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Baptist BulletinABOUT THE MAGAZINEThe Baptist Bulletin is the magazine of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC), providing news, ministry ideas, and articles to inspire, inform, and challenge the reader from a Biblical and Baptist perspective. The Baptist Bulletin is published bimonthly and produced by the staff of Regular Baptist Press, the publishing division of the GARBC. The 40-page publication is 4-color throughout.

ABOUT OUR READERSThe Baptist Bulletin is published for the congregation. Because of our distinctly Baptist emphasis on congregational government, we unapologetically aim our magazine toward the people in our pews—a popular-level audience of believing church members. Though not intended exclusively for the clergy, the magazine is also read by many pastors and church leaders. We believe our audience is well-educated, theologi-cally astute, and capable of discerning complex issues in our churches and society. We’ve discovered that our readers also read a wide variety of other publications and books—and they are interested in services and products intended for the church.

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIAWe are grateful to partner with a variety of advertisers who share our values. Those who are interested in advertising in the Baptist Bulletin should complete the advertising application on page 10 and return it to us.

CONTACT INFORMATIONBaptist Bulletin Fax: 847-843-3757 3715 North Ventura Drive Toll free phone: 888.588.1600, ext. 833 Arlington Heights, IL 60004 E-mail: ads@baptistbulletin.org

TERMS AND BILLINGAdvertisers are invoiced after the completion and mailing of each issue.

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AD SCHEDULEAll ads must be reserved 2 months prior to the month of issue in which the ad will appear. All ad material must be received 1½ months prior to the month of issue. Specific requests must be included with ad material.

Issue Reservation Deadline Material Due Date

January/February November 1 November 15

March/April January 1 January 15

May/June March 1 March 15

July/August May 1 May 15

September/October July 1 July 15

November/December September 1 September 15

RATESFrequency discounts are available for all ad sizes, including classified and web ads. To qualify, all contracts must be prepaid. The discount is 10% off for half-year contracts (3 issues) and 15% off for full-year contracts (6 issues).

Print Size 1 Issue 3 Issues (10% Discount) 6 Issues (15% Discount)

Full page premium placement

$1,200.00 $1,080.00 $1,020.00

Full page $960.00 $864.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

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Half page $675.00 $607.50(see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

$573.75 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

Quarter page $450.00 $405.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

$382.50 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

1/6 page $225.00 $202.50 $191.25

1/12 page $95.00 $85.50 $80.75

1/24 page $55.00 $49.50 $46.75

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Bb+ (Digital) 1 Issue 3 Issues (10% Discount) 6 Issues (15% Discount)

Full page $800.00 $720.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

$680.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

Fly-In Ad $950.00 $855.00(see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

$805.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

Video $1,025.00 $920.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

$870.00 (see Ultimate Package, p. 4)

Web Ads 1 Issue 3 Issues (10% Discount) 6 Issues (15% Discount)

Web advertising $55.00 $49.50 $46.75

ADVERTISING IN THE BAPTIST BULLETIN

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PACKAGESBASE PACKAGE Price includes: (1) Baptist Bulletin ad, (1) GARBC Church Directory ad

Full page $1,000.00Half page $725.00Quarter page $500.00

DELUXE PACKAGE Price includes: (1) Baptist Bulletin ad, (1) Web ad, (1) GARBC Church Directory ad, and (1) Conference Book ad

Full page $1,200.00Half page $850.00Quarter page $555.00

ULTIMATE PACKAGE Price includes: (3 or 6) Baptist Bulletin ads, (12) Web ads, (1) GARBC Church Directory ad, (1) Conference Book ad, and (1) Baptist Bulletin Plus Digital Edition ad

Ultimate Pricing Schedule 3 Issues 6 IssuesFull page premium placement $3,530.00 $6,312.00Full page $2,992.00 $5,296.00Half page $2,122.50 $3,742.00Quarter page $1,415.00 $2,495.00

CLASSIFIED ADSClassified ads are also available in the GARBC Marketplace section of the Baptist Bul-letin. The classified rate is $7 per column line of type averaging 60 characters per line (including spaces). One headline of bold type is included. No special fonts, graphics, or highlighting available.

