Our Mission is the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)

   ~Reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

   ~Baptize those who trust Christ as their Savior into a loving church family

   ~Disciple and train these to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord

We are Independent:  We believe that Jesus Christ is the "head" of the church, and therefore, do not affiliate with any denomination or church hierarchy. Our church is self- governed and self-supported.

We are Fundamental: We hold to the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. We oppose any movement (Ecumenical, Charismatic, etc...) that contradicts sound Bible doctrine. 

 

We are Baptist: While people often think in terms of denominations, as stated above, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church is not affiliated with any denomination. We, however, do I identify ourselves as Baptist. We believe that by adhering to the distinctives of the "baptized believers" (Baptist) throughout the Church Age, we can trace our lineage back to Christianity's true founder, Jesus Christ, and not merely to a man or movement. These Baptist Distinctives are such...

 

  B- Bible Authority- We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. Since God has given us His Word, we do not lack a sufficient guide in the areas of faith and practice. We simply follow what the bible teaches. We also believe that the King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for English speaking people today.
  A- Autonomy of the local church- We believe that the local church ought to govern itself. We do not find any denominational hierarchies in the Bible. These hierarchies are man-made ideas.
  P- Priesthood of every believer- The Bible teaches that we have direct access to God the Father through Jesus Christ. We do not need to go to any man in order to go to God. (Romans 5:2)
  T- Two ordinances (Baptism, Lords Supper)- Both of these ordinances are pictures. The Lord's Supper pictures the death and suffering of Christ. Baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Neither accomplish salvation, but are to be observed because we are saved.
  I- Individual Soul Liberty- We do not believe in forcing anyone to follow the Bible against their will. We may disagree with their stated position and reason with them from God's Word, but we will not coerce or force them to follow us.
  S- Saved, immersed membership- We believe the Bible teaches that a member of the church should not only be saved, but they should also be scripturally baptized. (Acts 2:41)
  T- Two officers (Pastor, Deacon)- The pastor is a gift of God to the church to teach people the Word of God and help them grow in Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12). The deacons are men chosen by the church to be an assistance to the pastor and help take care of the needs of the people (Acts 6:1-7).
  S- Separation (Personal, State/Church, Doctrinal)- We believe that Christians should conduct themselves in a manner that maintains a clear testimony of Christ. That the Church and State should remain separate institutionally. We also believe in a separation from churches and religions that do not hold to the truth of the Word of God.

 

Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Doctrinal Statement

 

1 Timothy 4:16 "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:..."

I. Scriptures:

            We believe the Holy Bible is the inspired (II Pet. 1:21, II Tim. 3:16), infallible (John 17:17),

inerrant (John 10:34-35, Ps. 19:7), and preserved (Ps. 12:6-7, Mt. 24:35) word of God. The Holy

Bible is the collection of sixty-six canonized books, written by holy men moved by, and therefore

authored by the Holy Ghost (II Pet 1:21). The "Authorized King James" Bible (1611-1769) is the

divinely preserved word of God for the English speaking language.

 

II. God:

            We believe scripture teaches that there is one true, living, and eternal God. He is the

Creator (Gen. 1:1) and supreme Ruler (Ps. 83:18) of heaven and earth. He is the Almighty (Gen.

17:1) and all knowing (Is. 40:28) God, and deserving of all honor and glory (Ps. 29:2, Ps.57:5). He is a unified Godhead (Ro. 1:20) manifested in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each divinely co-equal, executing distinct but harmonious offices in the

redemption of man.

 

            A. God the Father:

            God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the

events of human history according to the purpose of His grace. He is immutable in holiness (Le.

20:7), justice (De. 32:4), love (1 John 4:8), and truth (De. 32:4). He is Father to those who are

children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12) and fatherly in His attitude to all men,

not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and receive His gift (John 3:16) of eternal life through Jesus Christ (II Pet. 3:9). 

 

            B. God the Son:

            Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), co-equal, co-essential, and

co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-2, Rev. 1:8), the second Person in the Trinity. He was born into this world of Mary, a virgin (Mt. 1:21-23). He is both perfect God and perfect man and lived a sinless life honoring the divine Law by His personal obedience. He died a substitutionary death on the cross (Ro. 5:8), securing redemption for sinners through His shed blood (Ro. 5:9). He supernaturally rose again on the third day (I Cor. 15:4) with a glorified body, was seen by many, and ascended into the heavens (Ep. 4:8-10) to be exalted and seated at the right hand of the Father where He is the Head over His churches (Ep. 5:23), the Mediator and Advocate (1 John 2:1) with God the Father for all believers. He is supernaturally coming again to this world to reign personally and visibly over the earth.

 

            C. God the Holy Spirit:

            The Holy Spirit/ Ghost is the third Person in the Trinity of the Godhead. He, like God the

Son, is co-equal, co-essential, and co-eternal with God the Father. He was active in the creation of the universe (Gen 1:1-26), and it was He who moved holy men of God to write the Bible (II Pet. 1:21). He is the present representative of the Godhead on this earth (John 14:16-17). He seals (Ep. 1:13), fills (Ep. 5:18), sanctifies (I Pet. 1:2), teaches (II Thes. 2:7,13), and comforts (John 14:16-17) all believers. He also bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony of God's word, by convicting men (John 16:7-11), and regenerating those who trust Christ as their Savior (John 3:5-6).

 

III. Mankind

            Scripture teaches that God created man in His own image and after His own likeness (Gen.1:26), in that, man is a trinity, body, soul, and spirit. The creation of man and the universe, can be genealogically traced back to approximately eight to ten thousand years ago, scripturally denying evolution or any type of evolutionary change of species. The entire Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally and not allegorically or figuratively.

