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SUNDAY SERVICES @ 8:15AM & 10:30AM
BELIEFS
God
We believe there is only one true and living God. He is the Creator and ruler of the universe. He eternally exists in three persons: The Father, The Son, (Jesus Christ), and The Holy Spirit. This relationship is termed the “Trinity.” Each person of the Trinity has distinct attributes and personalities, but God is without any division of His nature, His essence, or His being.
Genesis 1:1, 26; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19-20; John 3:31-36
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe. He is all-powerful, all loving, all knowing, and possesses all wisdom. He is the Father to all who enter His family by adoption through personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is a Father of grace, a Father of joy, but also a Father of wrath and justice. Just as an earthly father shows love by discipline, so God the Father disciplines those that are His. Because of redemption in Christ, we can be in relationship with the Father, just as His Son Jesus Christ is in relationship with Him.
Isaiah 64:8; John 1:1-3, 12-14; Ephesians 4:1-16; Luke 15:11-32; Matthew 11:27; 1 John 2:13; John 17; Romans 8:14-17; Deuteronomy 8:5; Hebrews 12:3-11
Jesus Christ is eternal from the past to eternal in the future. He is the only Son of God the Father. He became man after being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. In this incarnation He perfectly performed the will of His Father, completely identifying Himself with manhood, yet without sin. He took on the sins of the world by a substitutionary death on the cross, making provision for obedience to the divine law requiring the shedding of blood for the redemption of man. In three days He was raised from the dead, appeared to many, and then ascended to heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father. He will return to earth one day in power and glory to judge the world and consummate His redemptive mission. He dwells within believers as their living and ever present Lord and Savior.
Matt 1:18-23; I Corinthians 15:1-8; Romans 5:1-9; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24; Colossians 1: 13-23; John 1:12-14; 2 Corinthians 5:21
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men to write the Scriptures. To the believer He is their teacher, their guide, their helper, and their comforter. He convicts the believer of sin. He fills them with spiritual gifts for daily living and service. He seals the believer for their final day of redemption. He enlightens and empowers every believer and church in their worship of God, their spiritual growth as a believer, their prayer life, and the manner in which they serve others and tell others about their wonderful God-Given, God–Empowered faith in Christ. Through this God-Powered faith, evangelism, discipleship, prayer and all manner of services flow from Him through the believer.
1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Romans 8:26-27
The Bible
The Bible was breathed by God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit into human authors who wrote this book of God’s revelation of Himself to man. The Bible is comprised of 66 separate books written over thousands of years by over 40 authors, yet communicates an integrated message. The Bible has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. We believe the Bible is the supreme and final authority of the individual Christian and the church body for its beliefs and daily living. The focus of the entire Bible is the person and work of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:105
Mankind
God created mankind in His own image and for His glory as the crowning work of creation. Man exists to enjoy God by glorifying Him with our lives now and into eternity. In the beginning, mankind was completely innocent of sin and had the freedom of choice and dominion over the earth. By this free choice, when tempted by Satan, mankind sinned against God. As a result, everyone that is now born into the world will experience physical death and spiritual death. They inherit a sinful nature and in essence and in practice rebel against God. This places mankind under condemnation of God that can only be remedied by the grace of God providing the salvation for any and every person through their faith in Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:3-9; Acts 17:31; Romans 5:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17
Salvation
Salvation is the amazing free gift of God the Father who gave His only Son to take on the sins of each man and woman who after the conviction of their sin by the Holy Spirit chooses to turn from their sin (repent,) and accept this free gift of God, trusting in Christ alone to declare them “not guilty.” The new believer then is saved from the wrath of God, is “born again,” receives eternal life, and is adopted into the family of God.
John 1:12; 3:1-21; Romans 3:23; 5:6-9; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 4:3-7
At the moment of salvation when the new believer is “born again,” he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. By constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit the believer is able to live in obedience to Christ, manifesting the “fruit of the Spirit,” and demonstrating the character of Christ in everyday living. He is also given spiritual gifts for service in the local church body and for ministry throughout the world.
Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:10-16; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:16-25
Those who have initially received by faith this free gift of salvation and are truly “born again” will be protected by God’s preserving power until the end of time. It is possible however for believers to fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieving the Holy Spirit, and bringing reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves.
