CHURCH MISSION
The mission of the
St. Mark Four Bridges
Baptist Church is to know and make known the complete work of salvation and redemption provided by God through Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As a body of believers we are committed to:
* Displaying the love of God to the world by establishing unity among believers and providing for the spiritual and physical needs of those we encounter.
* Acknowledging the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all that we do that we may reflect the glory of God individually and corporately.
* Preparing the body of Christ to walk in their ordained destiny as ambassadors of the kingdom through pure worship and sound biblical instruction.
* Preparing and equipping the next generation to inherit the Kingdom’s promise and fulfill its commission.
BELIEF STATEMENT
The Scriptures: We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and is inerrant in the original writings. The Bible being the revealed Word of God is the ground and foundation from which all claims of truth shall be substantiated. The Word of God is alive and quick! Through God’s sovereign hand, the Scriptures have been preserved and are the supreme and final authority (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12).
God: We believe that there is only one true and living God existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is a distinct Person, but all of one essence and all having the same nature, perfection and attributes, and each is worthy of precisely the same worship, confidence, and obedience (Genesis 1:1-3, 26; Matthew 3:16,17; John 1:1,14, 10:30, 14:26, 15:26; Matthew 28:19).
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, shed His blood on Calvary in our place, was buried, rose again and ascended to the Father according to the Scriptures (Luke 1:26-33, 22:20, 24:46).
Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, God and coexistent with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the Chief Agent in the regeneration of the soul, the Chief Convictor of sin, and the Chief Comforter of the believer. Simultaneous with regeneration, the Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the body of Christ, permanently dwells in him and seals him in salvation for all eternity. The Holy Spirit is the giver of spiritual gifts to the believer (John 16:1-13; Acts 5:3-4; Titus 3:5; Matthew 3:11; Ephesians 1:13-14; I Corinthians 12:1-11).
Man: We believe that man is the direct creation of God- body, soul and spirit. Therefore man is not in any way a result of evolution, but is made in God’s image. The sin and fall of Adam resulted in the fall of creation and mankind both physically and spiritually (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:10, 5:12, 8:18-23).
Salvation: We believe that all who, in faith, receives the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are born again by the Holy Spirit and thus become the children of God. Salvation involves redemption, regeneration, sanctification and glorification
(Ephesians 1:7; Romans 10:9-10, 5:7-11; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22; John 17:16-22; II Corinthians 5:17; I Corinthians 6:19).
Eternal Security: We believe that salvation is not only a gift from God but is sustained by Him as well. Salvation is wholly of the Lord, apart from the works of man. The Holy Spirit permanently indwells the believer and seals him in salvation for all eternity. Therefore, the believer shall be kept by the power of God through faith (John 3:16, 10:27-29, 14:16-17, 26; Ephesians 1:13; 2:8-9; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:5; Jude 24-25).
The Priesthood of the Believer: We believe in the priesthood of each individual believer so that every Christian has direct, personal access to God in prayer through Jesus Christ. There is no mediator between God and man other than
Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:9, 10: Hebrews 4:14-15, 5-2).
The Second Coming: We believe literally in the visible, personal return of Jesus Christ for His church. At this time, the dead in Christ and the living believers will be translated to meet Him in the air. He will at a point after the translation visibly descend with the saints and establish His Kingdom (Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Rev. 20:1-6).
Satan: We believe that Satan was originally created as a perfect being. He rebelled against God and as a result, he became depraved along with a host of angels who fell with him. He is an adversary of God and God’s people. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross and awaits his ultimate doom at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming (Ezekiel 28:14-19; John 10:10; I Corinthians 15:51-58).
The Church: We believe that the New Testament Church is a local body of believers with Christ as their head and the Holy Spirit as their Guide. The church is to be governed and directed by Jesus’ sovereign gifts to the church in the form of set ministry men and women to equip the saints to do the work of ministry (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-8, 6:3; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:3-6, 22-23, 4:11-16).
Ordinances: We believe that the local church observes two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord should be baptized by immersion into water. Baptism is symbolic of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper should be observed in remembrance of Him to show forth His death for our sins until He comes again (Matthew 3:13-17, 28:18-20; I Corinthians 11:17-34).
CHURCH COVENANT
* Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
* We promise by the aid of the Holy Spirit to forsake the paths of sin, and to walk in the ways of holiness all the days of our lives.
* With this view we engage to strive together for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines.
* To contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations.
* We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances.
* To walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, back-biting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
* We further agree to walk together in Christian love and watchfulness, giving and receiving admonition with meekness and affection; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech, to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay.
* We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other Church, where we can carry out the spirit of this Covenant, and the principles of God’s Word.
* Humbly confessing our past sins, we pray for grace and strength to keep these, our holy vows, for the sake of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
* Amen.