Written confirmation is required to process all classified ads. All ads are subject to the approval of the publisher.

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SENDING FILES• Files 5MB or smaller can be attached to an e-mail. Send to

ads@baptistbulletin.org.• For larger ads, please send to ads@baptistbulletin.org through wetransfer.com,

or a similar service.

SPECSPRINT AND DIGITAL EDITION• Make sure all important elements are no closer than .25 from trim.• All full page and half page ads require a .125" bleed on all four sides.• Send all display ads as a PDF, compatible with Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or greater.• Do not include crop marks on PDF.• Our only acceptable format is a CMYK, press optimized PDF at 100% size. • All imagery must be optimized for CMYK. Minimum resolution for images is 230

dpi at 100% size.• PDFs must have all fonts embedded. “Subset” font settings must be disabled.

FLY-IN ADSFly-in ads are available for the Baptist Bulletin Plus, Digital Edition. These ads appear on top of the magazine and must be clicked to read the page it is on. Ads should be sent to ads@baptistbulletin.org. Please include a destination URL.

DIMENSIONS500 x 300 px

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Full PageTrim: 8.375" W x 10.875" HBleed: .125" (all sides)

½ page, vertical + bleedTrim: 4.25" W x 10.875" HBleed: .125" (all sides)

½ page, horizontal + bleedTrim: 8.375" W x 5.5" HBleed: .125" (all sides)

¼ page inside cover, verticaland ¼ page, vertical3.5625" W x 4 .875" H

1/6 page, horizontal4.86" W x 2.375" H

1/12 page, square2.3125" W x 2.375" H

1/24 page, horizontal2.3125" W x 1.125" H

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MATERIAL DUE DATEAugust 15

SPECSTrim size: 5.5" W x 8.5" HBleed: additional .125" on all sidesContent margin in binding area: All ad text and significant graphics or logos should fall at least .25 inch inside the trim line to account for the spiral binding.

CONTACTads@BaptistBulletin.org888.588.1600, ext. 833

PRICINGFull page $100.00

GARBC Church Directory

WEB SPECSDisplay ads are available online. For differentiation, please include a 1px black border around any ads that have white or very light color along the edge of the ad. Ads should be e-mailed to ads@baptistbulletin.org. Please include a destination URL.

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GUIDELINES1. Maximum of 20 ads displayed per month2. URL will open in new window with a nofollow referral link3. Link must go to a valid, approved URL

DISPLAY FOOTERRESERVATION DEADLINEJune 15 (space permitting)

MORE INFOgarbcconference.org/conference-info/exhibitors

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PRICINGFooters $150.00

CONFERENCE BOOKUltimate and Deluxe Package customers need to submit an ad proportionally equivalent in size to their Baptist Bulletin ad, e.g., half page Bulletin ad = half page Conference Book ad.

RESERVATION DEADLINEApril 15

MATERIAL DUE DATEMay 1

CONTACTads@BaptistBulletin.org

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PRICINGFull page $300.00Half page $225.00Quarter page $150.00

GARBC Annual Conference

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6' DISPLAY TABLERESERVATION DEADLINEJune 15 (space permitting)If you have not registered by May 1, you will not be listed in the Conference Book.

MORE INFOgarbcconference.org/conference-info/exhibitors

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888.588.1600, ext. 818

PRICINGNonprofit $375.00Commercial $450.00

Advertising ApplicationCHURCH, MINISTRY, OR ORGANIZATION DESIRING TO ADVERTISEName ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone __________________________________________ Fax _____________________________________________

E-mail ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CRITERIA FOR ADVERTISINGAn organization or individual desiring to advertise with Regular Baptist Ministries (includes the Baptist Bulletin, Regular Baptist websites, GARBC Directory, and GARBC annual conference notebook) must qualify in one of the following four categories:

1. A church or a ministry of a church in fellowship with the GARBC.2. A ministry (e.g., mission, camp, school) in agreement with the Articles of Faith and Purpose Statement (Article II, Constitution) of the GARBC, and that affirms historic Baptist doctrine.3. A ministry (e.g., counseling ministry) providing support for churches that is in agreement with the Articles of Faith of the GARBC and not a direct competitor of Regular Baptist Press.4. A business providing goods and services (e.g., equipment, furniture, construction, and others) to GARBC churches or church members and is not a direct competitor of Regular Baptist Press.

