RICH HILL BAPTIST CHURCH Core Beliefs

what we believe

At Rich Hill Baptist Church, what we believe is rooted in God's Word and centered on Jesus Christ. These core beliefs shape our worship, our teaching, and the way we seek to live out our faith together.

Bible

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and together give us God's complete written revelation.

We believe the Bible is true, trustworthy, and our final authority for what we believe and how we live.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 · 2 Peter 1:20–21

God

We believe in one God—the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is holy, sovereign, and eternal, and He exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, equal in deity and glory.

Deuteronomy 6:4 · Matthew 28:19 · 2 Corinthians 13:14

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the eternal Son of God.

We believe He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, willingly died on the cross in our place, and rose bodily from the grave. He ascended into heaven, where He intercedes for His people, and we believe He will personally return.

John 1:1–3, 14 · Colossians 1:15–20 · 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 · Acts 1:9–11

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God and actively at work in the lives of believers.

The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, brings new life to those who trust in Christ, and dwells within every believer. He guides, teaches, comforts, sanctifies, and equips God's people with spiritual gifts so that we may serve Christ and one another.

John 14:16–17, 26 · John 16:7–13 · 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, 13 · Ephesians 1:13–14

Mankind

We believe every person is created by God and made in His image. Because of humanity's rebellion against God, sin entered the world and separated us from Him.

All people are affected by sin and are in need of the forgiveness and new life that only God can provide.

Genesis 1:26–27 · Romans 3:23 · Romans 5:12 · Romans 6:23

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift of God's grace and cannot be earned by our own goodness or works.

Jesus Christ willingly gave His life on the cross for our sins and rose again. We receive God's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. Those who belong to Christ are kept by His power as He continues His work in us, making us more like Him.

John 3:16 · Romans 5:8 · Romans 10:9–10 · Ephesians 2:8–9 · 1 Peter 1:3–5

the church

We believe the church is the body of Christ, made up of all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The local church is a congregation of baptized believers who come together to worship God, study His Word, encourage one another, observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and serve others. We believe every believer has a place in the life and ministry of the church and is called to use the gifts God has given them to serve Christ and one another.

The church has been entrusted with the mission of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and making disciples, both in our community and throughout the world.

Matthew 28:18–20 · Acts 2:41–47 · 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 · Ephesians 4:11–16

baptism and the lord's supper

We believe Jesus Christ gave the church two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper.

We believe baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism does not save us; rather, it is an act of obedience that publicly identifies a believer with Jesus Christ and pictures His death, burial, and resurrection, as well as the believer's new life in Him.

We believe the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience in which believers remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. The bread and the cup remind us of His body and blood given on our behalf, and we observe the Lord's Supper with gratitude as we remember His death and look forward to His return.

Matthew 28:19 · Romans 6:3–4 · Acts 2:41 · 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

christian living

We believe that those who have received new life through faith in Jesus Christ are called to live lives that reflect Him.

As followers of Christ, we seek to grow in our relationship with God through prayer, the study of His Word, worship, fellowship, and obedience. The Holy Spirit works within us to make us more like Christ and enables us to demonstrate His love, grace, truth, and holiness in our homes, our church, our workplaces, our community, and every area of life.

We believe Christians are called to love God and love others, to care for those in need, to live with integrity, to serve one another, and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

We do not live this way in order to earn salvation, but as a response to the grace we have already received through Christ.

Matthew 22:37–39 · Romans 12:1–2 · Galatians 5:22–25 · Ephesians 2:8–10 · Colossians 3:12–17