New River Baptist Church

In essential beliefs - we have unity.

In nonessential beliefs - we have liberty.

In all our beliefs - we show charity. 

GOD: God exists as one in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  He loves us, and gave His Son for our sin.  He desires a relationship with all people, and has a unique plan for the life of each individual.

JESUS: Jesus is God’s Son.  He was born of a virgin, 100% God and 100% man.  He died on the cross for our sin.  He is also returning one day to receive us.

HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit is given to believers immediately upon them receiving Christ.  He helps them to overcome sin, understand Scripture, perform their spiritual gifts, and find God’s will for their lives.

BIBLE: We believe that the Bible is the revelation of God to man.  It is completely true, and without error in all things it addresses.  It is the final authority for all faith and practice.

MAN: Man was created in the image of God.  Man is very valuable before God.  However, man is sinful, and cannot live up to or earn God’s favor.

SALVATION: Salvation comes through faith in the death, burial, and the resurrection of Christ.  Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, but we must actively accept that payment through faith, and receive Jesus as our personal savior.  The true believer will never be lost.  The only way of salvation is through Jesus Christ.  All those who reject Him will spend eternity separated from God.

CHURCH: The church is a born-again, baptized, body of believers called upon to do the work of Christ on earth.  Christ is the head; the Holy Spirit is the guide, the pastor is the leader to the glory of God.  The ordinances are The Lord’s Supper and baptism by immersion.  

Our Core Values 

Christ-centeredness         

We affirm that the glory of Christ is the ultimate end of all things in this world and in the world to come.  Therefore we will strive to create an environment in our homes, workplaces, and church where the fame of Jesus is magnified and lift up as supreme in all things to all people. 

Authority         

We acknowledge that all authority lies in Christ as head of the church, as revealed in the Old Testament and New Testament.  We also acknowledge that authority also lies in the revelation of God in the Bible, as revealed in the Old Testament and the New Testament.  As a church and as Christians we must submit ourselves unto these authorities for belief and practice of our faith.  (Ephesians 1:22-23) 

Biblical Teaching         

We affirm that the Bible is inerrant and infallible, and is the focus of the ministry of the church.  It is essential to salvation, as well as all other Christian growth toward maturity. (2 Timothy 3:16, 4:2) 

Prayer         

Prayer is crucial to all parts of ministry from planning to completion.  Both private and corporate prayer is essential for the life of the church. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) 

Evangelism         

The Great Commission gives us our marching orders to tell as we go.  We will focus on evangelizing the local community, and participate in global mission projects.  We will also purpose to be a church that plants other churches in the area.  We intend to be relevant and intentional with a multi-faceted plan of evangelism. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) 

Worship 

Genuine WorshipJesus told us that God desires people to worship Him.  Private and corporate worship that is Biblical and exciting will be a focus of our church. (John 4:23) 

Family         

We are committed to the Biblical model of the family.  And we count the family as central to a solid church, and society.  We also see the family as primary in passing on the faith. (Ephesians 5:22-6:4) 

Ministering Congregation         

We believe that the entire congregation is to minister to the community and to each other with their gifts and talents.  This will be the driving force in the ministry of the church. (Ephesians 4:11) 

Personal Holiness         

We believe that the Scriptures call us to be holy in our lifestyles.  We will encourage our members to exemplify Christ in their everyday lives, as well as practice discipline in the church. (1 Peter 1:16, Matthew 18:15-18, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13) 

Relationships         

We believe that solid personal relationships are the key to evangelism and Christian growth and accountability.  These will be promoted by the use of Christ-exalting fellowship and ministry. (Acts 2:42-47) 

Affirmations         

We do affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.  We affirm the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy and Biblical Hermeneutics.  We support the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention with our funds and with our manpower on the mission field. 

Our Affiliation          

We are a Southern Baptist congregation affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Georgia Baptist Convention, and the Mell Baptist Association.  We partner with these other churches to accomplish missions, education, and fellowship.