What we Believe

We believe the Bible to be the Word of God and we hold to the doctrines of the Trinity, salvation by
trusting in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and that Christians are to live lives separate from
conformities to this world. We believe in missions, Christian education, the ordianances of the Lord's
Supper, baptism, washing of the saint's feet, Spirit-filled lives (not charismatic) that result in witnessing
to men about Christ, eternal Hell and Heaven, and all else the Bible teaches.

Articles of Faith

1. Trinity—We believe there is but one true and living God whose essence is spirit and who exists in a
Trinity of equal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that they are each equal and infinite
in their being, power, glory, and attributes.

The Father—We believe that God the Father is the First Person of the divine Trinity who is absolute in
His deity possessing all the attributes of deity and equal with the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2. Jesus Christ—We believe in the absolute deity of Jesus Christ our Lord and that He shares equally in
all the attributes of deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, in His perfect
and sinless humanity, in His miracles and in their literalness, in His substitutionary, satisfactory,
propitiatory, atoning death on Calvary, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the
Father, in His present intercessory ministry, and in His personal return for the Church.

3. Holy Spirit—We believe in the absolute and full deity of the Holy Spirit, the Third Member of the
blessed Trinity, who is equal with the Father and the Son. It was the Father who gave His Son, the Son
who gave His life, and it is the Holy Spirit who today gives spiritual life to those who believe in Christ. He
indwells the believer and empowers him and Christ’s Church for service giving the various gifts to the
members of the body of Christ to aid the Church in accomplishing the Great Commission.

4. Scriptures—We believe that holy men of old wrote the Bible as they were moved (lit. “Being borne
along”) by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21), which harmonizes with 2 Timothy 3:15, which teaches that all
Scripture is inspired (lit. “God breathed” or “breathed out by God”). This means that the Holy Spirit so
superintended the writers of the Holy Scripture that, although they utilized their own vocabularies and
experiences, they wrote the very exact message God intended without any omission, addition, or error
which means that the Bible is theologically, historically, scientifically, and geographically correct since
the Holy Spirit is incapable of erring. Being plenary verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit guarantees the
infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible in every area in which it speaks and makes it the highest authority
and guide for the believer. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation
used by the church.

5. Salvation—We believe in salvation by grace totally apart from any human merit. Salvation is bestowed
by a gracious God upon unworthy man conditioned solely upon his faith in Jesus Christ and His
finished work on Calvary (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 3:16).

Security of the Believer—We believe that the Word of God teaches the security of the believer, that God
will keep securely in His hand (John 10:25-30) those who are trusting in Jesus, but offers absolutely no
hope for that person who is not trusting in Christ (1 Peter 1:5). The link that unites God and man is faith
(John 3:16). The security of the believer is based upon a continuous faith in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:
21-23; John 3:16; Hebrews 3:12-13). We believe that the Scriptures present the possibility of an
authentic believer ceasing to believe (1 John 2:24; Hebrews 3:12-13) but not in the probability (Hebrews
6:9). We believe that apostasy is committed by willful unbelief and is without remedy (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Simply stated, we believe that God has given to the believer Scriptural grounds for knowing positively
that he is saved; that God has promised and provided to keep His children even in times of failure, when
they fall out of fellowship with Him; that God has assured His followers that as believers they are secure
in Christ and shall never perish; but that God has, also, clearly warned the Christian against the
possibility of making ship-wreck of his personal faith in Christ, and thereby, becoming an apostate, and
that, if such should happen, there is no way he could be restored to salvation—his doom would
be sealed.

New Birth—We believe that all men are born with a depraved nature and are sinful by nature and by
choice and as such are alienated from God, born dead in trespasses and sin. We believe that this
condition can only be reconciled by the new birth, which is a work of regeneration wrought by the Holy
Spirit (John 3:5-6) Titus 3:5), conditioned upon a man’s personal faith in the atoning work of Jesus on
Calvary as sufficient payment for his sin (Ephesians 2:8-10).

6. Resurrection—We believe in future bodily resurrection of the believer, at which time he will receive a
resurrected glorified body, and that the new body will be joined with the soul so that the child of God will
spend eternity to come as a body/soul being. We likewise believe that the unbeliever will be resurrected
with a body and soul, which will forever suffer in the torments of hell.

7. Judgment—We believe in the future Judgment Seat of Christ at which time the believer will stand
before Christ and be judged and rewarded for the deeds done in the body whether they be good or bad
(2 Corinthians 5:10). We also believe in the Great White Throne of Judgment for the unsaved, where
their lives will be reviewed and judged according to their works, which will determine the degree of their
punishment in the eternal flames of hell (Revelation 20:11-15).

8. Devil—We believe in the existence of a literal personal evil and malicious being called Satan or the
Devil who led a rebellion against God at some point before creation and was cast out of heaven along
with the angels (demons) who followed him. He and his demonic hordes seek to tempt men to sin and
thereby doom them to eternity in the fires of hell. His doom and that of mankind who follow him has
been pronounced as the lake of fire where he will one day be banished and shut up forever.

