GWF is an independent church with no associational ties. We proudly Proclaim, Preach and Promote Baptist doctrine.

 Here is the essence of our beliefs.

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THE SCRIPTURES

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of Gods revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.

 

Ex. 24:4; Det. 4:1-2, 17:19; Jos. 8:34; Ps. 19:7-10, 119:11, 89, 105, 140; Is. 34:16, 40:8; Jer. 15:16, 36:1-32; Mat. 5:17-18, 22:29;

Lk. 21:33, 24:44-46; Jn. 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Ac. 2:16, 17:11; Rom 15:4, 16:25-26; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:25;

2 Pet. 1:19-21

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GOD

There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.

 

The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

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God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

 

Gen. 1:1, 2:7; Ex. 3:14, 6:2-3, 15:11, 20:1; Lev. 22:2; Det. 6:4, 32:6; 1 Ch. 29:10; Ps. 19:1-3;   Is. 43:3,15, 64:8; Jer. 10:10, 17:13;

Mat. 6:9, 7:11, 23:9, 28:19; Mk. 1:9-11; Jn. 4:24, 5:26, 14:6-13, 17:1-8; Ac. 1:7; Rom. 8:14-15; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 4:6;

Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:6, 12:9; 1 Pet. 1:17; 1 Jn. 5:7

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God the Son

Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the Person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, partaking of the nature of God and of man, and in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.

 

Gen. 18:1; Ps. 2:7, 110:1; Is. 7:14, 53:1-12; Mat. 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16, 27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6, 19; Mk. 1:1, 3:11; Lk. 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; Jn. 1:1-18, 29; 10:30, 38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16, 28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20, 28; Ac. 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5, 20; Rom. 1; 3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3, 34; 10:4; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8, 24-28; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Eph. 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Php. 2:5-11; Col. 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Ths. 4:14-18; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 3:16; Tit. 2:13-14; Heb. 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15, 24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Pet. 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 Jn. 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 Jn. 7-9; Rev. 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16

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God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination, He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the assurance of God to bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

 

Gen. 1:2; Jud. 14:6; Job 26:13; Ps. 51:11; 139:7; Is. 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mat. 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mk. 1:10, 12; Lk. 1:35; 4:1, 18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; Jn. 4:24; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Ac. 1:8; 2:1-4, 38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17, 39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6;Rom. 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Ths. 5:19; 1 Tim. 3:16; 4:1; 2 Tim. 1:14; 3:16; Heb. 9:8, 14; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Jn. 4:13; 5:6-7; Rev. 1:10; 22:17

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MAN

Man was created by the special act of God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence; whereby his posterity inherited a nature and an environment inclined toward sin, and as soon as they are capable of moral action become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore every man possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

 

Gen. 1:26-30; 2:5, 7, 18-22; 3; 9:6; Ps. 1:1-6; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Is. 6:5; Jer. 17:5; Mat. 16:26; Ac. 17:26-31;

Rom. 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 12, 19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18, 29; 1 Cor. 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Eph. 2:1-22; Col. 1:21-22; 3:9-11

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SALVATION

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense, salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.

 

A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of Gods grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

 

Justification is Gods gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer into a relationship of peace and favor with God.

 

B. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to Gods purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual perfection through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate persons life.

 

C. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

 

Gen. 3:15; Ex. 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Mat. 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Lk. 1:68-69; 2:28-32; Jn. 1:11-14, 29; 3:3-21, 36; 5:24; 10:9, 28-29; Jn. 15:1-16; 17:17; Ac. 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 7:30-31; 20:32; Rom. 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3; 5:8-10; 6:1-23;

8:1-18; 29-39; 10:9-10, 13; 3:11-14; 1 Cor. 1:18, 30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:17-20; Gal. 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15;

Eph 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Php. 2:12-13; Col. 1:9-22; 3:1; 1 Ths. 5:23-24; 2 Tim. 1:12; Tit. 2:11-14;

Heb. 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8, 14; Jms. 2:14-26;

1 Pet. 1:2-23; 1 Jn. 1:6-2:11; Rev. 3:20; 21:1-22:5

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GOD'S PURPOSE OF GRACE

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is a glorious display of Gods sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.

 

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the cause of Christ, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

 

Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 19:5-8; 1 Sam. 8:4-7, 19-22; Is. 5:1-7; Jer. 31:31; Mat. 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22, 31; 25:34; Lk. 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; Jn. 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45, 65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6, 12, 17-18; Ac. 13:48, 20:32; Rom. 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7, 26-36; 1 Cor. 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Eph. 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Col 1:12-14; 2 Ths. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2:10, 19;

Heb. 11:39-12:2; 1 Pet. 1:2-5, 13; 2:4-10; 1 Jn. 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2

 

THE CHURCH

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ, committed to His teachings, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.

 

This church is an autonomous body, operating through democratic processes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In such a congregation members are equally responsible. Its Scriptural officers are pastors and deacons.

 

The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages.

 

Mat. 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Ac. 2:41-42, 47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23, 27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Eph. 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11, 21; 5:22-32; Php. 1:1; Col 1:18; ; 1 Tim. 3:1-15; 4:14

 

BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believers faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believers death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lords Supper.

 

The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

 

Mat. 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mk. 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Lk. 3:21-22; 22:19-20; Jn. 3:23; Ac. 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 10:16, 21; 11:23-29; Col 2:12

 

STEWARDSHIP

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemers cause on earth.

 

Gen. 14:20; Lev. 27:30-32; Det. 8:18; Mal. 3:8-12; Mat. 6:1-4, 19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Lk. 12:16-21, 42; 16:1-13; Ac. 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Rom. 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9; 12:15; Php. 4:10-19; 1 Pet. 1:18-19

 

THE FAMILY

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption.

 

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is Gods unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church, and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel for sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.

 

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in Gods image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

 

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children Gods pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.

 

Gen. 1:26-28; 2:18-25; 3:1-20; Ex. 20:12; Det. 6:4-9; Jos. 24:15; 1 Sam. 1:26-28; Ps. 78:1-8; 127:1-4; 128:1-6; 139:13-16; Pro. 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecc. 4:9-12; 9:9; Mal. 2:14-16; Mat. 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mk. 10:6-12; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Col. 3:18-21; 1 Tim. 5:14; 2 Tim. 1:3-5; Tit. 2:3-5; Heb. 13:4; 1 Pet. 3:1-7

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