Our Convictions
This is our doctrinal statement, a concise articulation of our theological convictions.
Section 1: The Word of God
We believe that the Bible is the fully inspired Word of God, both the Old and New Testaments, 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 (John 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
Section 2: The Trinity
We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; that they are equal in every divine perfection; and that they execute distinct, but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 9:14; Genesis 1:26).
Section 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 men, that He hears and answers prayer, that He saves from sin and spiritual death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17; John 4:24; John 17:5).
Section 4: Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who was 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, future return for His Church, and personal visible return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:2-3; 1 John 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 19:11-16).
Section 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 (John 14:26; 16:7-15; Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 1:13-14).
Section 6: Salvation
We believe that all men 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 and Lord are saved from the penalty of sin, born again unto eternal life by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, and brought into personal fellowship with God. We believe that this salvation is a free gift from God, effected upon the ground of the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone, that it is given by grace and received by faith, and that apart from Jesus Christ salvation is impossible (John 1:12-13; 3:3, 16-17; Acts 4:12; 20:21; Ephesians 2:1-9; Titus 3:5).
Section 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, who have been baptized by immersion subsequent to profession of their faith in Christ, and who are 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 (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:38-41; Ephesians 2:19-22; 5:25-27; Matthew 28:18-20).
Section 8: Christian Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men, that his conduct should be blameless before the world, that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions, and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ (Matthew 5:16; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 3:17-23;
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
Section 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 the two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
Section 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 an 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 (Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:18-19, 29; Romans 13:7; 1 Peter 2:9).
Section 11: 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 blessedness of the saved, and the endless suffering of the lost (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:1-15).
Section 12: Theological Perspectives
The teaching and practice of Trinity Bible Church seeks to be consistent with our belief in 1) the premillennial return of Christ (Zechariah 14; Revelation 20:1-6), 2) the pretribulational rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 3:10), and 3) the “non-charismatic” understanding of the existence and practice of spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
Philosophy of Ministry
This document is written to offer a meaningful explanation of the principles that govern the ministries of Trinity Bible Church. It defines who we are, why we exist, and what our purpose is as a local church.
Affirmed Statements
The present state of the church in America is increasingly divergent. Never in our lifetime has there been such a wide disparity between outward and inward lines of distinction between churches. We have witnessed the fading relevance of denominational lines as they hardly offer any meaningful identity anymore. We are experiencing a rapid depreciation of church “statements of faith” as many churches are divergent inwardly even as they outwardly share the same “statement of faith.” We are now witnessing an increasing use of third-party statements that address specific issues confronting the church. These documents state positions on certain controversial social matters, often within the church, seeking to apply biblical doctrine to the church’s everchanging cultural context. The most effective way to directly and openly identify our position on such distinguishing matters is by affirming statements like these. We are increasingly convinced that this approach has several benefits over simply stating such things in an independent document and statement of faith. Like many of the creeds and confessions of previous eras, these statements are purposed to unite churches in doctrine and practice. By affirming these statements, we stand with and seek unity rather than division among Christ’s churches—unity that extols the supremacy of Scripture for the supremacy of Christ, being unashamed of the gospel of grace for God’s glory and man’s joy.