Statement of Faith
We believe it is our responsibility as a church to hold fast the word of God in sound doctrine. As commitment to the Word of God we’ve outlined what we believe born out of the scriptures. You can click on each doctrinal section to better understand our position with supporting Bible references. God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit The Scriptures Cessation of the Gifts Creation Providence Election The Fall of Man The Mediator Regeneration Repentance Faith Justification Sanctification Security of the Believer The Family The Church Baptism Communion The Lord’s Day Civil Government Death and Eternity Satan The Rapture of the Church The Tribulation Period The Second Coming and the Millennial Reign The Judgment of the Lost Eternity.
- We Believe In A High View of God. God is absolutely sovereign in all things. The church is established and exists for His glory alone. God is directing and working all things after the counsel of His own will (1).
- We Believe In A High View of Scripture. Because the Bible is the Inspired, Infallible, and Inerrant Word of God in the original language passed down to us without change, it is the absolute and final authority on all matters (2).
- We Believe In the Preaching of Sound Doctrine. Maintaining a high view of God and a high view of Scripture necessitates the preaching, teaching, and practicing of sound doctrine (3). Doctrine always precedes duty.
- We Believe In Personal Holiness. Though we are in the world, we are not of the world. We are accountable to God and to each other for what we do and how we live, for we have been bought and are not our own (4). We belong to Christ.
- We Believe In Spiritual Authority. God Himself has established order in every area of our lives, and the church is no exception. God in Scripture has clearly given us the structure of authority for the church. Christ is the head of the church and He mediates His rule through the shepherding of godly elders (pastors) (5). These elders (pastors), having a high view of God and Scripture, being devoted to the preaching, teaching and practicing of sound doctrine, and being examples of personal holiness before the congregation, are responsible to lead the church. The Bible teaches that the congregation is accountable to the elders (pastors) and that the elders (pastors) are accountable to God. Therefore, all decision-making authority is vested in the elders (pastors), who shepherd the church (6).
References
(1) Psalm 22:28; Psalm 33:6-9; Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:34-35; Isaiah 40:17-18; Romans 9:13-29;Revelation 4:11,
(2) 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21,
(3) 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ,
(4) Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:18; Ephesians 5:3-12,
(5) Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 5:1-4,
(6) Acts 15:6-21 Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17
ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP
“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” –Romans 1:16
ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP is a new fellowship with a two thousand year old foundation. The name flows from the dogmatic declaration of Romans 1:16. This verse contains both the mission statement and the driving conviction of our fellowship. It’s the same mission statement and driving conviction found in the Gospels, on every page of the earliest recorded history of Christ’s Church (see the book of Acts), and in all the N.T. epistles to follow.
ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP’S mission statement is to be authentically and actively unashamed of the soul saving, life transforming, culture changing Gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, through faithfully and boldly preaching the Law of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the pulpit and on the street (Acts 1:8, 4:27-29, 5:27-32, 4:31, 6:7, 11:19-21, 12:24, 19:20). Our mission is to put the “GO” back in “go therefore” (Matt. 28:18-20)! Our mission is to take the Word of God to the highways and byways, wherever perishing sinners are found, confident in the certain knowledge that all those whom the Lord is calling will be granted repentance of sin and faith in Christ (Luke 14:23; 1 Cor. 1:18-25; Acts 11:18, Acts 13:47, 26:18, 28:28; Rom. 10:14-17).
ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP’S DRIVING CONVICTION is that the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation! The power of God to salvation is not in the gimmicks or machinations of man, it’s in the preaching of the Gospel. Jesus Christ was a preacher, He trained and sent forth preachers, and His last and standing command is for us to boldly go and preach God’s Law, to preach repentance of sin, and to preach His death, burial, resurrection to all mankind — turning the world upside-down (Luke 24:44; Phil. 1:27-30; John 16:8; Acts 17:6).
ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP’S DOCTRINAL COMMITMENT is to declare, define, and defend the Gospel for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners in the pulpit, on the street, outside of abortion clinics, on college campuses, and wherever else Providence leads. We commit to unashamedly love and serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through the preaching of His Law and His Gospel everywhere — filling our cities with the soul saving , life transforming, culture changing Word of God! We will joyfully unite for mutual encouragement and accountability with every church in Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION WORK who genuinely holds to the MISSON STATEMENT and DRIVING CONVICTION of the ONE:16 FELLOWSHIP, and the basic tenets of The Baptist Confession of 1689 or The Westminster Confession of Faith.
“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” –Philippians 1:27-30
THE SCRIPTURES.
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.
GOD.
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience.
THE TRINITY.
God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
PROVIDENCE.
God, from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events; yet not in any way as to be the author, or give approval of sin, nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.
ELECTION.
Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life– not because of foreseen merit in them, but of his mere mercy in Christ– in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified.
THE FALL OF MAN.
God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity [i.e. descendants] inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.
THE MEDIATOR.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He lives forever to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest, and King of the church, and Sovereign of the Universe.
REGENERATION.
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who makes alive those who are dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone.
REPENTANCE.
Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the manifold evil of his sin, so that he humbles himself with godly sorrow, detesting sin, and abhorring [i.e., hating] self, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
FAITH.
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving grace, and leads to a life of holiness.
JUSTIFICATION.
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made. It is given not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith.
SANCTIFICATION.
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial [i.e., willing] obedience to all Christ’s commands.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
THE CHURCH.
The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Bishops (or Elders) and Deacons.
BAPTISM.
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life.
THE LORD’S SUPPER.
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship.
THE LORD’S DAY.
The New Testament Church gives the example of assembling on the Lord’s Day (i.e. Sunday) for the reading and teaching of the Word of God, worship, prayer, and mutual encouragement – stimulating one another to love and good deeds. It is fitting to view the Lord’s Day as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the redemption of His people.
LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.
God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
THE RESURRECTION.
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God – the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.
THE JUDGMENT.
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when every one shall receive according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life.