What We Believe

What We Believe

We are first Christians, second Evangelical, and third Baptist.

As Christians, we distinguish ourselves from other world religions. As Evangelicals, we are in agreement with other core beliefs of the Christian faith. (See our Statement of Faith Below). In a nutshell, God created the universe, we sinned, and God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem our sins through his death and resurrection.

In the essentials, we have unity,
In the non-essentials, we have diversity.
In all things, we have love.

Lastly, we are Baptist especially in the way we practice Baptism and Communion. We believe both are reserved for those who trust in Jesus for their salvation. We baptize those who have professed faith in Jesus Christ through immersion. If you come from a different tradition or background and you’ve received believer’s baptism, we respect that and do not believe you need a second baptism experience.  We are also Baptist in partnership with other ministries. We were planted by a Baptist church (The Church at Brook Hills) and cooperate with the Birmingham Baptist Association.

The Scriptures

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and focused on Jesus Christ. The Scriptures have supreme authority in all matters of faith, life, and practice.

The Trinity

We believe that there is one living and true God, an eternal community of divine persons (Father, Son, and Spirit), who are equal in every way, yet distinct and complementary in their work through creation, redemption, and final restoration.

God the Father

We believe in God, the Father, creator of heaven and earth, a personal being, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love who rules over all and his plans and purposes cannot be thwarted. In his unfathomable grace, he gave His Son Jesus Christ for mankind’s redemption. He made man for fellowship with Himself, and intended that all creation should live to the praise of His glory.

Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, sent by the Father and incarnated by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, continual prayer for His people, and personal visible return to earth. He is the Head of His body the Church and should be adored, loved, served, and obeyed by all.

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, regenerates spiritually dead sinners and awakens them to repentance and faith. By the work of the Spirit, believers are renewed, sanctified, and adopted into God’s family. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and receives his distributed gifts. He guides, helps, instructs, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

Humanity

We believe that all people are created in the glorious image of God, disfigured by Adam’s sin, which is inherited and reflected by all humanity. As a result, all humanity is under the just condemnation of the one, true, holy God. However, we joyfully believe that all who repent of their sin and trust Jesus Christ as their Redeemer are delivered from condemnation and renewed in the image of God.

The Church

We believe the church is a spiritual community comprised of all who have trusted in Christ for redemption. The church is God’s imperfect people who are being perfected by grace and together cling to a perfect Christ. We are a gospel community created by the Spirit on the mission of Christ to redemptively engage the peoples and cultures of the world.

Communion & Baptism

We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordained by the Lord Jesus himself. Baptism is connected with entrance into the new covenant community, and the Lord’s Supper with ongoing covenant renewal. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe the Lord’s Supper’s elements, the bread and cup, are symbols of His body and blood which were broken and spilled out for our salvation and is done in “remembrance” of Him until He comes again. Contact us to learn more about being baptized.

Future Things

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the renewal of all things. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the redeemed, and the endless suffering of the wicked.