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX BELOW TO SHOW HOW YOU MEET THE CRITERIA OF REGULAR BAPTIST MINISTRIES❏ CATEGORY 1 Our church is (a) in fellowship with the GARBC or (b) a ministry of a church in fellowship with the GARBC.

❏ CATEGORY 2 Our ministry (e.g., mission, camp, school) is in agreement with the Articles of Faith and Purpose Statement (Article II, Constitution) of the GARBC, and affirms historic Baptist doctrine.

❏ CATEGORY 3 Our ministry (e.g., counseling ministry) provides support for churches, is in agreement with the Articles of Faith of the GARBC, and is not a direct competitor of Regular Baptist Press.

❏ CATEGORY 4 Our business provides goods and services (e.g., equipment, furniture, construction, and others) to GARBC churches or church members and is not a direct competitor of Regular Baptist Press.

Print name _______________________________________ Signature ________________________________________

See the following pages for the Articles of Faith and Purpose (Article II) of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.

For office use only

Date Received: Accepted:

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Regular Baptist Ministries

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Constitution of the GARBC

Article I. NameGeneral Association of Regular Baptist Churches.

Article II. PurposeSection 1. To maintain an Association of sovereign Bible-

believing, Christ-honoring Baptist churches; to promote the spirit of evangelism; to spread the gospel; to advance Regular Baptist educational and missionary enterprises at home and abroad; to raise and maintain a testimony to the truth of the gospel and to the purity of the Church; to raise a standard of Biblical separation from worldliness, modernism and apos-tasy; to emphasize the Biblical teaching that a breakdown of divinely established lines between Bible believers and apostates is unscriptural and to be a voice repudiating cooperation with movements which attempt to unite true Bible believers and apostates in evangelistic and other cooperative spiritual ef-forts.

Section 2. The acquisition or disposition of any properties necessary to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this Article shall be authorized by (1) a majority vote of messengers present and voting at any annual meeting, or (2) by a mail referendum majority vote of the fellowshipping churches, when a decision relating to property cannot await an annual meeting of the Association.

Article III. MeetingsA meeting of the Association shall be held annually for the

transaction of business, the election of officers, and the con-ducting of a Bible and Missionary Conference at a date and place to be fixed by the Council.

Article IV. Fellowship and Voting PrivilegesSection 1. Procedures for approval of churches desiring to

fellowship with the GARBC. Any Baptist church on the North American continent, the United States, and her territorial pos-sessions which is not in fellowship or cooperation with any lo-cal, state or national convention, association or group which permits the presence of liberals, liberalism (modernists or apostates), and which church subscribes to the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches contained in the current Church Directory, and which desires to fellowship with the GARBC, shall:

(a) Make application to the Home Office of the GARBC in writing. This request should be made by the church clerk and contain the date of the meeting of the church in which this action to seek fellowship took place.

(b) Shall have had a Recognition Council of Regular Baptist

pastors and messengers for the purpose of examining the Constitution and Bylaws of the church to determine if it is a properly constituted and functioning Baptist church.

(c) Upon the recommendation of the Council of Eighteen at the annual meeting of the GARBC, and a majority vote of the Association, the church shall be received into fellowship. (Note the word “fellowship,” not “membership.” A Baptist church cannot be a member of anything outside of itself. It can declare itself in fellowship with any body of Baptists on earth, but cannot be a member.)

Section 2. Each church shall be entitled to a maximum of six voting messengers from its membership to be sent to the annual meeting, two of whom shall be empowered to sit on the Elections Committee, but each church is urged to send as many nonvoting messengers as possible. Each year every voting messenger shall subscribe to the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the Association, prior to taking his seat in the annual meeting.

Section 3. No salaried servant of the Association shall be entitled to vote.

