now  glorified body.  This resurrected body  now serves as the paradigm, which all
believers will receive for eternity.
(Jn  20:20; I Cor 15: 42-49; II Cor 5: 1-5; Phil 3:  20-21)  

We  believe that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and was accepted by the  Father.  As a result, He now reigns as  Head over all things.  He is preeminent  and Head of the church which is His body and in this ministry Christ does not  cease to intercede and serve as advocate for those who are now members of His  forever family.
(Ephesians  1: 22-23; Colossians 1: 16-19; Hebrews 1:3)

We  believe that Jesus Christ will some day return to receive those who have  trusted in Him to live eternally in His presence.
(Hebrews  9:27-28; I Thessalonians 4: 13-18)
 

We believe that the Holy  Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who dwells in every believer at very  point of faith in Jesus Christ.  The Holy  Spirit is also co-existent, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the  Son.  He is the agent by which all  believers are empowered and sanctified to live the Christian life both  personally and corporately.
We  believe that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to every believer that  enables the body to be built up in the unity of the faith.
(Romans  8: 12-17; I Corinthians 12: 11-13; Galatians 6: 16-25)

We  believe salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing.  This faith is placed in the finished work of  the cross through the Son of God, Jesus Christ.   No individual can merit salvation or inherit the kingdom from anything  of themselves.  Salvation is ultimately  the unmerited gift of God and not the result of human works.
(John  3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 15: 3-4)

We  believe that upon faith in Jesus Christ, one is rescued from the kingdom of  darkness and transferred to the kingdom of light.  In essence believers are saved from spiritual  death into fellowship with Almighty God.
(John 1:12; 5:24; Colossians 1:13-14)

We  believe that once salvation has been granted by grace through faith, every  believer is kept saved kept forever.
(Jn 10: 27-29; Rom 8: 1, 31-39; Eph  1:13-14; Heb 10:14;
I Jn 5: 11-12; I Peter 1: 3-5)

We  believe that all who have placed faith in Jesus Christ have been baptized into  one body called the church.  The church  thus serves as the primary agent by which God intends to reach the world.  The church is responsible for making  disciples of all nations by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We  believe that the local Church gathers together to receive doctrinal and  practical instruction concerning the Scriptures.  The church exists solely to exalt the Savior,  evangelize the lost and edify the saints.   Those who believe are the family of God and are to grow in Him to serve  as an example of His love to all mankind.
(Matt 28: 18-20; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5;  Ephesians 4: 13-16)

We  believe in the reality of the resurrected Christ on the first day of the  week.  Out of response to the testimony  and example of the early church, this day serves as the Christian’s day of  Worship.  Thus  the local church meets to also testify to Christ’s victory over the grave.
(Matt. 28:1-9; Mark  16:9; John 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Revelation 1:10)

We  believe that at a time in the future, the Lord Jesus Christ shall return in the  air to receive to Himself into heaven those who have placed faith in Him.  This will include the dead in Christ and  those who are alive.
We  believe this snatching of the saints will then be followed by a 7-year period  known as the great tribulation.  This  7-year period will itself be followed by the Lord’s second coming to the earth  to establish His millennial kingdom.
(Zechariah  14:4-11; I Thessalonians 4: 13-17; Revelation 3:10)

We  believe that the family is the covenantal unit between a man and a woman  established by God.  The family is  designed to populate the earth but ultimately to serve as an illustration of  Christ and His bride, the church.  We  believe that since God establishes marriage, it can only be dissolved by those  grounds as outlined in Scripture.
(Genesis 2: 18-25; Matthew 19: 1-9; Hebrews 13: 4)

We  believe that God appoints leaders, Elders & Deacons, to guide His church in  the understanding and application of the Holy Writ.  It is the responsibility of the leadership to  be examples of godliness as they see to the spiritual well-being, direction and protection  of the flock over which God has given them charge.
(Acts  6:1-8; 20:28;  Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 5: 1-3)

We  believe that God has appointed the leadership role of the church to be that of  male leadership.  Thus it is the  conviction of True Fellowship   Baptist Church as outlined in the Holy Scripture that the Pastoral role and all  subsequent responsibilities are that of an ordained male.  The female gender will have opportunities to  share their speaking, administrative or shepherding gifts within the context of  women, children and youth; however, the doctrinal and authoritative exposition  of scripture shall be the sole and primary responsibility of the Pastor or his  appointee during the general congregational services.
(I  Timothy 3: 1-7; Eph 4: 9-13)

We believe that the sole initiative of the church is to ‘make disciples’ of all nations.  Consequently, it is believed that every believer should be progressing and maturing in their spiritual development.  This is the expectation of Christ as stated in His Holy word.  Consequently, discipleship is the development process mandated by Christ within the local church that progressively moves the believer from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity in order that they may represent Christ in lifestyle and the reproduction of their own faith.
(Matthew 28: 19-20; Luke 9:23; Ephesians 4:11-12; Philippians 2:12; Hebrews 5: 11-14, Hebrews 10: 23-25)
 

We believe that the church is responsible for and commanded to be Christ’s witness throughout the land.  He or she is admonished to share the good news of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to a dying world in hopes that all of mankind would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
(Matt 28: 19-20; Acts 1:8; Rom 10: 9-10; I Corinthians 15: 1-3; Colossians 1:28;  I John 1: 1-5)