What We Believe
Statement of Faith
- 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. - 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. - 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 all people, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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 profession 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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 it is the Conference or a 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 independent basis. - 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.
Adopted by the Baptist General Conference (Converge Worldwide) in 1951, reaffirmed in 1990 and amended in 1997.
On Life & Marriage
We at Elk River Baptist Church believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, and is the primary means in which God reveals to us His Will (Matt. 5:18, John 17:17, 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Peter 3:16). Christians, as professing believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we seek to align our lives and worldview to God’s over the influences of the world and contemporary culture (John 14:15, 23-24, Acts 5:29).
Therefore, according to the clear teachings of Scripture, we believe in the following:
- Sanctity of Life: God has designed and created humankind after His Own image, in the distinctly different yet equal forms of male and female (Gen 1:26-27, 5:1-2, Matt 19:4), and gave them dominion over all other forms of life (Gen 1:28-30, 9:1-3). God, as the Author of Life, gives humanity its worth from conception to death (Gen 9:5-6, Job 1:21, Psa 22:9-10, 139:13-16, John 5:21).
- Sanctity of Marriage: God has designed marriage to be an exclusive, faithful covenant relationship between one man and one woman for as long as they both live (Gen 2:24, Matt 19:4-6). The institution of marriage is to be honored (Hebrews 13:4), and followers of Christ must strive to please God on his ideals, seeking a holy and pure life in this regard (Acts 24:16, 1 Thess 3:13-4:7).
Elk River Baptist Church Covenant: (Article IV)
CHURCH COVENANT
As a believer and follower of Christ Jesus, having repented of my sins, confessed him as Lord, and baptized in His Name, I commit (covenant) to live a life of service to Him in community with His People, the Church, at this place, and in these ways:
I will seek to live for Him fully with this congregation of believers and with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I will hold firmly to God’s Word and the Statement of Faith for the sake of personal and mutual growth in Christ.
I will devote personal time to pray for leaders, my church and for the world.
I will pursue a life of individual and corporate worship with the People of God.
I will prioritize my time, gifts, and resources for the building up of God’s Kingdom around me.
I will do my part in caring for the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of others at my church.
I will watch my thoughts, speech and conduct as a representative of Jesus Christ to others.
I will stay away from selling or using substances that I know are harmful to me, because my body is a “temple” of the Holy Spirit.
I will pass on what I am learning in the Christian life to other believers around me.
I will carry out my part in the Great Commission, bringing others into a knowledge of Jesus Christ with God’s help, until Jesus comes back, or calls me home to Him.