| DOCTRINE |
| Lens Creek Missionary Baptist Church |
| Proclaiming the Love of Christ |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
The Holy Scriptures.
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbal and plenary inspired Word of God. The
Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed and, therefore, are the final authority for faith and life.
We believe that Gods Word is the Authorized King James Bible. It is the preserved, inspired, inerrant and infallible
translation for English speaking people. It is the final Authority in all things. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
The Godhead.
We believe in one triune God, who is eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, existing in three persons—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
The Person and Work of Christ.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been
conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
(Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a
representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical
resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our
High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom.
8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that
He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them
unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that
it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists,
pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:
3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary.
We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit
and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the
resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Corinthians 1:
22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Fallen Nature of Man.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited
a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his
lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; I
Peter 1:18-19) and that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ
Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the
seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to
establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45;
Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
The Church.
We believe that Christ is the head of the church. All born-again believers are members of the church which is the body
of Christ. As believers, we should be baptized by immersion and prayerfully seek and serve in a local, New Testament
church. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 2:12)
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again
persons. (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament
Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28;
Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; I Peter 5:1-4)
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
This doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we
believe
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbal and plenary inspired Word of God. The
Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed and, therefore, are the final authority for faith and life.
We believe that Gods Word is the Authorized King James Bible. It is the preserved, inspired, inerrant and infallible
translation for English speaking people. It is the final Authority in all things. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
The Godhead.
We believe in one triune God, who is eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, existing in three persons—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
The Person and Work of Christ.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been
conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
(Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a
representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical
resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our
High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom.
8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that
He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them
unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that
it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists,
pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:
3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary.
We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit
and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the
resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Corinthians 1:
22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Fallen Nature of Man.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited
a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his
lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; I
Peter 1:18-19) and that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ
Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the
seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to
establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45;
Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
The Church.
We believe that Christ is the head of the church. All born-again believers are members of the church which is the body
of Christ. As believers, we should be baptized by immersion and prayerfully seek and serve in a local, New Testament
church. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 2:12)
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again
persons. (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament
Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28;
Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; I Peter 5:1-4)
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
This doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we
believe