 

            A. The Fall of Man:

            Man was created in innocence under his Maker as a tripartite being. By voluntary

transgression through an act of deliberate disobedience fell from that sinless state, the penalty of

which was death. Death to the body eventually, to the spirit immediately, and to the soul eternally

(Gen. 2:17). Consequently all mankind are sinners, not by constraint but of choice, and are under

the penalty of sin (Ro. 5:12, Ro. 6:23). Mankind, because of sin, is under just condemnation to

eternal ruin without defense or excuse (John 3:18-19).

 

            B. The Home:

            The home is an institution created by God (Gen. 2:18-25). The marriage of one husband

and one wife is a picture of Christ and His church (Ep. 5:22-33). God's stamp of approval on the

home rest on the fulfillment of the duties He has inscribed. The husband is the head of the home

as Christ is the head of the church (Ep. 5:23), and is to love the wife and give himself for her as

Christ gave Himself for the church (Ep. 5:25-30). The wife is to submit to the husband as unto the

Lord (Ep. 5:22). Together they become one flesh (Ep. 5:31), and are to raise their children in the

nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ep. 6:4). Children are to obey and honor their parents (Ep.

6:1-3). The strength or weakness of this triangle of the family is the foundational building block for

society and the church.

 

            C. Civil Government:

            Civil government is an institution ordained by God and is of divine appointment, for the

interest and good of human society (Ro. 13:1-2). Those in authority are to be prayed for, honored,

and obeyed (1Pet. 2:13-14), except only in those things opposed to the revealed will of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords  (Rev. 19:16). Civil leaders have no rights

or control over His church (Mt. 16:18), and the church is not to receive help from the State, except

protection and full freedom in the pursuit of spiritual ends.

 

IV. Salvation:

            Scripture teaches that the salvation of sinners is wholly of the grace of God (Ep. 2:8),

through the merits of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blessings of salvation are free to all who

believe on, and call upon by faith, Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Ro. 10:13). His substitutionary death

on the cross, was and is the atonement for our sin, because of He was without sin (Ro. 3:24-25).

As man recognizes his condition as a sinner (Ro. 3:23), realizes the penalty of eternal death in a

literal place called hell (Ro. 6:23, Rev. 20:14), and believes that the Lord Jesus Christ died in his

place (Ro. 5:8, Ro. 6:23b), by faith he calls upon the name of the Lord (Ro. 10:11), and is justified, sanctified, and sealed unto redemption.

 

V. The New Testament Church:

            Scripture teaches that the Church is an organized assembly of baptized believers

(Acts. 2:41-42). The church was established by Jesus Christ (Mt. 16:18), during His earthly

ministry, who is the Chief Cornerstone and Head of it (I Pet. 2:6-8, Ep. 5:23). The true mission of

the church is first to make disciples, to build up the church by baptizing those believers, and to

teach and instruct them as He has commanded (Mt. 28:18:20). There are two Scriptural offices,

the pastor (elder/bishop - I Tim. 3:1), and the deacon (I Tim. 3:10), whose qualifications, duties,

and claims are clearly defined in the New Testament (I Tim. 1:1-13). The church is self-governed,

and is free from any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; as there is only one Head of each

church, the Lord Jesus Christ (Ep. 5:23). The church is also given two ordinances: Baptism and

the Lord's Supper.

           

            A. Baptism is the immersion in water of the believer in Christ, in the Name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, performed with the church's authority (Mt. 28:19-20).

Baptism is the public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, picturing the death to sin and resurrection

to a new life. It is the pre-requisite to privileges of church membership (Acts 2:41). Children under an age of moral accountability are God's little ones, and are safe until an age of moral accountability is reached, and are not required or Scripturally instructed to be baptized (i.e. infant baptism).

            B. The Lord's Supper is a provision of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine as symbols of Christ's body and shed blood (Mt. 26:27-30). The Lord's Supper is partaken by members of a church, in commemoration of the suffering and death of their Lord, and in helpful anticipation of His return (I Cor. 10:24-26).

 

VI. The Resurrection and Last Things:

            Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ literally and bodily rose from the dead on the third day

(Mt. 28:6). This same Jesus shall return to earth bodily, personally, and visibly; first to raise the

righteous dead and catch up all living believers in the twinkling of an eye (John 14:3, I Thes. 4:16-17). Then He shall return with the saints to set up His glorious kingdom of a millennium of peace and righteousness, having executed judgment upon an unbelieving world (Rev. 20:1-4). At the final Day of Judgment all Christ rejecting sinners will be raised, judged, and cast into the lake of fire for everlasting damnation (Rev. 20:11-15). The saved will then live with Him for eternity according to the sure promises of God.

 

VII. Satan and Angels

            A. Scripture teaches that there is a vast celestial kingdom of spirit beings called Angels, in ages past created holy, glorious, and higher than man (Ps. 148:2). A vast company of various ranks worshiping God, ministering to His glorious Person and to His children (Col. 1:16, Acts 12:7-11).

            B. Scripture teaches that Satan, as the mighty angel Lucifer, was once holy, enjoying

heavenly honors (Ez. 28:14-19), but that through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels (Is. 14:12-15). He is the unholy god of this world (Ep. 2:2), opposing God's plan for the ages (Rev. 12:1-9), opposing God's people (I Pet. 5:8), and opposing, hindering, and seeking to corrupt the work of the Gospel (Mt. 13:19, 39, I Thes. 2:18).