Beliefs

At Immanuel, we understand ourselves to be a specific and unique congregation that is swimming in the wider waters of both our own Baptist tradition and the Church Universal. As such, below are convictions that we hold especially dear.

As members of the universal Church, we affirm the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell
The third day he rose again from the dead
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead
I believe in the Holy Ghost
I believe in a holy catholic* church; the communion of saints
The forgiveness of sins
The resurrection of the body
And the life everlasting. Amen.

*”catholic” in this usage means “universal"

As Baptists, we affirm:

The priesthood of all believers, meaning that all believers have direct access to God through Jesus Christ and a place of ministry among God’s people.

The centrality and autonomy of the local church, meaning that each local congregation has a part to play in God’s plan of redemption and should govern itself toward that end.

Scriptural authority, meaning that the Bible is authoritative and indispensable for the formation of both congregations and individual believers.

Soul competency, meaning that each individual is responsible before and accountable to God in matters of faith and praxis.

As the people of God at Immanuel, we affirm:

That we are blessed to be counted among God’s people and privileged to play a role in his story of redemption. Our prayer is that God’s kingdom would come both in us and through us as we walk the journey of faith together.

 

Text for the Apostles' Creed taken from CCEL.org