Statement of Faith
The Word of God – We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God in its entirety, written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and it is the sole authority for the Christian’s faith and conduct. We believe the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people of the world. (Psalm 12:6-7, II Peter 1:20-21)
The Godhead – We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe they are equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 1:26, Matthew 3:16-17)
God the Son – We believe Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men; that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. (Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:26-28, II Corinthians 5:21)
God the Holy Spirit – We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature. It is He who convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He is the Restrainer of the Evil One until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel and is the Agent in the new birth, baptizing all true believers into the body of Christ. (John 14:17, I Corinthians 12:12-13)
Man – We believe man was created in the image and after the likeness of God, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy estate. The consequences of which all mankind are now sinners under the just condemnation of God, without excuse or defense. (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:6, Romans 5:12)
Atonement – We believe the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. (I Corinthians 15:3-4)
Salvation – We believe the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through faith and Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. We believe the blessings of salvation are made free by the Gospel, nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Security – We believe those who receive Jesus Christ as Saviour are eternally secure. Our security rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 3:16, I John 5:12)
Christ’s Resurrection – We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His ascension into Heaven and in His present life there as High Priest and advocate. (Acts 1:9, I Corinthians 15:3-4)
Second Coming – We believe in “that blessed hope”- the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, when the church will be “gathered together unto him.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-16, I Corinthians 15:50-52)
Israel – We believe in the literal fulfillment of the prophesies and promises of the Scriptures which foretell and assure the future regeneration and restoration of Israel as a nation.
Bodily Resurrection – We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, which is heaven, and the everlasting punishment of the lost, which is hell. (I Corinthians 15:50-52)
Scriptural Ordinances – We believe the Scriptural ordinances of the church are Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper, and are to be administered to believers only as a symbol of their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; and as a testimony to the world of that belief and of their death, burial and resurrection with Him; and the Lord’s Supper should be partaken of by believers only to show forth His death “till He come.” (I Corinthians 11:23-26)
The Church – We believe the church is a congregation of born-again, baptized believers, practicing the New Testament principles, believing its doctrines, observing its ordinances, and exercising its autonomy. We believe it is the responsibility of the local church to propagate the Gospel to the world. Every church and Christian should have a part in this ministry. (Acts 2:41-47)
The Family – We believe God created mankind male and female with the command and purpose to be fruitful, to multiply, and to replenish the earth. Accordingly, God ordained marriage exclusively as one male and one female becoming one flesh (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:3-9; Romans 7:2; Ephesians 5:22-32).
We believe children, the natural fruit of God’s design of marriage, are a heritage of the Lord, to be taught spiritual and moral values by their parents, who are to rear them with loving discipline following the example and instruction of the Lord (Genesis 33:5; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalms 78:4-7; Psalms 127:3-5; Psalms 128:3-6; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:1-4; Hebrews 12:7-10).
We believe in the sanctity of human life. We believe human life begins at conception, and from conception through elderly adult years should be respected as a creation of God. We believe abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, suicide, assisted suicide, and other similar acts are acts of murder and therefore against the will of God (Genesis 1:27; Exodus 20:13; Leviticus 19:32; Job 12:12; Psalms 139:13-14; Isaiah 44:2, 24;
Jeremiah 1:5; Romans 9:20-22; I Timothy 5:1-2).
Neo-Orthodoxy – This theological persuasion is a result of a futile attempt to reconcile “the higher scientific Biblical Criticism” with the true Biblical interpretation. Such an appeal to Biblical revelation is based upon half-truths and as such is false and deceptive. We utterly reject this method and position.
Neo-Evangelicalism – This movement, while claiming to be fundamental in theology, has actually compromised the underlying principles of the Christian Faith. It questions inspiration, literal interpretation, accepts liberals as Christians, takes a new attitude toward the ecumenical movement, promotes ecumenical evangelism, denies both ethical and ecclesiastical separation, restructures eschatology, and over stresses the social aspects of the Gospel. We hold this position to be unscriptural.
Ecumenical Movement – The attempt to unite the different faiths today on the basis of the least common denominator of doctrine is a betrayal of the true unity of believers based upon sound doctrine of the historical Christian faith. Its dialogue with other religions is dialectic. Its method of operation is subversive and shows a tendency of totalitarianism. Scripture does not support its concept of an ecclesiastical kingdom. We reject all cooperation with this movement.
The Tongues Movement – We believe the gift of tongues was given as a sign to Israel and like the gifts of Apostleship and prophecy, which were for the founding of the church, (Ephesians 2:20; I Corinthians 14:21,22), and is therefore not being given today. While we recognize God may give any gift to the Church at any time, we believe the current resurgence of the practice of the tongues which is not Scripturally regulated, and which is usually divisive is not the Scriptural gift of tongues. We, therefore, urge members of the Mission base their experiences on the written Word of God, seek to use the more important gifts (I Corinthians 12:28), and cultivate Christ-likeness, (Galatians 5:22- 23), none of which requires the use of genuine or spurious tongues. New Horizon Baptist Church and Baptist Missions to Forgotten Peoples will not accept, or tolerate, a staff member or missionary who practices or encourages the practice of speaking in tongues.
Reformed Theology – We reject any form of Hyper Calvinism.
We take a stand against any trends in doctrine and practice which lead to discrediting the
Bible and undermining the fundamentals of the faith.