We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and that they compose the entire Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed; and therefore, are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. 

(II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

We believe that God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word in the traditional Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the only English-language translation used by Horizon Baptist Church. 

We believe Jesus Christ to be the one and only Saviour of mankind. We believe Jesus Christ to be eternally God and to possess all the attributes of Deity. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born, that He was God incarnate, and that the purposes of the incarnation were to reveal God, to redeem men, and to rule over God’s kingdom. We believe Jesus Christ never relinquished any attributes of His Deity, but merely veiled them. We believe He lived a perfect, sinless life, at the end of which He was offered for all mankind as a substitutionary sacrifice for man’s sin. This sacrifice was a just payment to God for the forgiveness of sin. It was activated by His death through the shedding of His blood on the cross and was accepted by God upon His resurrection. We believe He ascended into Heaven after His resurrection to be seated at the right hand of the Father and is now waiting for the time of receiving His church at the rapture, which is followed by His return seven years later to earth to rule and reign as King for 1,000 years. (Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 43:11; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:25; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1, 1:3, 14, 18, 29; Romans 3:19-25; Romans 5:6-15; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:10-15; Hebrews 7:26, 9:24-28; 1 Peter 1:19, 2:2; 1 John 1:3; Revelation 20:1-6)

We believe in one God; Who is eternal, self-existent, infinite, and immutable. We believe He has one nature, one essence, and one substance; yet manifests Himself to man in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections(Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Timothy 1:17; James 1:17; 1 John 4:4)

We believe the Holy Spirit of God is a person who has personality and all the attributes of Deity. We believe the Holy Spirit has always been involved in the affairs of mankind; however, we believe He has a special ministry that began at Pentecost and will continue until the rapture. This ministry includes reproving the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit was also sent to regenerate, sanctify, seal, and fill all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:2; John 3:5-6; John 14:16; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:15; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:13)

We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayer of believers for physical healing. (II Corinthians 12:12; I Corinthians 13:8; Hebrews 2:3-4; Mark 16:17-20; I Corinthians 1:22, 14:21-22).

We believe all men were born with an inherited sin nature received from our common ancestor, Adam. We believe that because of his nature, man is a sinner by choice, and he is totally incapable of reforming himself or ceasing from his sin by his own power. We believe the only hope of deliverance for man is a total change of mind concerning his sinful condition and inability to change it, and a turning to Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. We believe that only through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross can a man be delivered from his sin. We believe that all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour are already condemned to an eternity in the lake of fire. (Genesis 5:1-5; Acts 4:19; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:6-12; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9- 10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6; Revelation 20:11-14)

We believe that the church began with the calling out of the twelve apostles by Jesus Christ and was empowered on the day of Pentecost. We believe the local church is composed of members who have been saved and baptized according to the command of Christ, and have voluntarily united together for the purposes of worship, fellowship, service, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and communion. We believe all true believers will be taken up at the rapture, just prior to the tribulation. (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 1:15; Acts 2:41-43; Acts 11:15; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 15: 51-58; Ephesians 1:12-14; Ephesians 5:25-30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 3:4-15)

We will be a baptist church in doctrine and practice, not by denominational affiliation.

We believe in the literal interpretation of the Scriptures in their grammatical and historical context. We believe in the pre-tribulational rapture of the church saints, followed by the seven-year tribulation. We believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ to the earth and His literal rule of 1,000 years. Following this 1,000 year reign is the Great White Throne judgment and then the new heaven and new earth. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9; Revelation 19-22)

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days, and that God created all life (Gen. 1). We reject the man‑made theory of evolution occurring over millions of years and believe that the earth is approximately 6,000 years old (Gen. 5, Gen. 11). We believe that God created man in His own image, but man chose to sin. Hence, all persons inherit a depraved nature and are lost sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23).

We believe that God created man and woman in His image and instituted marriage between one who is genetically male and one who is genetically female (Gen. 2:18-24). Marriage is a sacred, exclusive union between a man and woman and serves as a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church (Matt. 19:3-12, Eph. 5:22-33). We believe that God has commanded that sexual activity be exclusively reserved to a man and a woman who are legally married to each other; and that Scripture forbids any form of sexual immorality including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography (Matt. 5:27-28, Matt. 15:18-20, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 1 Cor. 6:18, 1 Cor. 7:1-5, Heb. 13:4).

Home and Family Relationships

1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in 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. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)
2. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7)

Divorce and Remarriage

We believe that God disapproves of and forbids divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon or those administrative positions within the church that would consist of pastoral duties. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)

Civil Government

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced these responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically-assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)

We believe that the believer is called to a life of consecration which requires increasing in the knowledge of Christ and growing in grace (John 15:4-5, Col. 1:10, 2 Pet. 3:18).

We believe that the will of God for all believers is to give evidence of sanctification through being honorable in all relations with others (Rom. 12:1-2, 1 Thes. 4:3, James 1:27).

We believe every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Words or behaviors inconsistent with these characteristics are to be repudiated, and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the Church. (Matthew 5:43-44, John 3:16; 13:35, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

We believe the Scriptures teach that Satan, as the mighty angel Lucifer, was once holy, enjoying heavenly honors; but that through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant “prince of the power of the air”, the unholy god of this world; that he is man’s great tempter, the enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the Antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness; destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s own son, and the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

(Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Revelation 12:9; Jude 6; Ephesians 2:2; II Peter 2:4; John 14:30; I Thessalonians 3:5; Matthew 4:1-3; I Peter 5:8; I John 3:8; Matthew 13:25,37,39; Luke 22:3,4; Revelation 12;10; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Mark 13:21,22; I John 4:3; II John 7; I John 2:22; Revelation 13:13,14; 12:7-9; 19:11,16,20; 20:1-3,10; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; Matthew 25:41)

We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions. (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Philippians 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)

1. We believe that God created humanity as distinctly and exclusively either male or female from the beginning, and that He blessed His created design as very good. We believe that every human’s true gender identity is identical to the genetic, biological sex with which they were born. We believe that God blesses submission to and acceptance of His created design. We believe God disapproves of and forbids any and all attempts to alter one’s gender through surgery, medicinal manipulation, appearance, or expression contrary to His created design. (Genesis 1:26-28, 31, 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4-6)
2. We believe that marriage is a sacred institution ordained by God, given to represent His love for the church, to continue the human race, and to bless humanity. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one biological male and one biological female in a covenant commitment before God. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:2, 10; Ephesians 5:22-33)
3. We believe that God has commanded that there should be no intimate sexual activity outside of a marriage between a biological male and a biological female. We believe that any relationships or activities involving homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism, pedophilia, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, or pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. (Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-32; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
4. In keeping with our beliefs regarding the purpose of the church and regarding human sexuality, as expressed in this statement of faith, our doctrine necessitates the following:
   1. All people are welcome to attend our regular worship services, for we believe that all people need and deserve to hear the truth of the Gospel.
   2. Those who attend may not display and promote behavior that demonstrates violations of the sinful behaviors listed in this section in church services, on the church grounds, or at church functions.
   3. Church representatives shall enforce the doctrinal position of this church, but shall not display overt disrespect for those who condone or display the sinful behaviors listed in this section.
   4. The pastor of the church will consistently preach against all forms of sinful sexual behavior, as well as other sinful behaviors.

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 abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus we believe that an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder contrary to the will of God. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be a legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment. (Exodus 20:13, 23:7; Matthew 5:21; Acts 17:28)