Core Beliefs
God established a covenant relationship, first with His people—Israel, and then a new covenant with His people—the church (Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:15). Therefore, as members of God’s covenant family known as West Edgecombe Baptist Church, we commit ourselves to God and to one another to be Christlike in our lives and relationships through the presence, guidance, and power of God’s Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:21).
We will love one another as Christ loved us, honor one another above ourselves, be kind and compassionate to one another, encourage and build up one another, comfort one another, and offer hospitality to one another (John 13:34; Romans 12:10; 2 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Peter 4:9).
We shall have a spirit of unity based on our common bond in Christ, be united in mind and convictions, meet together regularly, have equal concern for each other, suffer when one suffers and rejoice when another is honored, and consider others more important than ourselves (Ephesians 4:3-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 12:25-26; Philippians 2:3).
We shall use our God-given knowledge to instruct one another, use our spiritual gifts to bless one another, use the Word of Christ to teach and admonish one another, and nurture one another toward spiritual maturity (Romans 15:14; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Colossians 3:16).
We shall fulfill our Mission Statement to be a Great Commandment Church through Worship and Ministry, and by following the Great Commission through Evangelism, Fellowship and Discipleship in a changing world (Matthew 22:36-39, 28:18-20).
We shall confess our sins to one another, pray for each other, warn those who are idle, encourage the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with one another, forgive one another as the Lord forgave us, and gently restore those who sin (James 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Colossians 3:13; Galatians 6:1).
We shall not talk negatively about one another, not pass judgment on one another, not put any stumbling block in one another’s way, not be morally impure, not use obscenities, not be greedy, but we shall be filled with the Spirit (James 4:11; Romans 14:13; Ephesians 5:3-4, 5:18; Genesis 1:26-28, 2:21-24; Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 18:22; Matthew 19:3-6; Romans 1:24-28; I Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:21-33).
We also engage to maintain the family that God ordained, in His Holy Word, the Bible, as the foundational institution of human society. We believe and stand upon God’s Word that the family is composed of person related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Opposition to same sex marriages is not hatred or bigotry. It is grounded in the teachings of Scripture. These teachings argue that any non-marital and non-heterosexual forms of intimacy or legal union violate the Will of God. Bible does not affirm, sanction, endorse, or approve of the practice or act of the gay lifestyle.
We shall welcome all who come in to worship with us, but reserve membership privileges to those who believe and adhere to the Church Constitution.
We shall let the light of godly lives shine together to bring glory to God (Matthew5:16).
We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God and the basis for our beliefs. This church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000. We voluntarily band ourselves together as a body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ, personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind. The ordinances of the church are Believers’ Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. A copy of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message shall be kept on file in the Church library and office for review at all times.