• An Affirmation of Our Faith
  • Our Strategic Vision

An Affirmation of Our Faith

Adopted by the Baptist General Conference in 1951

1. The Word of God: 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 that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

2. The Trinity: We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

3. God the Father: We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of each person, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

4. Jesus Christ: We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived 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, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.

5. The Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.

6. Regeneration: We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

7. The Church: We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible confession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

8. Christian Conduct: We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.

9. The Ordinances: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

10. Religious Liberty: We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.

11. Church Cooperation: We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary basis.

12. The Last Things: We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

Our Strategic Vision

STRATEGIC VISIONING PROCESS

About 25 ABCers, deacons, pastors, and other leaders have spent three Saturdays together, under the guidance of facilitator Bob Gregg. They have analyzed the church on three levels:

(1) VALUES – We follow Christ by affirming in our lives and our fellowship the values which were important to him: especially, LOVE, FAITH, INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY and INCLUSIVITY.

  • Our LOVE begins with his saving love for us, and we respond by loving God through worship and loving others through sacrificial service.
  • Our FAITH is focused on Jesus Christ as the manifestation of God’s grace and forgiveness, both for us and for those we are able to reach with the gospel message.
  • Our INTEGRITY comes from the belief that God knows us inside-out and accepts us as we are, so we are able to be honest and transparent toward others.
  • Our COMMUNITY grows out of the reality that the truth of Jesus is best expressed through a body of believers who share faith and love in an atmosphere of integrity.
  • Our INCLUSIVITY reflects the openness of Jesus in accepting unlikely people who might be excluded by other types of communities.

(2) MISSION – The ABC Mission Statement is:

“Together we seek to
– Grow in Christ
– Cherish every person
– Live the Word”

(3) VISION – By 2020, 85% of the active family of ABC will be intentionally committed to significant regular involvement in activities that contribute to the fulfillment of the church’s mission.

This will be evidenced by four key goals:

  • Triple the number of children and youth by 2020
  • 65% of ABC family involved in small groups
  • 55% doing community and world outreach
  • Outreach aimed at groups underrepresented at ABC

Also mentioned as important goals were:

  • 55% doing regular service within the church
  • 75% attend worship any given Sunday
  • 85% praying every day]
  • 65% involved in personal Bible study
  • Have 15 Monte Cedro residents attending