About Joel Baptist Church

What is an Independent Baptist Church?

IT IS WHAT ALL BAPTIST CHURCHES USED TO BE...
...before Baptist Churches began to organize into Conventions and Associations to accomplish o united purpose. INDEPENDENT BAPTISTS do co-operate effectively for the common cause of world evangelization through the combined efforts of a Fellowship-relationship of the local congregations. We feel involvement determined by "membership" in a Convention often creates a situation in which the program of that Convention becomes more important than the local Church that created it, causing the luster and importance of the local Church ministry to be obscured.

ALL BAPTIST CHURCHES THAT ARE BAPTIST...
...believe and accept the one statement of Faith of all Baptists that have ever cherished that name. There are churches called Baptist, who practice foot washing as on ordinance and do not even believe in eternal security, that we do not consider true Baptists. See the Beliefs in Brief below.

INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCHES WILL RECEIVE AND GRANT LETTERS...
...to all Baptist Churches that adhere to the Baptist Statement of Faith regardless of their Convention or Association affiliation.

INDEPENDENT BAPTISTS HAVE NO QUARREL WITH ANY BAPTIST CHURCH...
... that strives to win souls and endorses without apology or reservation the Bible as the in fallible Word of God. To all Baptist Churches with such a goal we pray the Lord's richest blessings. If others choose to serve the Lord in another fashion that is their business, but it is merely our personal feeling that we can better serve the Lord in the following manner .

WE DO NOT CHOOSE TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH ORGANIZED
CONVENTIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS BECAUSE...
...all too often we have discovered that many Colleges and Seminaries sponsored by
organized Conventions, while being supported by local churches, have professors who do not believe or teach doctrines that we feel are Biblically true and vital to the Christian Faith. Such doc trines as the Verbal Inspiration of Scriptures and the Deity and Virgin Birth of our Lord are included in these. We find the local churches make their existence a reality by financial support, yet their voice and convictions do not carry enough influence to correct the errors that arise in these institutions.

IF TRULY BAPTISTIC, A CHURCH WILL BE FUNDAMENTAL IN DOCTRINE... MAKING IT A FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH.

Beliefs in Brief

We believe...

...in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writing, and has been perfectly preserved in the King James 1611. We accept the Bible as the supreme and final authorization in faith and life.

In one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

That the Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally, not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and as God ordained, should bring forth only "after their kind."

That Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, and born of Mary, a virgin, and is true God and true man.

That man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God: and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and, in the case of those who reach the age of moral responsibility, are sinners in thought, word and deed.

That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.

In the 'Eternal Security' of the believer; that it is impossible for one born into the family of God ever to be lost.

In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there as High Priest and Advocate.

That the Church of our Lord is a viable, local, self governing body of believers who have been baptized and that there are only two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's supper, both of which are administered only to believers.

In the literal fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Scriptures which foretell and assure the future regeneration and restoration of Israel as a nation.

That all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.

In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.

That Jesus Christ is coming again to take His church out of the world, at which time the tribulation begins and will end at His coming to earth to rule and reign for 1,000 years as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

For more information:

Pastor Kevin Rogerson

1165 Old Barnwell Road

West Columbia, SC. 29170

803-957-4928