Our Purpose

To evangelize the community for membership;

To equip the congregation for growth in maturity,
for service in ministry, for work in missions; and

To exalt Christ in all things.

We must have a place to stand if we are going to be moving force in the world. Peter Marshall, the great Presbyterian preacher, once prayed, "God help us to stand for something lest we fall for anything." Where do we stand? What do we believe? What is our position on the great issues of the Bible?

We stand on the Lordship of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and both the Savior and Lord of all who believe and trust in Him. (Acts 2:36) The right to rule our lives belongs to Him. (Matthew 28:18)

We stand on the Free Gift of Salvation
We believe that salvation is the free gift of God that comes only through faith in Jesus Christ and cannot be earned by anything that we do. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9)

We stand on the Authority of the Scriptures
We believe the scriptures, embracing both the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God and are the sole authority for our faith and practice. (I Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

We stand on the Immersion of Believers
Baptism is a symbolic act of confession and identification. It symbolizes death, burial, and Jesus’ resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). It is for believers only and is to be by immersion in water. Immerse means to put under. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (a remembrance of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ) are the two ordinances of the church.

We stand on the Fellowship of the Church
We believe the church is a local gathering of Christians who in mutual love for one another and the community meet for the common purpose of worship, service, and encouragement. It is divine in its origin. (Matthew 16:18) It is also spiritual in its mission and like a family in nature. (I Timothy 3:15)

We stand on the Stewardship of Life
We believe that God is the source of all blessings, both spiritual and material. (Psalm 24:1)

We stand on the Security of the Believer
We believe once an individual makes a faith commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord of their life, this is a decision that has eternal significance in both the present life and the afterlife. We further believe that no force, either human or spiritual, can revoke God’s promise that all true believers in Jesus Christ will one day live forever in Heaven with Him. (I John 5:13)

How do you join Calvary Baptist Church?
You may join in one of the following ways:

• By profession of faith, trusting in Christ as Lord and Savior.
• By letter from another Baptist Church. We will write your present church concerning your transfer of membership.
• As a Christian from another denomination. This includes baptism by immersion if you have not already been so baptized.
• By statement if you are a former Baptist returning to the Baptist Church.