Mission and Statement of Faith

1. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God, as inerrant in the original writings, and as the supreme and final authority in faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7; Isaiah 8:20; 2 Peter 1:21)
2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 45:21-22; Jeremiah 10:10; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19; John 14:16; Matthew 3:17)
3. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary, is true God and true man, and is the only Mediator between God and man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-7; John 1:1-14; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 2:5)
4. We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God. (Genesis 1:27; 31; 2:7; 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-24; 1 Cor 15:21; Romans 6:23)
5. We believe in the vicarious death of the Lord Jesus Christ as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. (1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Revelation 1:5; 12:22)
6. We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. All such are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and baptized by Him into that spiritual body (church) of which Christ is the head. (John 3:3-71:12-13; 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 1:18-24)
7. We believe in the eternal security of all who trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:16; 36; 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; 2 Timothy 1:12; Jude 1)
8. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life, there for us as High Priest and advocate. (Psalm 16:10; Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-28; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:21; Acts 2:22-36; 1 Cor. 15:1-58; Acts 1:10-11; Hebrews 5:1-10; 7:23-28; 1 John 2:1)
9. We believe in (a) “that blessed hope,” and in the personal and visible (b) return of our Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His Kingdom.
10. Rapture – Titus 2:11-13; John 14:1-31; 1 Thess. 4:13-18
11. Return to earth – Psalm 24:1-10; Isaiah 9:6; 24:22-23; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:10-11; Jude 14-15; Revelation 20:1-15
12. We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, setting forth the essential facts of redemption – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and also the essential facts in the experience of the believer – death to sin and resurrection to newness of life; and that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:34-39; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:1-11; Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:20-34)
13. We believe that a local New Testament Church consists of a company of baptized believers who have voluntarily associated themselves for worship, for instruction, and for service, for our Lord. (Acts 2:41; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2)
14. We believe that a local New Testament Church is a self-governing body, and must be free from interference by any Convention or any other ecclesiastical or political authority. Therefore, the Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from the dictates or patronage of the other. (Acts 6:3-6; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 5:29; Acts 13:2-4; Acts 15:2; 22-31)
15. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost. The saved shall appear in Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards and to dwell with Him for all eternity. The lost shall be judged at the Great White Throne and be cast into eternal hell. (John 5:29; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 1 Cor. 15; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15)
16. We believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience.

15. Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

1. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
2. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one naturally born man and one naturally born woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a naturally born man and a naturally born woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
3. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10.)
4. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Sierra Vista Baptist Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to Sierra Vista Baptist Church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Sierra Vista Baptist Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22.)
5. 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; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.)
6. 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 attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Sierra Vista Baptist Church.