What We Believe:

We believe in God.

We believe God came to us as a man, Jesus Christ.

We believe God is with us right now in the Holy Spirit.

We believe the Bible tells us about God and God’s will for our lives.

We believe human beings need God.

We believe Jesus’ life showed us how to live, and that his death freed us to live.

We believe Jesus rose from the grave and that because of Jesus we too will rise.

We believe all people shall stand before our gracious creator God for judgment to eternal life or death.

We believe those who follow Jesus shall be given eternal life.

We believe God has called believers together to do God’s work.

Being Baptists, we are also thankful we:

– are free to read the Bible and talk to God in prayer.

– are free to follow God’s leading under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

– are free to tell others about Jesus.

– are free to welcome all people who believe in Jesus into God’s kingdom as fellow children of God.

In particular:

-We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

-We believe our Lord Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, that He is true God and true Man and the only and sufficient mediator between God and humanity.

-We believe in the the Holy Spirit and that His ministry is to reveal Christ to all persons through the salvation and sanctification of their souls.

-We believe the Bible, composed of sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testaments as originally written, is the inspired Word of God and is our supreme and final authority in faith and life.

-We believe all human beings are created in the image of God but that every person has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

-We believe the creational design for marriage is found in Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19: “…a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and the two become one flesh.”

-We believe in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins; we further believe in His physical resurrection, ascension into heaven, and personal and visible future return to the earth; and that salvation is received only through repentance from sin and personal faith in Him.

-We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust.  We believe that heaven and hell are real and that their reality should motivate everyone to consider what they believe about God and where they will spend eternity.

 -We believe Christ’s church consists of committed Christians united in fellowship for the carrying out of the Great Commission as stated in Matthew 28:18-20:18: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

-We believe the ordinances of the church are:

   a. baptism, which speaks of the believer’s identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Lord, and…

   b. the Lord’s Supper, which is the sacred use of the bread and cup to commemorate the death of Christ and to express our glorious hope of His imminent return to receive His bride, the church.

An excerpt from the Emmanuel church constitution:

ARTICLE II PURPOSE

As an evangelistic church, we purpose to be disciples of Jesus Christ by:

~ attracting and leading the unsaved to Jesus;

~ encouraging Christians to consecrate themselves to God’s purpose in their lives;

~ providing a climate in which the worship of God, personal spiritual growth and fellowship occur;

~ equipping Christians for effective ministry to reach the Parkersburg area and beyond;

~ challenging Christians to be faithful stewards of all of God’s resources.

ARTICLE III DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE

This church accepts the Bible as the sufficient basis of doctrine and practice.

ARTICLE V MEMBERSHIP

The membership of this church shall consist of persons who have professed Jesus as Savior and Lord, who have been baptized by immersion, who have assented to the purpose statement of this congregation and who have been received by the affirmation of the church.

Section 3: Duties and Responsibilities of Members

The duties and responsibilities of the members are as follows:

A. To live as Christians in the world;

B. To gather regularly for worship;

C. To be involved in the activities of the church;

D. To be witnesses of Jesus;

E. To pray for the church, for one another and for the lost that they may be lead to Jesus Christ;

F. To be stewards of God’s resources, including regular, proportionate financial support of the church;

G. To use their spiritual gifts in ministry;

H. To offer positive encouragement to the leadership of the congregation.

ARTICLE II LEADERSHIP

Section 1: Qualifications

All officers of the church shall be elected by the membership of the church at its December business meeting. Officers shall meet the following qualifications:

A. Show evidence of a maturing Christian faith;

B. Be members of the congregation;

C. Be regular in participation in the life of the congregation, including attendance at worship and Bible study;

D. Exercise a ministry;

E. Provide financial support.

If you have any questions about these or any other beliefs of our church or staff, please call our church office.