New Hope Baptist Church is a congregation of Baptist Christians and Christians from other traditions. The beginning commitment for our life together is to Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Son of God, Savior, and Lord.
The following statements clarify our convictions:
We affirm the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament as the final authority for faith and practice in the life of the believer and the believers’ church. We affirm the inspiration and the purpose of the Scriptures as described in 2 Timothy 3:15-16.
We affirm the classic and orthodox statements of the Christian Faith found in early church statements like the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. As Baptists, we are not a creedal people. That is, we do not insist on creedal affirmation for church membership. However, the content of these creeds reflects well our biblical and theological connection to historic Christian convictions (with “catholic” church understood as the universal church and not the particular Roman Catholic Church).
We affirm historic Baptist convictions including believer’s baptism, priesthood of the believer, religious freedom (as well as separation of church and state), and congregational polity. We recognize these convictions are different from other Christian traditions. We long for unity in the church, and at the same time we hold these convictions deeply as our witness to the larger church.
We affirm the importance and autonomy of the local church. We believe the Biblical way to live out the Christian faith is in active participation in the community of believers. While many other expressions of the Christian faith exist, nothing takes the place of the local body of believers. We believe the local church is responsible before God for decision making and ministry, including decisions about leadership in the church.
We affirm the practice of corporate worship (GLORIFY). A Christian can worship at any time and anywhere, but the practice of the gathered church for worship is a central act in our life together.
We affirm the call to discipleship (GROW). When we say “discipleship,” we mean the call to follow Jesus as Lord, to grow as followers of Jesus in all areas of our lives, and to trust the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying our lives for the glory of God. We seek to see that discipleship is at the forefront of everything we do together as church.
We affirm the giftedness of every believer to minister in the name of Jesus Christ (GIVE). The church, like a physical body, functions best when every part of the body is actively functioning, faithfully sharing the gifts and talents the Spirit pours into the church. Ordained leaders in the church (pastors, associate pastors) have a particular role to play, but their role is to equip the church for ministry in the world.
We affirm the call to evangelism and missions (GO). Jesus told his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). God the Father sent Jesus to the world and for the whole world. Jesus then sent his disciples into the world with the Good News of salvation. We believe our call remains to take the Christian message near and far as God leads us. Further, we believe in the shared work of God’s mission with other churches, understanding that we can do more together than alone.