WHAT WE BELIEVE

Our Church Covenant

We the members of Hindman First Baptist by aid of the Holy Spirit covenant to:

Walk together in Christian love, exercising affectionate care and watchfulness over each other and faithfully warning, rebuking, admonishing, and forgiving one another as the occasion may require. Matthew 18:15-35, John 13:34-35; Hebrews 3:12-14

Work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Acts 4:32; Romans 14:19; 1 Corinthians 1:10

Not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others. Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; James 5:16

Rejoice at each others’ joys and seek to, with tenderness and sympathy, bear each others’ burdens and sorrows. Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2

Earnestly endeavor to bring up those in our care in the discipline and instruction of the Lord and seek the salvation of our family and friends. Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 6:1-4; Titus 2:1-8

Seek to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel in the world, denying ungodliness and every worldly lust. Ephesians 5:15-21; 1 Peter 2:11-12; 1 John 2:15-17

Work together for the support of faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will cheerfully contribute regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through our community, state, nation, and world. Proverbs 3:9-10; Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 9:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Seek opportunities in our day-to-day lives to share the gospel and see souls won for Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23

To unite as soon as possible with another church of like faith and commitment to God’s Word if we move from this place. Hebrews 10:23-25

Our Articles of Faith

The Bible

We Believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were written by men divinely inspired and that they are the only authoritative, sufficient, and infallible rule of faith and practice. Psalm 19:7-10 2, Isaiah 40:8, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrew 4:12, 2 Peter 1:20-21

God

That there is only one living and true God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the same in essence and equal in every divine perfection. Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, John 14:6-20, Colossians 1:15, Colossians 2:9

Jesus

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, is fully human and fully God, He lived a sinless life, He was crucified, buried, raised on the third day, and He now lives eternally to make intercession for the saints. Matthew 1:18-23, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 28:5-6, John 1:1, John 1:14, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Galatians 4:4-5, Colossians1:15-20, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 7:25

Man

That man was created in the Image of God: holy, innocent, and happy, but by the disobedience of one man, sin entered the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for all have sinned. Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 3, Genesis 9:6, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Ephesians 2:1-3

Salvation

That the only way of Salvation is by grace through faith in the atonement and righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is the duty of all men to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing can separate True Believers from the love of God, but they will be kept by his power through faith unto salvation. John 1:11-13, John 3:16-18, John 10:28-29, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:30-31, Acts 17:30-31, Romans 1:16-17, Romans 3:21-26, Romans 8:29-39, Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13, Ephesians 2:4-10

The Church

A New Testament Church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel. Matthew 16:15-18, Matthew 18:15-20, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 6:3-4, Acts 14:23, Acts 15:22-30, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 5:22-32, 1 Timothy 3:15

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

That Christian baptism is administered only by the immersion of Believers in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that baptized believers only are entitled to partake of the Lord's Supper. Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 26:26-30, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 8:35-39, Acts 16:30-33, Romans 6:3-5, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, Colossians 2:12

The Church’s Mission

That the Church is the divinely appointed means for the spread of the Gospel throughout the world, and that it is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations, according to each one’s ability to contribute to its support, with their time, talents, tithe, and material resources. Genesis 14:20, Psalm 67:1-7, Malachi 3:8-12, Matthew 28:18-20, John 15:16, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:44-47, Acts 13:1-3, Acts 14:27, Acts 20:35, Romans 10:13-15, Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Ephesians 4:11-16, Philippians 4:15-19, 3 John 1:5-8

Last Things

Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth: the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The wicked shall go away into Everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 24:30, Matthew 25:31-46, Acts 1:10-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Hebrews 9:27-28, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21-22

For a fuller expression of what we believe, see the Baptist Faith & Message 2000