WHAT WE BELIEVE

Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church believes the Bible is the final authority for our beliefs. Southern Baptists have summarized their biblical convictions in a statement of faith called The Baptist Faith and Message, which Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church has adopted as the most thorough expression of our doctrine. You can access The Baptist Faith and Message online at http://bfm.sbc.net or request a physical copy free of charge from our church office. 

The Baptist Faith and Message represents the confessional consensus of certain definite doctrines that Baptists believe, cherish, and with which they have been and are now closely identified. However, Southern Baptist churches and individuals are not required to embrace a standardized set of beliefs, including The Baptist Faith and Message, and not all Southern Baptists agree on how to interpret scripture. That means even though there are certain doctrines that all Southern Baptists hold, there can still be vast differences in beliefs among Southern Baptists. In addition to the doctrines set forth in The Baptist Faith and Message, Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church also holds the following beliefs:

We believe in a literal interpretation of scripture except where scripture itself explicitly calls for a symbolic interpretation. We are biblically conservative. We believe every word of the Bible is from God, is true, relates truth, and is perfect as is. We are not to add to it or take away from it. We are not to attempt to fill in the blanks that God intentionally left as a mystery. We focus on what is in the Bible, we believe it literally, teach it literally, and preach it literally, and that is enough.

We believe in a literal seven-day creation period, wherein God created everything in existence over the course of six consecutive 24-hour periods of time, followed by a seventh 24-hour period of time during which God rested. There is no other reasonable or rational explanation for Genesis 1:5, “There was an evening and there was a morning: one day.” Or Genesis 1:8, “Evening came and then morning, the second day.” Or Genesis 1:13, “Evening came and then morning: the third day.” Or Genesis 1:19, “Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.” Or Genesis 1:23, “Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.” Or Genesis 1:31, “Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.” There is only one period of time that contains a single evening and a single morning – a 24-hour day.

We believe that God created human beings as one of two sexes: male or  female. We believe that God created the gender of each human being to align with the external and internal sexual organs, chromosomes, and other immutable physical characteristics with which he intelligently and specifically designed them (Genesis 1:27, Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6). We believe it is both sinful and morally reprehensible for an individual to reject the manner in which God created him or her and attempt to take on the characteristics of, or pose as, the opposite sex (Deuteronomy 22:5). 

We believe that both males and females are equally valuable to God, are equally loved by God, and have equal opportunity to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ. We also acknowledge that God created males and females differently and distinctly, to fulfill specific roles and responsibilities in society, in church, and in family life (1 Corinthians 7:1-5, 11:11-12, Ephesians 5:15-6:4). We believe that God has the authority to assign those roles and that we are obligated to honor his authority by abiding by them. We believe that while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the offices of pastor and deacon are limited to men as qualified by Scripture (1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:1-15, 4:14).

We believe that God instituted marriage to be between one man and one woman for one lifetime. We believe that any civil union other than that between one man and one woman is not a marriage, should not be recognized as a marriage, and will not be recognized as a marriage by the members, employees, staff, volunteers, or any other agent or representative of Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church (Genesis 2:24, Mark 10:6-9, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; 10-16). Ministerial staff of Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church do not and will not perform marriage ceremonies except between one man and one woman. Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church does not and will not allow any marriage ceremony except that between one man and one woman to take place on church property or in church facilities.

We believe that homosexuality is an unacceptable, detestable, abomination to God that demonstrates an unregenerate spiritual condition and the need for repentance unto salvation (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:18-32). We believe that practicing homosexuality, bisexuality, polyamory, transvestism, bestiality, incest, or any other form of sexual immorality is completely incompatible with practicing Christianity (Leviticus 18:6-23, 18:29, 20:10-22, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Hebrews 10:26-27). As such, no one who practices these things will be accepted into church membership at Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church.

We believe that the sovereignty of God and the free will of man are not mutually exclusive. We believe that God has sovereignly ordained that man have free will. We do not ascribe to the five points of Calvinism (also called Reformed Theology), nor to the counterpoints of Arminianism. We believe the Bible is the final authority on all matters theological and soteriological.

We believe that Scripture does not support Replacement Theology. We reject the notion that God has rejected the people of Israel because of their unbelief (Romans 11:1, 2 Peter 3:9). We also reject the notion that God has replaced the Jews and the promises given them with the church (Matthew 16:16-18, Romans 11:2-5). We further reject the notion that God has revoked the covenant promises He has given to Israel (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:13-20). We believe God’s promise in the Abrahamic Covenant, “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt” (Genesis 12:3) is an indication that Christians should support the nation of Israel, do all we can to reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and pray for their salvation.

We believe in a futurist interpretation of the book of Revelation. We believe that the book of Revelation describes events yet to happen in the end times. We believe in the rapture of the church before God inflicts a series of cataclysmic judgments of increasing intensity on the earth over a seven-year period of tribulation. We believe the tribulation period will culminate in the bodily, public return of Jesus Christ, who will bind Satan and rule on earth for a period of 1,000 years. We believe the millennial reign of Christ will culminate in final judgment, wherein Satan, Death, Hell, and all unbelievers of all the ages will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. We believe that heaven and earth will pass away and all the believers of all the ages will reside eternally and physically in the presence of God in a new heaven and new earth.  

If you have questions concerning any of the beliefs held by Fairhope Avenue Baptist Church, we encourage you to contact our church office and make an appointment with the pastor to discuss your questions or concerns.