SBM’s Doctrinal Statement of Faith

God — We believe that there is one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus — We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, was born of a virgin, was wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died in our place as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose bodily from the grave three days later and ascended into Heaven, where He reigns and intercedes on our behalf.

Christ’s Return — We believe in the physical, literal return of Jesus Christ to earth.

Holy Spirit — We believe that God the Holy Spirit is active in convicting unbelievers of their need for salvation, and is the Comforter and Guide Who lives in every believer. He convicts of sin and guides all to the Truth.

Bible — We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, without error, the sole authority for life and faith. SBM uses the Authorized King James Version of the Bible whenever preaching, speaking, quoting, or referencing scripture.

Man — We believe that man is a special creation of God, made in His image, but that through the sin of the first man, Adam, mankind fell so that all men are sinners and need salvation.

Salvation — We believe that salvation is a gift received through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe no one is “born” Christian, that accepting Jesus Christ and God’s salvation is a willful act on the part of a truly repentant believer. We unequivocally believe in salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Assurance — We believe that every person who is truly saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Eternity — We believe that those persons who die in their sins without Christ, according to the Bible, spend eternity in a literal place called Hell, and those persons who die with their sins forgiven through Christ spend eternity in a literal place called Heaven.

Baptism — We believe that water baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Christ and is by immersion after salvation.

Church — We believe that the church is a local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head.

Prayer — We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Homosexuality — We believe that God, throughout the Old and New Testaments in the Bible, clearly teaches that engaging in homosexual acts is sinful. We believe according to the Word of God that men and women are not born homosexual. We believe according to the Word of God that men and women who struggle with same-sex attraction or who engage in homosexual sin, can in fact stop engaging in homosexual activity (1 Cor. 6:9-11). We believe everyone can struggle with some type of sin, and homosexuality is just one of many. We believe that through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and obedience to God’s Word, everyone can overcome sin and be victorious. (For more detailed information on SBM’s biblical views and beliefs on the issue of homosexuality, please read “What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?” on the SBM website).