Core Values

1. Spiritual Preparation

The spiritual preparation of a church planter is the single most important factor in the success of a new church. Therefore, it is our conviction that every planter, working through National Missions, must agree to, or have undergone through, and been approved for church planting through a formal assessment. National Missions is committed to prepare planters through training, coaching, networking and on-going accountability for the spiritual discipline needed to start a new church.

2. Strategic Planning

The second most important factor in the success of a new church is good planning.We are committed to provide planters with the most comprehensive structures, strategies, and systems available on the market.We will accomplish this through remaining current with the latest church-planting research and best practices.

3. Practical Experience

One major component missing in church planting training is exposure to existing, healthy church plants. Therefore,we are committed to offer planters a practical experience through our training system. All of our training events will be held on the site of, or in the geographic location of, a fast growing church plant.This will give planters real-life exposure to the worship experience,weekly planning, and daily activities involved in starting a church.We believe this experience will help planters to think more strategically about Sunday as a “Big-Day” event.

4. Coaching

We are committed to the success of every new church and realize that coaching a leader through the process of planting will ensure a greater likelihood of success. Therefore, National Missions requires, and will provide a qualified church planting coach for one-year to every planter who completes our training event.

General Baptist Statements of Faith

I. GOD
We believe that there is only one true, living, and eternal God and that the Godhead is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

(A) One True and Eternal God: Deut. 6:4; 33:27; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 3:15-16; 28:19; Mk. 12:29; Jn. 14:9-11; 10:30; Rom. 8:9-11; I Cor. 8:4-6; II Cor. 3:17; I Thess. 1:9; I Tim. 1:17; 2:5; 6:17; Heb. 1:1-13; 3:12.

(B) The Godhead: 1. God as Father: Gen. 1:1; Matt. 6:9; Eph. 4:6. 2. God as Son: Isa. 9:6; Matt. 16:16; Jn. 1:1; 3:14, 16; 14:28; I Cor. 15:28; Heb. 1:8. Virgin Birth of Jesus: Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-38. 3. God as Holy Spirit: Jn. 14:16, 26; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; Rom. 8:16.

II. THE BIBLE
We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Old and New Testaments, the inspired and infallible Word of God, and therein is found the only reliable guide of Christian faith and conduct.

(A) The Inspired Revelation: Lk. 24:44-46; Rom. 16:25-26; II Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 1:1-2; II Pet. 1:20-21.

(B) The Infallible Word: Isa. 40:8; Lk. 21:33; Jn. 17:17; Titus 1:2; I Pet.1:25.

(C) The Reliable Guide: Deut. 6:6-9; Ps. 19:7-10; 119:105, 140; Jn. 5:39; Acts 17:11-12; Rom. 10:14-15; 15:4; II Tim. 3:16-17.

III. MAN
We believe that God created man in His own image to bring Him honor through obedience, and that when man disobeyed, he became a fallen and sinful creature, unable to save himself. We believe that infants are in the covenant of God¹s grace and that all persons become accountable to God when they reach a state of moral responsibility.

(A) Man¹s Origin: Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7; Ps. 8:5.

(B) Man¹s Purpose: Gen. 1:28-31; 2:15-25; Isa. 43:7.

(C) Man¹s Sin: Gen. 3:1-24; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 13:23; Rom. 1:18-3:23; 5:12-21; 7:1-25.

(D) Man¹s Accountability: Matt. 19:13-15; Rom. 4:15; 5:13; 6:16; Heb. 11:24-26.

IV. SALVATION
We believe that salvation (regeneration, sanctification, justification and redemption) has been provided for all mankind through the redemptive work (life, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession) of Jesus Christ, and that this salvation can be received only through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation: Heb. 5:9; I Thess. 5:9; I Pet. 1:9; Heb. 7:25.

Regeneration: Jn. 3:3-8; 1:11-13; I Pet. 1:23; Eph. 2:1-10; II Cor. 5:17; II Pet. 1:4; Titus 3:5.

Sanctification: I Cor. 1:30; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:9-10, 29; II Tim. 2:21; Heb. 13:12; Rom. 12:1-2; I Pet. 1:2.

Justification: Rom. 3:20-24; 5:1-2, 18; 8:30-33; Acts 13:38-39; I Cor. 6:11; II Cor. 5:21.

Redemption: Matt. 20:28; Isa. 53:6; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14; I Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9.

Christ¹s Redemptive Work: Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 22:17; II Pet. 3:9; Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9.

Life and Death: Rom. 5:10; Heb. 9:12-15; Jn. 10:11; I Jn. 3:16. Resurrection: Rom. 4:25; I Pet. 1:3; I Cor. 15:14, 17.

Ascension: Heb. 4:14-16, 6:19-20; 9:24; 10:11-12.

Intercession: Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:15; Isa. 53:12; I Tim. 2:5.