9. Church—We believe in the local church as God’s autonomous, self-governing, divinely ordained
institution for this age, whose head is Christ (Ephesians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:18) and whole life and
vitality are produced by the regenerating indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We believe
that the Great Commission (to evangelize and edify) is still the great task of the Church today (Matthew
28:18-20). We believe that the individual local church is the highest spiritual authority on earth outside
the Christian home and that all other parachurch organizations or institutions exist by the authority
granted by the local church or cooperating local churches, and that their only right of existence is as they
ultimately aid the Church in fulfilling the Great Commission.

10. Pastor—We believe that the pastor, as the under-shepherd, is to lead his flock as he is led by Christ
through His Word (Acts 20:28). He is not to lord over God’s heritage but to lead by example (1 Peter 5:2-
3) and as a servant (Matthew 23:11). The sheep (as a whole or in part) are never told to leadthemselves,
that is the under-shepherd’s task. We believe that the pastor is to work in cooperation with his church
board but is never to be subservient to the board, recognizing that in the multitude of counselors there is
safety (Proverbs 11:14).

11. Ordinances—We believe that God has given His Church the ordinance of Baptism, which is to be
administered only to believers, by immersion and in the name of Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and
the Lord’s Supper, which is to be open to all born again believers present; and the washing of the Saint’
s feet—Matthew 28:19,20; Romans 6:3,4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13: 1-17.

12. Separated Living—We believe that all Christians should live in such a manner as not to bring
reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful
pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

13. Human Sexuality—We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged
in outside of marriage between a man and woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of
God’s gift of sex. Any employee of the church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of
consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, shall be terminated from employment.
(Gen. 2:22-24; Gen. 19:5-13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29, 1 Cor. 5:1,6-9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8;
Heb. 13:4).

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Rom.
7:2; 1 Cor. 7-10; Eph. 5:22-23).

We believe that both men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has
ordained distinct and separate functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband
is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church.
Accordingly only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim.
2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).

14. Divorce and Remarriage—We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one
of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage are regarded as adultery except on the grounds of
fornication. Although divorced, Christians (even if they are remarried) may hold positions of service in the
church and be greatly used of God for Christian service. But they may not be considered for the office of
pastor or deacon (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 2:2,12; Titus 1:6).

15. Abortion—We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living
human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is
murder. We reject any teaching that that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects,
gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother is acceptable (Job 3:
16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

16. Missions—We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to
all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language
group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available
means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 13:10; 16:
15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20).

17. Giving—We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to
him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe
(10%) as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and
cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We
believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has
been made (Gen. 14:20; Mal. 3:10; 28:22; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6;
Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).

18. Creation—We believe in the literal historicity of the Genesis account of God’s creating this earth and
man in seven literal twenty-four hour days, of man’s early home in the Garden paradise, of his fall by
eating the forbidden fruit, of his spiritual death and depraved nature resulting from this rebellion, and of
his expulsion from the Garden.

We totally reject evolution as being merely an alternate theory of origins. It dictates one’s total worldview
including his foundation for truth and morals. Evolution is the creation of the depraved mind of fallen
man in his vain attempt to avoid God. If God did not create then He has no right to control. Evolution turns
this universe into a giant machine operated by the laws of nature, ruling God out and denying the
supernatural origin of the Bible and all biblical miracles. Evolution ultimately deifies man and makes
God irrelevant and unnecessary. Evolution and biblical Christianity are incompatible.

Free Will Baptist Church Covenant

Having given ourselves to God by faith in Christ, and adopted the Word of God as our rule of faith and
practice, we now give ourselves to one another be the Will of God in this solemn Covenant.

We promise, by His Grace, to love and obey Him in all things, to avoid all appearance of evil, to abstain
from all sinful amusements and unholy conformities to the world, from all sale and sanction of
intoxicating beverages, and to “provide all things honest in the sign of all men.”

We agree to faithfully discharge our obligation in reference to the study of the Scriptures, family
devotions, sector prayer, social worship; and by self-denial, faith and good works, endeavor to “grow in
grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We will not forsake the assembling of
ourselves together for church and conferences, public worship and all the observances of the
ordinances of the Gospel; nor fail to pay according to our ability for the support of the church, of its poor
and all its benevolent work. We agree to accept Christian admonition and reproof with meekness, and to
watch over one another in love, endeavoring to “keep the unity of the Spirit” in the bond of peace. To be
careful of one another’s happiness and reputation, and seek to strengthen the weak, encourage the
afflicted, admonish the erring, and as far as we are able, promote the success of the church and the
Gospel.
We will everywhere hold Christian principle sacred and Christian obligations and enterprises supreme,
counting it our chief business in life to extend the influence of Christ in society, constantly praying and
toiling that the Kingdom of God may come, and His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. To this end
we agree to labor for the promotion of educational and denominational enterprises, support of
missions, the success of Sunday schools, and evangelistic efforts for the salvation of the world. And
may the God of peace sanctify us wholly and preserve us blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.


Sunday
9:30 a.m.    Sunday School
10:30 a.m.  Morning Worship
6:00 p.m.    Evening Worship

Wednesday
7:30 p.m.     Teen Bible Study
7:30 p.m.     Bible Studies




3713 Pennington Lane
Woodbridge, VA, 22192
(709) 590-5199

Directions
Join us for worship
Directions