Article V. Cessation of FellowshipSection 1. Any fellowshipping church may withdraw from

the Association at any time and for any reason sufficient to itself. Christian ethics would suggest that reason for such withdrawal should be filed with the Association, but such ac-tion is not mandatory. In conformity with the historic Baptist position, the property rights of such a church can in nowise be legally prejudiced or endangered by such withdrawal.

Section 2. Any fellowshipping church which is publicly known to be no longer in agreement with the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the Association, and has not voluntarily withdrawn itself from the Association, may, upon satisfac-tory evidence of disagreement being presented by the Council, and upon its recommendation, be removed from the rolls by majority vote of the Association.

Section 3. Any fellowshipping church which for a period of three years has failed to send an annual report or messenger to the Association meeting or in no other way has evidenced continued interest in the Association may be dropped from the rolls at the discretion of the Association on recommendation of the Council.

Article VI. Officers and Their ElectionSection 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a

Council of Eighteen men (members of fellowshipping churches). Six men shall be elected annually for a period of three years.

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All nominees for the Council of Eighteen shall subscribe in writing to the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.

A Council member who ceases to be a member of a fellow-shipping church shall immediately cease to be a member of the Council of Eighteen, his successor being the next highest nominee in the previous election.

At any one time there must be serving on the Council of Eighteen not fewer than fourteen men who are pastors of Regular Baptist churches.

Also any Councilman completing two consecutive terms of three years shall be ineligible for election for at least one year.

Section 2. The Council shall meet at the annual conference immediately after its election and shall appoint individuals to care for the various matters relative to the work of the Associ-ation, such as a treasurer, a secretary, and such committees as are appropriate to the ministry of the Association. The Council may appoint regional representatives.

Section 3. The Council shall appoint one of its members as Chairman of the Council, and he, or someone appointed by him, shall moderate the public meetings of the Association.

Section 4. The Council shall be elected in the following manner. Each church in fellowship with the Association shall meet in business session and nominate as many names for the Council as it may desire. These names shall be sent to the secretary of the Association at least six weeks in advance of the annual meeting. The secretary shall make proper tabulation of all lists and the twelve highest names shall be considered the nominees, except that not fewer than ten men who are pastors of Regular Baptist churches shall be nominees. Each church in fellowship with the Association shall designate any two of its messengers to serve on the committee of election. At an

announced time during the annual conference, at the call of the secretary, the committee shall meet, at which time the list of twelve nominees shall be presented to it and each member shall cast a ballot for not more than six. The six highest shall be elected to the Council for a three-year term, except that at any one time there must be serving on the Council of Eighteen not fewer than fourteen men who are pastors of Regular Bap-tist churches.

Section 5. All new members of the Council shall be present-ed at the closing session of the annual conference and shall assume their Council duties as of that session.

Section 6. It shall be the duty of the Council to make recom-mendations to the Association for the furtherance of its work, and to implement and put into operation all actions and policies of the Association. The Council shall be authorized to secure the services of such administrative and office personnel as shall be required to carry on the work of the Association, except for the National Representative. He shall be recom-mended by the Council and approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting at any annual meet-ing of the Association. All salaries shall be determined by the Council. Its authority is that which is committed to it by the Association, and any of the actions of the Council or of any salaried servant of the Association may be called up for review by the Association at any annual meeting.

Article VII. AmendmentsThis Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of

the Association by a two-thirds vote of the messengers pres-ent, and voting, provided the proposed amendment shall have been presented in writing at the previous annual meeting of the Association.

(Amended at the 2003 annual meeting.)

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GARBC Articles of Faith

I. Of the ScripturesWe believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible,

consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired and is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks.

We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions shall be tried.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19–21

II. The True GodWe believe there is one and only one living and true God, an

infinite Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all pos-sible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the God-head there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Exodus 20:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11

III. The Holy SpiritWe believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with

God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbe-lieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judg-ment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preach-ing and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. We believe that the sign/revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit have fulfilled their purpose and are not applicable to the work of the Holy Spirit today.

John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1–3; John 16:8–11; Acts 5:30–32; John 3:5, 6; Ephe-sians 1:13, 14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28–30; 13:8–10; 14:1–40; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:2–4

IV. The Devil, or SatanWe believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil;

and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire.