Repentance: Isa. 55:6-7; Lk. 24:47; Lk. 13:3-5; Acts 2:38; I Thess. 1:9-10. Faith: Jn. 3:16-18; Heb. 11:1, 6; I Pet. 1:5.

V. ASSURANCE AND ENDURANCE
We believe that those who abide in Christ have the assurance of salvation. However, we believe that the Christian retains his freedom of choice; therefore, it is possible for him to turn away from God and be finally lost.

(A) Assurance: Matt. 28:20; I Cor. 10:13; Heb. 5:9.

(B) Endurance: Matt. 10:22; Lk. 9:62; Col. 1:23; Rev. 2:10-11; 3:3-5.

(C) Warnings: Jn. 15:6; Rom. 11:20-23; Gal. 5:4; Heb. 3:12; 10:26-29; II Pet. 2:20-21.

(D) Finally Lost: Jn. 15:6; I Cor. 9:27; Heb. 6:4-6.

VI. CHRISTIAN DUTIES
We believe that Christians should live faithfully by serving in and through the local church, praying diligently, witnessing earnestly, practicing tolerance, showing loving kindness, giving as God prospers, and conducting themselves in such a way as to bring glory to God.

(A) Faithful Service: I Chron. 16:11; Ps. 101:6; Matt. 28:18-20; Jn. 15:7-14; Rom. 12:14; I Cor. 13; II Cor. 8, 9; Eph. 4, 6; Heb. 12:1.

(B) Prayer: II Chron. 7:14; Dan. 6:10; Matt. 6:1-13; 26:41; Lk. 18:1; I Thess. 5:17.

(C) Witnessing: Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8.

(D) Tolerance: Matt. 18:15-17; Lk. 10:27; Gal. 5:22-23; II Pet. 1:5-9.

(E) Loving Kindness: Jn. 13:35; I Jn. 3:11; 4:7, 11-12.

(F) Financial Stewardship: Matt. 23:23; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7.

VII. THE CHURCH
We believe that the Church Universal is the Body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and that its members have been called out from the world to come under the dominion and authority of Christ, its head. We believe that a local church is a fellowship of Christians, a part of the Body of Christ, voluntarily banded together for worship, nurture, and service.

(A) The Church Universal: Matt. 16:18; Jn. 10:10; I Cor. 3:16; 12:12-14, 27; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24; Heb. 12:23.

(B) The Local Church: Matt. 18:17; Acts 2:38-47; 11:19-30; Rev. 1:4; 3:22. 1. Worship and Service: Rom. 12:1; I Cor. 14:12, 23-25; Heb. 10:25; Ja. 1:26-27. 2. Nurture: Eph. 4; II Pet. 1:2-8; 3:18.

VIII. ORDINANCES
We believe that baptism and the Lord¹s Supper are ordinances instituted by Christ to be observed by Christians only. We also believe that the Biblical mode of baptism is immersion and that participation in the Lord¹s Supper should be open to all Christians. (Note: Several associations and local churches recognize feetwashing as an ordinance. We believe that this should be left to the individual, and that neither the practice nor the non-practice of it should be any bar to fellowship, either in the church, the local association, the Presbytery, or the General Association. Jn. 13; I Tim. 5:10.)

(A) Baptism: 1. Instituted: Matt. 3:13-15; 28:19. 2. Subjects:
Acts 2:41; 8:12, 37-38; 10:47-48; 16:30-33; 19:5. 3. Biblical Mode: Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12. 4. Purpose: Matt. 3:14; I Pet. 3:21.

(B) Communion: 1. Instituted: Matt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-25. 2. Subjects: I Cor. 11:27-29. 3. Purpose: I Cor. 11:26.

IX. THE LORD¹S DAY
We believe in the Sanctity of the Lord¹s Day, the first day of the week, and that this day ought to be observed by worshipping God, witnessing for Christ, and ministering to the needs of humanity. We believe that secular work on Sunday should be limited to cases of necessity or mercy.

(A) Sanctity: Ex. 20:8; Isa. 58:13-14.

(B) Observance: Mk. 2:27:28; Lk. 4:1-16; 14:1-6; Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10.

X. LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, and in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe that God will judge all mankind by Jesus Christ; that He will reward the righteous with eternal life in heaven, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell.

(A) Return: Matt. 24, 25; Lk. 12:40; Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Jn. 3:2; Rev. 1:7.

(B) Resurrection: Jn. 5:25, 28-29; 6:40; 11:24-25; Rom. 8:11; I Cor.15; Phil. 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6.

(C) Judgment and Reward: Matt. 25:21; Mk. 9:43-48; Jn. 5:27; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 14:12; II Cor. 5:1, 10; Col. 3:24; II Thess. 1:7-10; Heb. 9:27; II Pet. 3:8-13; Jude 21; Rev. 2:7; 14:13; 20:10-15; 22:12.

1970 Revised Edition

*The General Baptist Statements of Faith is available in the Spanish language. Ask for "Bautista General Declaraciones de Fe."

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