At the summation of his classic defense before church officials, Martin Luther uttered the now-familiar words: “Here I stand... I can do no other.” He meant that he was ready and willing to be judged on the basis of his clear and open confession of faith.

Quite appropriately, organizations and individuals alike still offer public statements of their beliefs, so that others may know where they “stand.” Following is a summary of Continental Baptist Missions’ doctrinal position, denominational distinctives and organizational affiliations.

We Believe...

• In the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Bible as given in the original manuscripts, which constitute the inerrant Word of God in all matters in which it speaks. 2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21

• In the Trinity of the Godhead: one God eternally existing in three equal Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Ex. 20:2,3

• In the deity, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, and imminent, premillenial coming of Christ. Isa. 7:14; Heb. 2:17,18; 5:9,10; I Cor. 15:4; I Thess. 4:13-18.

• In the personality of the Holy Spirit. It is He who calls and regenerates believers. He baptizes them into Christ. He indwells, seals and fills the believer for service.  John 14:16, 17,26; John 3:5,6; Eph 1:13,14

• In the direct creation of the universe and man by God, as set forth in the Genesis account, and apart from any process of evolution.  Gen 1,2; Col. 1;16,17.

• In the fall, total depravity and guilt of the race of Adam, which for man’s salvation necessitates the sovereign, divinely initiated deliverance of the sinner by the grace of God in Christ. Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 3:10-19; 5:12,19.

• In the eternal salvation of all individuals who put their trust in Christ and His shed blood. Eph. 2:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24.

• In the unity of all true believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ. 1 Cor. 12:12,13; Eph. 1:22,23.

• In the local church as a company of baptized (immersed) believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. The true mission of the church is to be found in the great commission: first, to make disciples; second, to baptize them; third, to instruct new disciples as He has commanded. It is to observe the ordinances of Christ (immersion and the Lord’s Table). We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations and that its one and only Head is Christ through the Holy Spirit. The ordinance of baptism is for believers only by immersion and is a prerequisite for membership in the local church. Officers in the New Testament local church are pastors and deacons. Acts 2:41,42; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-28.

• In the obedience to the Biblical command to separate entirely from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy unto God. 2 Cor. 6:14 - 7:1; 2 john 9-11.

• In the personal existence of angels, demons and Satan. Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 20:10.

• In the bodily resurrection, immortality and rapture of all believers at Christ’s imminent coming. 1 Cor. 15:42-44; 51-54.

• In the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land from her dispersion among the nations and that she will, as a nation, be saved in a day at the Second Advent of Christ. Gen 13:14-17; Ezek. 37.

• In the eternal life and blessedness of all believers and the eternal existence and punishment of all unbelievers. Mal. 3:18; Matt. 25:34-41; Rev. 20:14,15.

• In prayer as both a command and a provision of God. It is the blessed channel by which blessings of mercy and grace are appropriated. It is essential to daily living and is the secret of power, comfort and effective service. Accent in the early church was the Word and prayer. Luke 18:1; Psalm 55:16-17.

As Baptists, We Also Hold To...

• the necessity of Believers’ Baptism, not as a means of grace, but as an obedient response and testimony to God’s grace in salvation.

• baptism by immersion according to New Testament pattern, picturing Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, and the believer’s union with Him

• the autonomy of the local church under the headship of Christ, remaining free from outside government, either civil or religious

• the priesthood of the believer, allowing him direct access and ultimate accountability to God

• a regenerate church membership, composed only of sincere believers in Jesus Christ, baptized upon a credible profession of faith

• two biblically-prescribed offices in the church, Deacon and Pastor, the latter also referred to in Scripture as Elder or Bishop

• the regular observance of the Lord’s Table by obedient believers, as a memorial to the atoning work of Christ

As To Affiliations, We Are...

• Controlled by an eighteen-member Mission Board, each one authorized for such service by an independent, fundamental Baptist church

• Committed to serving the needs of churches of like faith and practice

• Constrained by the Scriptures to avoid religious alliances with unbelievers, or cooperation with apostasy, such as is found in the World Council of Churches and its ecumenical affiliates

• Careful to avoid compromise of the institutional testimony by organizational alignment with churches or ecclesiastical agencies such as the National Association of Evangelicals, which, though evangelical in belief, advocate ecumenical cooperation

• Consistent with the historic separatist position which acknowledges spiritual unity in the true Body of Christ and respects legitimate differences in Biblical interpretation, but allows for functional independence of people, churches and organizations who may differ on matters important to them