A BRIEF STATEMENT OF OUR BELIEFS
We believe that:
God created the world in six literal days, culminating in the perfect creation of man on the sixth day.
Man was tempted by Satan and disobeyed God, causing sin, and, consequently, death, to enter into the world.
Everyone since that time has sinned against God, and the penalty of sin is death.
But God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to be born of a virgin; to die on the Cross as eternal payment for our sins; and to be raised from the tomb on the third day after His burial.
Anyone who believes in Christ shall be saved from his sins; be born again through the power of the Holy Spirit; and will receive the gift of eternal life through the grace of God.
OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF FAITH (excerpted from the Constitution of Harvest Baptist Church)
PURPOSE
General:
This congregation is organized as a church exclusively for charitable, religious, and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Revenue Law), including, but not limited to, for such purposes as the establishing and maintaining of religious worship; the building, maintaining, and operating of churches, parsonages, schools, chapels, radio stations, television stations, rescue missions, print shops, day-care centers, camps, nursing homes, cemeteries, and any other ministry that the Harvest Baptist Church may be led of God to establish.
Specific:
The purpose of Harvest Baptist church is to glorify God through the Lord Jesus Christ by balancing faithful evangelism, biblical instruction, loving fellowship, God-honoring worship, fervent prayer, and the practical equipping of believers to serve God and edify each other.
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF FAITH
INTRODUCTION
This Doctrinal Statement is to be used as a guideline for faith and practice at Harvest Baptist Church.
A. SCRIPTURES
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life (II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:16-17; Prov. 30:5,6).
B. GOD
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:1; John 10:30; Matt. 28:19).
C. JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the second person of the Triune God, the Eternal Word, and only Begotten Son; that without any change in His divine Person, He became man by the miracle of the Virgin Birth, thus to continue forever as both true God and true man, one Person with two natures; that as man He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the Cross by His own blood, becoming there the sin of the world; and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead; that He arose bodily from the grave and was glorified; that as our great High Priest He ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Col. 2:9).
D. HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the Trinity and the divine agent in natrue, revelation, and redemption; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment; that at salvation He regenerates, indwells, seals, and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; that He further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and fills believers who daily surrender to Him (John 7:38-39; 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:13-14; I Cor. 3:16; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:9; Phil. 3:3; Eph. 1:13-14).
E. SATAN
We believe that Satan is a real being, the fallen angel, the god of this world, the prince and power of this world, the author of all that is wicked and sinful, and one whom God will judge and cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10; Eph. 2:1-4; II Cor. 4:4).
F. FALL OF MAN
We believe all men are by nature and choice sinful and lost; that man was the direct creation of God and in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, Adam became a sinful creation, and father of the fallen race which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation (Gen. 1:26, 27; 3:7-13; 6:5; 6:11-13; Ps. 51:2-5; Rom. 5:12-18; Eph. 2:2-5).
G. SALVATION
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by virtue of the work of man, but received only by personal repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man; that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation (John 3:3-7, 16; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 3:20-26; 4:24, 25; 5:1, 9, 19, 29, 21; II Cor. 5:19-21; Eph. 1:5-7; I Pet. 1:23; 2:24).