God
We believe in the only true God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). He is a God of truth and without iniquity, He is just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4) and He shall judge the world (Psalm 9:8).
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20; Col 1:19).
Jesus Christ
We believe in the total deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe He is the manifestation of God in the flesh. We believe He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe Him to be true God and true man (John 1:1, 1:14, 1:18, 14:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16). We believe in the resurrection of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, His ascension into heaven and His present life for us as High Priest and Advocate (Acts 1:3; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25-26).
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-eternal and co-equal in all of His divine attributes and being with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14) and that His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner upon belief in Christ, baptizing the believer into one body of which Christ is the head. The Holy Spirit indwells from the moment of conversion (Rom 8:9), guides, instructs, fills, comforts and empowers the believer for godly living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of God’s righteousness and of coming judgment (John 16:8-11).
Scriptures
We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in their original writings. We believe in the literal, grammatical and historical interpretation of the Scriptures, and that they are our final authority in all matters. We believe the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament are God’s complete and sufficient revelation and therefore carry God’s authority for the total well-being of mankind (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Angels
We believe that holy angels are created beings and therefore not to be worshiped. They were created by God to serve and worship Him (Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; Revelation 5:11-14; 22:8-9).
Fallen Angels (Satan and Demons)
We believe that Satan is a created angel who brought sin into existence by rebelling against his Creator (Isaiah 14:12-17). Some angels followed Satan in his rebellion and also fell into sin (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:3-4). Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man who will ultimately be crushed by God and eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10).
Man
We believe man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker but, by voluntarily transgressing, fell from his sinless and happy state. Consequently, all mankind is sinful. All people are sinners not only by inheritance, but by their own choice and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. We believe that without exception every man and every woman is totally depraved and needs a Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18, 1:32, 3:9-20, 5:1-2).
We believe in the sanctity of life and that children are a gift from God. We believe at the moment of conception every man or woman is a beautiful, living creation, being formed and knit together in the likeness of God their creator and is therefore to be seen and treated with dignity and worth and should be protected (Gen 1:26; Exo 20:13; Psl 127:3, 139:13-16; Isa 49:5; Jer 1:5; Mat 5:21; John 2:19; 1 Cor 6:19).
Salvation
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the person and work of Jesus Christ (John 20:30-31), and that no one is or can be justified by works of any kind (Romans 3:20). We believe that each person who by faith receives Him as personal Savior is justified on the basis of Jesus Christ’s shed blood on Calvary. Each person who receives Christ as personal Savior is born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby becomes eternally secure as a child of God. We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each believing person into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation and that there is no second baptism of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13). The sinner’s salvation consists of regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
A. Regeneration
We believe that regeneration is the sovereign act of the Spirit of God by which He imparts spiritual life to a person. It is a one-time event that is instantaneous (Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 1:12-13; 3:3-8; Titus 3:5; James 1:18, Colossians 2:13). Regeneration will be seen in a person’s life through their faith and the works that faith produces (Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26).
B. Justification
We believe that justification is God’s act of declaring a sinner righteous through the sinner’s faith in Jesus (Romans 3:28). We teach that justification is by faith alone, not of works, and is a gift of God’s grace (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8), so that no one may boast before God for contributing anything to his own salvation (Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:9). Justification is based solely upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to the sinner through faith (2 Corinthians 5:21).
C. Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the process by which the believer is conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). While the believer is declared righteous in Christ (justification) through faith, he still battles temptation, sin, and the flesh (Romans 7:25; 1 Corinthians 10:12-13). Every believer is in the process of sanctification, which is learning to overcome temptation, sin, and the flesh by faith (2 Corinthians 3:18). Sanctification is a work performed in the believer by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:13).
D. Glorification
We believe that all believers will someday be glorified with Christ (Romans 8:30). This glorification will result in receiving a new body which is imperishable, glorified, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). All believers are eternally secure because they have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption in which all believers will be glorified (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Church
Upon responding to the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior by faith, a believer becomes part of His body, which is the church. There is one church universal, composed of all those throughout the world who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scriptures command believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances (baptism and communion), fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to make disciples of all nations (Ephesians 5:23; Romans 12:1; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20).
Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church – under the oversight of elders and other supportive leadership. The church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ and God the Father (Ephesians 3:21, 4:16; Revelation 1:6).
Ordinances
We teach that two ordinances have been committed to the local church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42).
Baptism
Christian baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:1-11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42) and should be a voluntary act of obedience and faith. Believers are exhorted to give this testimony soon after their conversion as an initial step of discipleship (Acts 8:26-39; 16:25-33). We believe that baptism does not complete or fulfill a person’s salvation.
Lord’s Supper
We teach that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes, and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination to ensure that one is walking in fellowship with Christ and other believers (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). We also teach that whereas the elements of communion are only symbolic of the flesh and blood of Christ, participation in the Lord’s Supper is nevertheless an actual communion with the risen Christ, who indwells every believer, and so is present fellowshipping with His people (1 Corinthians 10:16).
Missions
Realizing that the cause of Christ extends beyond any one local fellowship, we commit ourselves to an ongoing ministry of extending the call of Christ to make disciples locally, regionally and around the world through personal discipleship and by supporting missions (Matthew 28:19-20).
Last Things
Death
We believe that when a believer dies, his soul passes immediately into the presence of Christ without loss of immaterial consciousness (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; Revelation 6:9-11), his soul and body separated until his body is resurrected and glorified (Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). When an unbeliever dies, his soul is kept under punishment until the final judgment (Luke 16:19-31). At the final judgment all unbelievers shall be resurrected, condemned, and cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be tormented under the just wrath of God forever (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15).
The Coming of Christ
The coming of Christ will be unexpected, and no one knows the day nor the hour of His coming (Matthew 24:36). We also believe in the “blessed hope”: that Jesus Christ will return to the earth personally and bodily, with great power and glory and will then sit on His glorious throne and usher in the long awaited Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 24:27-31; Acts 1:11, 3:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:8). Believers are to live in constant readiness for the coming of Christ in glory (Matthew 24:42-25:30).
The Eternal State
The new heavens and the new earth will be the eternal dwelling place of God and His people, where they will see God’s face and reign with Him forever and ever (Revelation 21:3-5).
Church Leadership
Colossians 1:18 says that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. The Chief Shepherd (1 Pet 5:4) has delegated authority to a plurality of elders in each local congregation, not to the congregation itself. No higher human leader exists in a church than that of an elder. Humanly speaking, the head of the church is not a senior-pastor or a deacon board, but a plurality of elders who shepherd the flock of God among them (1 Pet 5:2-3).
Office and Function of the Elders
1 Peter 5:1-5, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and Titus 1:6-9 are the definitive passages of the New Testament dealing with an elder's character, giftedness, and function. In addition, Acts 20:17-38 provides a narrative description of Paul's departure from the Ephesian elders where he exhorts them in their shepherding role of the flock. By examining these passages we learn about the office/function of elders. It is important to note the terms given for elders in the New Testament. 1 Peter 5:1 speaks of the presbyteros or an older man (note: this in no way means that a young man may not be an elder. Paul made this point clearly in his exhortation in 1 Timothy 4:13 where he viewed Timothy as the congregation's spiritual leader). In Acts 20:28 Paul calls them episkopos or a leader who watches over people. Finally, the verb poimaino meaning "to shepherd" is used in 1 Peter 5:2. These terms are used interchangeably in the New Testament, so an elder is an overseer who is a shepherd. This is the office of elder/pastor.
An elder is to "shepherd the flock of God", not by lording authority over them, but by being an example. A primary way to care for the flock is to protect them from wolves. Jesus Christ will one day judge whether or not the elder guarded and protected the flock under his care. False religions, false forms of Christianity, and false doctrine threatens to do harm to people. It is the biblical elder who understands the issues at stake and protects the flock from harmful influences.
