What we Believe…

The following paragraphs simply summarize what we believe as a church family. We believe the Bible and teach it to be perfectly true. Every belief and teaching of Lighthouse Baptist Church flows from God’s Word.

Scriptures

We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe that God has preserved His Word for the English speaking people in the King James Version of the Bible. (I Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21)

Sovereign God

God is a Person, eternally existing, as a Trinity in unity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, – three Persons and yet one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 26:19, I Corinthians 8:6)

Son of God

Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, who became a sinless man to redeem us. He was born of a virgin and is true God and true man. (Luke 1:30-55, John 1:1-15, Philip 2:5-8)

Spirit of God

The Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and God the Son. He is present in the world to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and provides the Christian with power for living. (John 14:16-17,26; 16:7-14; Romans 8:14-16).

Service

The local church is a group of believers baptised by water, banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission; preaching the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15, I Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 1:22-23)

Sin

Man was created in the image of God but fell through sin, bringing not only physical death, but also spiritual death or eternal separation from God. Now all of mankind exists as a fallen race with an inherited sinful nature. (Genesis 2:16, Genesis 3:16-19, Romans 3:10-23, Romans 6:23)

Sacrifice

The Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the whole world. He physically arose from the dead and then ascended into Heaven. Simple faith in this sacrifice is the only way of salvation for mankind. (Luke 24, Acts 1:9-11, Romans 5:8-10, I Peter 3:18)

Second Coming

Jesus Christ Himself will soon come again in the air to catch up His Church to reward their service. The unbelievers left behind will go through a period called the Tribulation, after which Christ will return to the Earth to set up His Kingdom of one thousand years of righteous rule. After this, the unbelievers of all ages will stand at the Great White Throne to be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire, separated from God forever, while the believers spend eternity in the fullness of joy in Heaven with the Lord. (Matthew 24:29-42, I Thessalonians 4:16-18, Revelation 19:11-20:13)

 

Who we are…

Lighthouse Baptist Church is decidedly an:

Independent

Not part of any convention, or national organization.  We are not sympathetic, nor do we support the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, Ecumenical Evangelism, Liberalism or Modernism.

Fundamental

Believe the entire Bible literally

Bible Believing

The King James Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant preserved Word of God for the English speaking people

Non-Charismatic

Do not practice the modern signs and wonders teachings

Baptist

We stand on the basic Baptistic doctrines since the early church

Bible is the Final Authority – 2 Tim 3:15-17

Autonomy of the local church – 2 Cor 8:1-5, 19, 23

Priesthood of believers – 1 Peter 2:5, 9

Two Offices – Pastors and Deacons– 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Individual Soul Liberty – Romans 14:5,12-14

Separation of church & State – Romans 13:1,2

Two Ordinances – 1 Cor 11:2,20-34;  Matt 28:19,20

Security of the Believer – 2 Tim 1:12

Church

A called out body of believers

 

What we Practice…

Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. Based on what the Bible teaches, we believe very strongly about the following seven practices:

Autonomy of the Local Church

We believe in the importance of the local church and that it is an assembly of born again baptised believers united in organization to practice new testament ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s supper, to meet together for worship, prayer, fellowship, preaching, teaching, and a united testimony and to actively engage in carrying out the great commission. We believe in the independence and autonomy of the local church, and that no religious hierarchy has any scriptural grounds to dictate and run the affairs of the church. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 13:1-3; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-15; Hebrews 13:7,17; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

Two Ordinances – Baptism and the Lords Supper

We practice Baptism of a believer by immersion in water, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour. Baptism is administered by the church only to those who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5;).

We partake of the Lord’s Supper as  a commemoration of His death until He comes, the unleavened bread speaking of His broken body, the grape juice speaking of His shed blood. (1 Corinthians 11:2, 23-28; Matthew 26:26-30; Acts 20:7).

Priesthood of the Believer

We practice what the Bible says that the saved are all priests before God. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading. You don’t need another human being to stand on your behalf in front of God.  1 Peter 2:5,9;  Revelation 1:6

Spirit-Led Living

We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s Power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence of the Holy Spirit of God to enable us to do what is right. John 15:5;  Philippians 2:13;  Ephesians 5:18

Spiritual Gifts in the Church

We endeavour to help every born again believer to discover their spiritual gift/s bestowed by God.  The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full time” service, regardless of his or her devotion. We practice that every believer is a minister and has a part. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:7-16).   We do not practice speaking in tongues, faith healing, sensationalism, or believe in extra-Biblical revelation. We are not part of the modern day charismatic movement. We believe that the sign gifts were temporary gifts given by the Spirit during the beginning of the Church. (1 Corinthians 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Mark 16:17-20; Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Timothy 4:20; 3 John 2).

World Wide Missions Program

We believe that the command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable, and this commission was given to the churches. Accordingly we support missionaries financially and prayerfully. We practice Faith Promise Missions giving. (Acts 1:8; 13:1-5; Romans 10:13-15; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20).

Tithes and Offerings

We teach that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, ought to support his local church financially with tithes and free-will gifts and offerings. We recognise that giving 10% of our income is a biblical standard or benchmark. (Genesis 14:20; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10-12; Matthew 23:23; Luke 6:38; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; 2 Corinthians 11:7-10; 2 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 6:17-18; 1 John 3:17,22).