First English Baptist Church

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
A Congregation of American Baptist Churches USA

What We Believe

God helps us in good times as well as bad times.

This page presents our First English Baptist Church (FEBC) beliefs as stated formally in our Constitution and Bylaws, dated January 15, 1995. It also presents our beliefs as stated during several workshop sessions by our Adult Sunday School class and our High School Sunday School class in 1999.

Constitution and Bylaws, dated January 15, 1995

1. We accept Jesus Christ as our divine Lord and Savior and that He is first and foremost, our guide and sustainer in our daily lives.

2. We accept the Bible as the source and foundation of the expression of our faith and practice.

3. We accept the right of private interpretation of the Bible in communion with the Holy Spirit, and the right of the individual to approach God directly.

4. We believe in the absolute independence of the church from any governmental or civil authority.

5. We maintain a church membership of those who profess their belief in the new life through Jesus Christ, and who exemplify this faith in their daily lives.

6. We believe in the beautiful, symbolic ordinance of baptism in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ, and we express this belief through the baptism of believers by immersion.

7. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, in that all believers accept the privilege and responsibility for ministering to all people.

8. We believe in the complete independence of the local church and our volunteer cooperation in associated fellowship with other Baptist churches.

9. We accept the principle of majority rule, while guaranteeing equal rights to all and affording special privileges to none.

10. We affirm the spiritual unity of all believers for which the Master so earnestly prayed.

11. We believe in a worldwide program of testimony and witness in faith obedience to Jesus Christ for the gift of eternal life.

Workshop Session Belief Statements

Over a series of Sundays in 1999 the Adult Sunday School and Senior High Sunday School held workshop sessions to discuss and affirm "What We Believe."   Participants affirmed during a dialogue about their Christian faith and experience. A summary of outcomes includes the following professions of belief 

We believe God is:

The Father
The Creator
A powerful, Supreme Being
Loving
Forgiving and kind
All knowing and powerful
Everlasting and ever present
Great

We believe Jesus Christ is:

The Son of God
God in the flesh
The Savior
Our Teacher
A Human Messenger
A role model, an example for us to follow
God’s only Son who died for our sins and has risen.

Although our beliefs about the Holy Spirit are diverse, they include the following concepts. 
We believe the Holy Spirit is:

The Trinity
God with Man
The God within us
God, the Provider of Grace
Our source of strength, support and comfort
Our conscience, our peace, our inner voice to be disciples to all 
Our ability to know right from wrong
The mystery of God
God’s wondrous gift to us.

We believe the Bible is:

God’s word
Inspired by God
Inspired words of our Lord to be used as a daily guide for our lives
A road map that provides guidance and direction
A teaching tool
A historical record of God’s interaction with his people
Man’s interpretation of God’s word
A source of comfort

We believe the Bible:

Needs to be read, studied, and discussed.
And its teachings should be internalized

We believe baptism is:

Accepting God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (the Trinity)
A symbolic, public ceremony demonstrating our acceptance, commitment, and dedication to God and his teachings.
A physical symbol of being born again
A commitment to God
The cleansing of our sins
Submitting to God
A personal profession of faith
A choice made by young adults and adults
A ceremony that follows salvation and a commitment to Christ
A symbolic commitment to surrender what is past and to begin a new life
Outside sign of an inward change

We believe the role of the minister is to:

Serve as a role model, reflecting high ethical and moral character
Be a shepherd
Teach God’s word in Biblical references
Be our catalyst by being involved in everything but not do everything; encourage congregational involvement
Serve as a liaison to the American Baptist Churches along with other church members
Be an involved leader in the community
Counsel and comfort church members and others in the community
Be a mediator when appropriate
Do visitations with church members and others in the community.
Be involved with the youth of the church
Be involved with the shut-ins and others not actively participating in the church

We believe the role of the laity is to:

Do the work of God
Volunteer to do work
Support and invite each other to action
Support the pastor
Be accountable in sharing our talents and gifts
Be involved and proactive in all aspects of the church’s ministry and God’s work
Be active; there are jobs for all of us
Be responsible and do more

We believe the purpose, place and mission of our church is to:

Educate and spread God’s work, good news, and salvation
Love
Help the community focus on God
Be a church family
Keep Christ at the center
Live and love by example
Do God’s work
Be more. Church is not just for Sundays.

We believe the following about the human condition:

Love is for each other
We are accountable and responsible for our actions
We are sinners in need of salvation
We give and receive forgiveness
We are weak and frail and need God
Satan tempts us. Jesus saves us.

We believe the Lord’s Supper is:

A reminder of Christ’s forgiveness and sacrifice
A renewal and recommitment by us
A physical, symbolic sharing of Christ’s body and blood

We believe the following about salvation:

Is the result of Christ’s dying for our sins
In accepting salvation, we take responsibility to follow Christ
Jesus is the bridge from eternal death to eternal life
Salvation is God overcoming sin
With God for eternity, life after death
Is a gift to be accepted (we can not earn it)
Is a commencement
God lets us start over
Saved by God’s grace.

We believe our personal relationship to ecumenical witness is to:

Live our life as Christian role models by our words, deeds, and actions
Work with other churches to do God’s work
Bring others to God through the First English Baptist Church
Witness by being open and non-judgmental
Show we are Christians by our love

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