We believe that God has an enormous, unconditional love for us as His creatures. He is holy, or perfect, in every way. He has appointed the Church as His instrument to tell the world that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, and to model for others what it means to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord of every area of life.
We believe that all of us have fallen short of God’s standards for our lives, and have turned our backs on God’s authority over us. Because of our rebellion, we are alienated from God and live in broken relationships with God and other people. Our choice to reject God means that we have chosen death and judgement for ourselves instead of the never-ending and all-satisfying life with God that He offers us through Jesus Christ.
We believe that Christian conversion is essential to salvation. Conversion begins with a knowledge of the gospel that engages the mind, will, and heart, resulting in a radical humbling for sin. This leads a person to see Christ alone as the only hope of salvation and to choose to turn from sin and follow Christ as Savior and Lord. Christian conversion results in a love for God and His glory and a commitment to serve and honor Him in all that we do.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is fully God and fully Human, and so He is the only one who can perfectly restore the relationship between God and us. Christ died for sinners as their substitute, suffering the penalty for their sins that they might be forgiven. We believe that He was literally, physically raised from the dead and that He lives forever as Master Ruler over all creation. One day, he will visibly return to earth as Judge and Lord.
We believe that the Holy Spirit creates new life in those of us that put our confidence in Jesus Christ as our only Savior and commit ourselves to making Him the center of our lives as we live under His authority. The Holy Spirit has the divine power to change us, making us more and more into the persons God intends for us to be. As a church, we are a community of believers undergoing this process together, seeking to grow in our faith and point others to Jesus Christ.
We believe that the local church is essential to God’s plan to fulfill the Great Commission. God desires the local church to exemplify His merciful and righteous rule over every area of public and private life. He has entrusted the local church with the primary duties of teaching and edifying its own members and telling others that salvation from sin is found in Jesus Christ alone.
We believe that local churches ought to pray for the health and edification of one another and may voluntarily associate themselves with one another in order to fulfill the purpose of the Church, making disciples of Christ.We believe that the whole Bible is God’s message to us, setting out His plan for the world and for us as His people. It is the voice of authority in our daily lives, both individually, and as a church.
From the White Oak Baptist Church Constitution
Abridged Version
