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Our Beliefs
It is an understatement to say that Baptists are a diverse group. Baptists differ widely in belief and practice. Generally speaking, Noble Avenue Baptist Church's beliefs are found in the 1963 version of The Baptist Faith and Message, rather than the 2000 version of The Baptist Faith and Message. Although this is a very good document, it is quite long. To read the document in its entirety, please go to the following website: www.baptiststart.com/print/1963_baptist_faith_message.html Walter B. Shurden's book, The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms, offers a concise presentation of core Baptist beliefs. These are: Bible Freedom is the historic Baptist affirmation that the Bible, under the Lordship of Christ, must be central in the life of the individual and the church and that Christians, with the best and most scholarly tools of inquiry, are both free and obligated to study and obey the Scripture. Soul Freedom is the historic Baptist affirmation of the inalienable right and responsibility of every person to deal with God without the imposition of creed, the interference of clergy, or the intervention of civil government. Church Freedom is the historic Baptist affirmation that local churches are free, under the Lordship of Christ, to determine their membership and leadership, to order their worship and work, to ordain whom they perceive as gifted for ministry, and to participate in the larger Body of Christ, of whose unity and mission Baptist are proud to be a part. Religious Freedom is the historic Baptist affirmation of freedom OF religion, freedom FOR religion, and freedom FROM religion, insisting that Caesar is not Christ and Christ is not Caesar. |