Our Beliefs

Being a Baptist church automatically means we are a pretty diverse group of people. There are some beliefs that most Baptist churches hold in common. As a congregation, we adhere to the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message, which is available online and in print, and which is summarized briefly as follows:

The Scriptures: 

We believe the Bible was written by humans and divinely inspired by God as God’s revelation to humanity

God: 

We believe there is only one true, living God. He is all and over all, and reveals himself in the “trinity” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God, the Father: 

We believe he is our creator and he loves humanity as his children; all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ become his children.

God, the Son

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who was born to Mary being conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is totally human and totally divine, lived perfectly, died on the cross for our sins, rose again on the third day, and after being seen by many witnesses ascended into heaven. Salvation only comes through him.

God, the Holy Spirit: 

We believe the Holy Spirit is God’s presence everywhere, at all times, and all the time. He points humanity to the Father and the Son, and dwells in all Christians who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Humanity: 

We believe humans were made in the image of God, beginning with Adam and Eve, and fell into sin, standing in need of the Savior.

Salvation: 

We believe Jesus Christ alone will save and redeem humanity. This requires admitting one’s sin and need for the Savior, believing in Jesus Christ as Savior, and changing loyalty from self and sin to God alone.

Grace: 

We believe it is only through grace (getting what we do not deserve) that salvation is possible. This grace is eternal and is a gift from God.

Church: 

We believe the church is the body of Christ made up of believers who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and followed in his baptism. The church is autonomous under the lordship of Jesus Christ, and all members share responsibility in the work of the congregation. 

Baptism & The Lord’s Supper: 

We believe these are two ordinances our congregation is called to remember. Baptism is the water immersion of the believer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as a testimony of going public with this faith. The Lord’s Supper is a significant opportunity to obey Jesus by remembering his death and sacrifice. At FBC Lorena, we practice “open table” communion, which allows both members and non-members to participate in the Lord's Supper.

Lord’s Day: 

We believe Sunday is our regular day to gather in worship and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God’s Kingdom: 

We believe that the Kingdom of God includes both his general sovereignty over the universe and his particular kingship over people who fully acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which people enter through faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ. This Kingdom has already arrived, and yet is not fully complete at this time.

Last Days: 

We believe that God in his own time and way will bring the world to its appropriate end, including the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.