This is our doctrinal statement.

This body stands for the verbal inspiration of the Bible, the Deity of Christ, His Blood Atonement, Salvation by Faith, New Testament Soul Winning, and Premillennial Return of Christ, opposes modernism, worldliness, and formalism.

The Scriptures

This church accepts the Authorized King James Bible as the only and all-sufficient guide to faith and practice. We believe the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, preserved, and authoritative Word of God. By “Holy Bible,” we mean the sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which was written and providentially preserved in the Authorized King James Version published in 1611. The Bible does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God. By “inspiration,” we mean the Holy Spirit moved holy men of old in such a way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired, being free from error, as no other writings have ever been. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and all issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the Pastor. We believe the understanding of the Bible may be revealed to any believer by the Holy Spirit. Whereas, there are a number of other versions of the Bible, all of which are unreliable due to their omission of words and distortion of doctrines, in this church we consider it a necessity to use only the Authorized King James Bible of 1611, which is the inspired and preserved Word of God. – II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Psalm 12:6-7; 119:89; Revelation 22:18-19

There is one and only one living and true God, an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe, infinite in holiness and all other perfections, to whom we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. He is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes.

Man was created by the special act of God, as recorded in Genesis. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” – Gen. 1:27. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” – Genesis 2:7
We believe that man was created in holiness under the law of his Maker but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice, being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defense or excuse. – Genesis 1:27,31; 3:6-24; Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:20; Romans 5:19

The salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by the Holy Spirit was born of the Virgin Mary and took upon Him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by His personal obedience and made atonement for our sins by His death. Being risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, He is in every way qualified to be a compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour. – Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-13; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; Revelation 3:20

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of righteousness of all sinners who believe in Christ. This blessing is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but through the redemption that is in and through Jesus Christ. It brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other needed blessing. Acts 13:39; Romans 5:9; Romans 4:4-5; Romans 5:1-2

The blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel. It is the duty of all to accept them by penitent and obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner except his own voluntary refusal to accept Jesus Christ as teacher, Saviour, and Lord. – Isaiah 55:1; John 3:16-19,36

Regeneration or the new birth is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit, whereby we become partakers of the divine nature and a holy disposition is given, leading to the love and practice of righteousness. It is a work of God’s free grace conditioned upon faith in Christ and made manifest by the fruit which we bring forth to the glory of God. – John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I Peter 1:22-25

Repentance and faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our soul by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Saviour. – Luke 13:3; Acts 11:18; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 2:37-38; Romans 10:9-10; Hebrews 11:1

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. It is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility. It encourages the use of means in the highest degree.

Sanctification is the process by which the regenerate gradually attains to moral and Spiritual perfection through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in their hearts. It continues throughout the earthly life, and is accomplished by the use of all the ordinary means of grace, and particularly by the Word of God. – Romans 8:5; Galatians 6:7-9; Philippians 2:2-16; James 4:7-11; I John 2:28-29

All real believers endure to the end. Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors. A special providence cares for them, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. – John 3:31; I John 2:19; Romans 8:28; Philippians 1:6

A church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word and seeking to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Its scriptural officers are Pastors and deacons.

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The act is a symbol of our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour. It is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. – Romans 6:3-10; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19-20

We believe that the Lord’s Supper, in which the born again Christians by the sacred use of the bread and grape juice are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, is to be preceded always by solemn self-examination. – I Corinthians 11:23-34

The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by resting from secular employments, except works of necessity or mercy. – Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:24-25; Hebrews 4:3-11

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 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 that this distinction holds among men both in and after death. – Malachi 3:18; Romans 1:17; I John 5:19; Luke 16:25

The Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus rose from the dead. He appeared to the disciples after His resurrection in many convincing manifestations. He now exists in His glorified body at God’s right hand. There will be a resurrection of the righteous. The bodies of the righteous will conform to the glorious spiritual body of Jesus. The bodies of the wicked will be resurrected at the Great White Throne and cast into the lake of fire. – Matthew 28:1-10; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; I Corinthians 15:51-53; Revelation 20:11-15

The New Testament teaches in many places the visible and personal return of Jesus to this earth. “This same Jesus, which, is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven.” – Acts 1:11 The time of His coming is not revealed. “Of that day and hour knoweth no one, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only.” – Matt. 24:36. It is the duty of all believers to live in readiness for His coming and by diligence in good works to make manifest to all men the reality and power of their faith in Christ. – Matthew 24:37-42; Matthew 25:1-13; John 14:1-3,6

It is the duty of every Christian man and woman, and the duty of every church of Christ to seek to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by all other methods sanctioned by the Gospel of Christ. – Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20; Psalm 126:5-6

God is the source of all blessings temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are, we owe to Him. We have a debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the Gospel, and a binding stewardship in our possessions. We are therefore under obligation to serve Him with our time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to us to use for the glory of God and helping others. Christians should cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally contribute of their means to advancing the Redeemer’s cause on earth. – Malachi 3:8-10; Luke 6:38; Luke 12:34; Matthew 6:33; II Corinthians 9:6-7

Whereas the Dwight First Baptist Church and Academy is dedicated to upholding God’s standards as set forth in the Bible, and whereas the Dwight First Baptist Church and Academy realizes the importance of an individual’s testimony and that it is compatible with God’s standards; therefore, be it resolved that Dwight First Baptist Church and Academy shall adopt the following:
God has ordained marriage and all that pertains therein between a man and a woman. Because we believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage, the church will not hire nor retain personnel who live inconsistent with this standard. Church members who violate God’s standard for marriage will be subject to church discipline.
Accordingly, this church and its Pastors will not solemnize or officiate a civil union, and will not take any action in support of a civil union such as granting church membership to one or both parties to such a union.
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” – Hebrews 13:4