Matthew 4:1–11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10

V. CreationWe believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical

universe, angels, and humanity; that this account is neither alle-gory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, im-mediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process; that Adam and Eve were created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all people are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race.

Genesis 1; 2; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3In light of God’s creative design, we believe that the Bible

teaches that marriage is the joining of one man and one wom-an and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bonds of a Biblically defined marriage. Any other form of mar-riage or sexual intimacy is immoral and a perversion of God’s gracious will.

Genesis 2:18, 24, 25; Matthew 19:4–6; 7:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 7:1–5; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4

VI. The Fall of MankindWe believe that mankind was created in innocence (in the image

and likeness of God) under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all human beings sinned in him, in consequence of which all human beings are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen na-ture, and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

Genesis 3:1–6; Romans 1:18, 32; 3:10–19; 5:12, 19

VII. The Virgin BirthWe believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a mi-

raculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other person was ever born or can be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son.

Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14

VIII. SalvationWe believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and

wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who, by the appointment of the Father, volun-tarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and hon-ored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righ-teous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice consisted not in set-ting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condi-tion of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith.

Jonah 2:9; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24, 25; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7, 8; Hebrews 2:14–17; Isaiah 53:4–7; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24

IX. Resurrection and Priesthood of Christ

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His as-cension into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our high priest interceding for us.

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Matthew 28:6, 7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1  Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2–6, 51; Acts 1:9–11; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 8:6; 12:2; 7:25; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9, 10

X. Grace and the New BirthWe believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born

again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence ap-pears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.

John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; Acts 16:20–33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8

XI. JustificationWe believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby

He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood.

Romans 3:24; 4:5; 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9

XII. SanctificationWe believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the

believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner: first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establish-ing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accom-plishment of this process at the Lord’s return.

Hebrews 10:10–14; 3:1; John 17:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Cor-inthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:25–27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4; 5:23, 24; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Revelation 22:11

XIII. The Security of the SaintsWe believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God

the Father for Jesus Christ.Philippians 1:6; John 10:28, 29; Romans 8:35–39; Jude 1

XIV. The ChurchWe believe that a local church is an organized congregation

of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fel-lowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; gov-erned by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privilege invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, godly men whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all people as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gos-pel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

1 Corinthians 11:2; Acts 20:17–28; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9; Acts 2:41, 42

We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12, 13; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 3:1-6; 4:11; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Acts 15:13-18

XV. Baptism and the Lord’s SupperWe believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a

believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that bap-tism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by sol-emn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord’s Supper, and that participants in the Lord’s Supper should be immersed believers.

Acts 8:36, 38, 39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3–5; Matthew 3:16; Colos-sians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23–28; Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 2:41, 42

XVI. SeparationWe believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate

ourselves unto God from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy.2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10; 1 Timothy 6:3–

5; Romans 16:17; 2 John 9–11

XVII. Civil GovernmentWe believe that civil government is of divine appointment for

the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings.

Romans 13:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21, 22; Acts 23:5; Mat-thew 22:21; Acts 5:29; 4:19, 20; Daniel 3:17, 18

XVIII. IsraelWe believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal

covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her dis-obedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ.

Genesis 13:14–17; Romans 11:1–32; Ezekiel 37

XIX. Rapture and Subsequent EventsWe believe in the pretribulational rapture of the church, an

event that can occur at any moment, and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of the Tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44, 51–54; Philip-pians 3:20, 21; Revelation 3:10

We believe that the Tribulation, which follows the rapture of the church, will be culminated by the premillennial return of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish His Kingdom upon this earth.

Daniel 9:25–27; Matthew 24:29–31; Luke 1:30–33; Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:1–9; Acts 2:29, 30; Revelation 20:1–4, 6

XX. The Righteous and the WickedWe believe that there is a radical and essential difference be-

tween the righteous and the wicked; that only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds among all people both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the Lake of Fire.

Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17, 18; 1 John 5:19; Ro-mans 7:6; 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21; Revelation 20:14, 15.

(Clarified at the 1975, 1976, 2003, 2009, 2013, and 2014 annual meetings.)