Warning the flock of threats isn't the only type of teaching in which the elder engages. An elder also teaches the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and as Paul made clear to Timothy, the elder also is to "preach the word in season and out of season” (2 Tim 4:2). This is why one who holds to the office of elder must have the ability to teach (1 Tim 3:2).
Qualifications of Elders
1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 detail the qualifications for an elder. In addition to the character qualifications that must be evident in an elder, three other items are worth clarifying. First, an elder is a man. Second, a man who must be able to teach. Finally, a man who is being considered for the office of elder must aspire to the work that the office requires. Shepherding a flock is time consuming, tiresome, and not always well-received. If a man does not aspire to this work, a man is not called to this ministry.
Appointment of Elders
Acts 6:1-6, Titus 1:5, and 1 Timothy 5:22 indicate that current church leaders are the ones who oversee the formal recognition of new leaders. Elder leadership of a local church is clear throughout the NT and so logically, elders possessing delegated authority from Christ are those in the local church who are responsible to populate the elder board. This process is not to be rushed (1 Tim 5:22) and will examine character, theology, ability to teach and defend the Faith, and willingness to do the work of shepherding the flock.
DCBC and politics
We at Desert Community Bible Church are grateful to live in a country where we are free to worship as the Scriptures call us to. We care about this country and the direction in which it is headed. We pray regularly in our gatherings and private time with the Lord that He will grant our government leaders wisdom and the ability to govern justly in accordance to God's Word (1 Tim 2:1-2).
While we believe that individual Christians should pray, seek to positively influence government, and submit to the leaders that God has put in place (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17), we also understand that the local church has a different purpose. The local church was ordained by God to build up believers and to spread the message of the gospel. Neither Jesus nor the apostles sought political change in the areas where they lived. Their focus was on bringing the message of the Kingdom of God to people from all ethnic and national backgrounds.
At times, cultural and political issues of the day will affect Christians. At other times, a clear Biblical worldview about a particular issue will need to be taught so that God's people can know how to view the specific issue in light of God's revelation. At times like these, we will not back down from teaching and proclaiming God's Word and will address political issues only when they are Biblical issues.
We believe that proper legislation and our favorite candidates can do some relative good. However, we do not seek a mere moral improvement to the nations of the world, but we seek and pray for God to resurrect dead hearts to worship Him first and foremost. When this happens, people will tend to make wise political, social, and economic decisions.
Since this mandate for the local church has not changed, and since we desire to be intentional and undistracted in our pursuit of it, Desert Community Bible Church will not endorse particular candidates nor will we pass out voter guides, or be a means of promoting one political party over others. Our focus is on the accurate dissemination of the Word of God and the shepherding of His people.
Gender, Marriage and Sex
Gender
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 given by God at birth is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
Marriage
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 (Gen 2:18-25).
Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, Desert Community Bible Church will only recognize and give due regard to marriages between a biological man and a biological woman as they were at birth. Further, the pastor(s)/elders, deacons and anybody else in church leadership shall only officiate in weddings and solemnize marriages between one man and one woman as they were at birth.
Sexuality
We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a 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. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, any other sexual identity, preference or orientation outside of Biblical gender, marriage or sexuality, bestiality, incest, pedophilia, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt 15:18-20; Rom 1:18-32; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21).
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Desert Community Bible Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to Desert Community Bible Church's members and to the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Desert Community Bible 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).
Conduct
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 6:11).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity, as set forth in and backed with scripture, as all people are made in the image of God (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 Desert Community Bible Church. (Mark 6:34; Luke 10:33; John 15:2; 1 Cor 16:14; 1 Thes 4:9; 1 Pet 3:15; 1 Pet 4:8; 1 John 2:10; Luke 6:31).
Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct
This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired, sufficient, inerrant and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Desert Community Bible Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Leadership Team (or Board of Elders) is Desert Community Bible Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
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