We are striving to fulfill the Great Commission in this generation as we love God and love people

Our Beliefs

Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; and it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and therefore, is and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of the Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried. We believe that the Bible is the final authority in all matters relating to faith and practice.

Of the True God

We believe in one God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit – three (3) persons, yet but one (1) God, whose name is Jehovah.

Of the Deity of Christ

We believe in the deity and the humanity of Jesus Christ who is none other than God the Son, manifest in the flesh and in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells forever.

Of the Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace, through Jesus Christ the Son of God; who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sins, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven. He is a compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.

Of the Free Gift of Salvation

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept these blessings by a cordial penitent and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which results in eternal condemnation.

Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness and of the ways of salvation of Christ, we turn to God and unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying upon Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.

Of the Head of the Church

We believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Head of the Church; that all believers are equally priests unto God; that ordination, while it recognizes position, bestows no power; that the local church is independent and sovereign.

Of the Basis for Church Membership

We believe in regeneration of the “birth from above” as the only basis for church membership.

Of Baptism

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, unto the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; to show in a solemn and beautiful symbol of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life.

Of the Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic representation of the broken body and shed blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, given to us as the new covenant. We further believe that all baptized believers are entitled to participate in the observance of this ordinance.

Of the Separation of Church and State

We believe in the separation of church and state and stand for the largest measure of civil and religious liberty.

Of the Christian Sabbath

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day or Christian Sabbath and is to be kept sacred.

Of Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration; that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the healer and comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means-especially the Word Of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, prayer and unselfish service and giving.

Of Stewardship

We believe that God, the creator and owner of all things and persons, has entrusted to the Christian his life, time, talents, influence, money, goods and all things whatsoever he possesses; that as steward of these possessions he is to administer them under the will of God for the purposes of Jesus Christ, that in definite expression of this stewardship he/she is to tithe systematically and proportionately of his means to the support of his church and of the missionary and benevolent enterprises of Christ’s Kingdom.

Of the Perseverance of Saints

We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that a special providence watches over their welfare and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Of Immortality

We believe in the personal second coming of Christ to judge the world; in the resurrection of the body which for those who die in the Lord shall be like Christ’s glorious body, in the eternal life of the saved and the eternal woe of the lost.

Of Marriage

The article of faith of marriage does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Holmes Avenue Baptist Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline our pastor and deacons are Holmes Avenue Baptist Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. As a church, we adhere to the Baptist Faith and Message (2000 edition).

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably created each person as male and female. These two (2) distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. If the person is a hermaphrodite (intersexed), then we will only recognize the person’s first choice of gender.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:4-10).

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, polygamy, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitude directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Holmes Avenue Baptist Church.