John 10:27-30; Galatians 6:7; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:3-6; 1 John 5:11-13
The Church
The Church is the universal body of all who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Grace Crossing Baptist Church is a local church, an autonomous congregation of baptized believers. We gather together for worship, prayer, spiritual growth, service, fellowship, and to carry out the Great Commission by going “into all the world” to “make disciples.”
Acts 2:41-42; Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 28:18-20
We observe the two Biblical ordinances of baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism publicly demonstrates a believer’s salvation experience by the picture of the death and resurrection of Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic reminder of the death of Christ, the fellowship we have with Him, and our unity as the body of Christ. Only believers partake of these ordinances.
Matthew 26:26-30; 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5
Jesus Christ is the head of the church. He is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Source of redemption and reconciliation for the church. He gives unity amidst diversity. He gives purpose, Himself achieving first place and preeminence in everything. He is the head and ruler over all authority. All the fullness of God dwells in Christ. The Christian is made complete in Him. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge for the believer.
Colossians 1:15-20; 2:2-3; Ephesians 2:2-22; Philippians 1:15-20; John 1:1-5
We believe that an individual’s soul is capable to decide issues of faith and that all believers have free access to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13; Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-23
God disciplines those that He loves. He can use the leadership of the church to prayerfully and scripturally administer His discipline. The primary and initial goal is always restoration and redemption.
Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1-5; Revelation 2:4-5; 3:1-3
The officers of the congregation consist of the pastor and the elder leadership.
Acts 6:1-8; I Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9
Jesus Christ is the absolute head of the church and the Savior of the Body. He must always have preeminence in everything. The pastors along with the elders provide the key leadership, teaching, and shepherding roles for the church. This leadership group works along with the staff to provide the administrative and ministry assistance for the church. The deacons fill the key role of service to the church. All work together to meet the needs of the Body, and lead the local church in fulfilling its God given role in the community and the world.
1 Peter 5:1-4; Ephesians 5:23
The congregation chooses its lead pastor, and affirms its elder leadership and deacon body. The church will develop its own standards for church membership, organize its own worship, designate its own offerings, and decide its own ministries and areas of service. Grace Crossing Baptist Church is affiliated with the local Metro Baptist Association, the Mississippi Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
Mark 2:1-3; Luke 10:1; Acts 1:13-14, 1 Corinthians 1:10; 3:5-10; Ephesians 4:1-6; 1 Timothy 3:1-13
Stewardship
God is the ultimate source of everything that we have and all that we are. We are to be responsible stewards or caretakers of the many blessings bestowed upon us. These responsibilities include our conduct in word and deed worthy of the gospel entrusted to us to proclaim this good news to the entire world. We are also to be stewards of our time, talents, and treasures. A tenth or a tithe is a basic Biblical guideline for giving to the church. All our giving should be cheerful, systematic, proportionate, and liberal, realizing that much has been given to us and much is required of us in response to His indescribable gift.
2 Chronicles 29:9-11; Acts 20:35; Malachi 3:10; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9; 9:6-15
Family
The Lord God is the Divine Creator of the family. The family is the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. For the family and marriage God has established a specific order and framework with definite directives in which they will properly function. The family does not exist primarily for itself alone but exists to glorify God. Secondary purposes are for human procreation and intimate companionship, existing only if these guidelines for the biblical family and marriage are followed. This marriage relationship is a “mystery” but above all is a beautiful picture of Christ loving and sacrificing Himself for and nurturing His bride, the church. The “one flesh” relationship of marriage can only be between a man and a woman united legally and spiritually together in this covenant. In this Godly marriage relationship the husband and wife walk and serve together as fellow heirs of the grace of life.
Relationships and conduct that might exist outside of this God ordained biblical model of the family and marriage are not God honoring and are offensive to God and are sinful. God offers grace and mercy, redemption and restoration, to any and all that confess and repent of their sin.
Children are a gift and blessing from the Lord. Parents must be diligent in all areas of life to teach and train their children in the ways and service of the Lord. Children must honor and obey their parents. The primary responsibility for this discipleship and training is at home, from parents. However, the local church will strongly complement the efforts of the parents in their discipleship of their children.
1 John 1:9-10; Psalm 68:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-6:4