Information
186 Lake Dow Road
McDonough, GA 30252
Contacts
Pastor David H. Murray
(770) 957-2940
What We Believe
The Bible
We believe the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments, to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. The Bible is to be heeded as God’s instruction in all that it affirms, obeyed as God’s command in all that it requires, and embraced as God’s provision in all that it promises.
The Godhead
We believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and that these Three are one God possessed of the same nature, attributes, and perfections and worthy of the same homage, confidence and obedience.
The Father
We believe in God the Father as a personal, self-existent, omnipotent being, the Creator of the universe and the fountain of all life and goodness. Though dwelling in light unapproachable, He clearly reveals His character of truth, righteousness, love, and beauty to us through the created universe, through the coming of Jesus, and through His written Word. To Him we all must give an account and ultimately must choose either to live with Him forever, or to be banished eternally from His presence.
The Son
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal and imminent return in power and great glory.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, who convicts men of sin and righteousness and judgment, shows the individual his need of salvation and makes the things of Christ real. Ever since His coming on the day of Pentecost, He has promised to take up His abode in the regenerated heart of anyone who asks. This indwelling is not to be assumed as an automatic consequence of salvation, but rather requested as a special gift. In response to His indwelling we are to respect, honor, and obey Him as the Guide and Director of our individual walk with God, as well as the affairs of the Church. The fruit of the Spirit is to be evidenced in Christian living, and His gifts though dispensed as He chooses, are to be sought as the equipment for spiritual service within the structure of the Church.
Salvation
We believe that man was created in the image of God and that he fell through the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The resulting spiritual deadness and depravity was inherited by the entire human race. Thus everyone needs salvation. Doing our best to live a “good life” apart from Christ will not make us acceptable to God. We believe that Jesus’ sacrifice atoned for the sins of all as they believe on Him. We are saved from God’s wrath and the punishment due us for our sins solely through His grace expressed in Jesus. When saved we are not only forgiven for wrongdoing, but also delivered from the power of sin so as to be able to live victorious lives in Him.
Baptism
We believe in baptism by immersion. It is a powerful ordinance used by God to wash away past sins. As the death, burial and resurrection of Christ are reenacted, the believer enters into newness of life and is saved from the wrath to come. We regard a scriptural baptism as necessary preparation for fellowship in the body of believers at the Lord’s table.
The Eternal State
We believe that at death the spirits of those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation pass immediately into His presence, where they remain in a state of joyful consciousness until the resurrection of the glorified body. When Christ comes for His own, the spirit and the glorified body of the believer will be united, and thenceforth will be with Him forever. The spirits of the unbelieving, however, after death remain conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment at the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium. At this time the reunited soul and body of everyone judged to be deserving of everlasting punishment will be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer endless torment and banishment from God’s presence.