The Holy Bible
The Holy Bible is the inspired Word of the Living God (II Peter 1:20-21, II Timothy 3: 16, 17). It is complete and without error. The Bible is God's written will for mankind to follow faithfully. The Bible is not a book of man's philosophy or man's history, but is an accurate, historical record. Throughout the Bible, God the Father reveals His Son, Jesus Christ as man's only way to a right relationship with the Creator.
The Trinity
The Bible teaches one personal living God revealed to man in three (3) persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (I John 5:7). Jesus Christ is the full expression of God's own person in bodily form (Hebrews 1:1-3, Colossians 2:9). Each member of the triune Godhead is co-existent and co-equal in every respect.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the supreme subject of each book of the Bible, who fulfills all of the promises of God to mankind (Luke 24:44). He is the Holy Son of the Living God, who also Himself is God (John 10:30). He is equal to each member of the Godhead, was born of the virgin Mary and lived a holy, sinless life. He died sacrificially for the sin of all mankind and had a bodily resurrection. He ascended to God's throne and will soon return for His glorious bride, the Church. He is the Jew's Messiah and the Christian's Christ. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings (Revelation 19:16).
The Holy Spirit
The writer of the Holy Bible is the Holy Spirit who is equal in every respect to the other members of the Godhead (II Peter 1:21). He is the personal Spirit of God sent to mankind who convicts, converts and then conforms the sinner to the image of Jesus Christ. He is the comforter and keeper (John 14:16-18) of the Bride, the Church and will present her faultless before the presence of His (God's) glory.
Mankind
As recorded in the Holy Bible, man was created by God and received life from the breath of God (Genesis 2:7). Through disobedience he sinned and as a result was separated from God's life through the penalty of death (Romans 5:12). He will stand before Christ and be judged and/or rewarded accordingly as set forth in the Holy Bible (Revelation 22:12-13).
Salvation
The Holy Bible declares that fallen man needs a new nature that can only come from the new (spiritual) birth from heaven (John 3:3). God must create in man a new divine nature. This new nature equips a man to live pleasing to God and makes him fit for God's kingdom. Salvation is obtained only through accepting Jesus' sacrificial death as payment for man's sin. It cannot be earned. It comes from God's unmerited love which He bestows upon man during salvation. Man is required to repent of his sin, confess Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and then he will be saved according to God's promise (Romans 10:9-10). Salvation is in three tenses: past, present, and future. Past – He was saved from the penalty of sin; Present – He is being saved from the power of sin; Future – He will be saved from the very presence of sin. Man is saved by grace through faith alone, no effort or duty can atone for man's sin (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Baptism
Spiritual Baptism:
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Whereby the Holy Spirit, "set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him" (I Corinthians 12:18). "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body... and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:13). This baptism is done immediately upon acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Water Baptism:
The ordinance of the New Testament church, which is to be completed after a sinner has repented and confessed saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the first act of the new believer in fulfilling God's righteousness (Matthew 3:13-15). Water baptism demonstrates and witnesses the believer's testimony of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is one of two ordinances of the New Testament church to be observed by each believer after obedience to the ordinance of water baptism. It is done in commemoration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's body (symbolized by the bread) that was broken (God's judgment) for our sin and His blood (symbolized by the cup) which was shed for the remission (God's forgiveness) of our sin. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come" (I Corinthians 11:26).
The Great Commission
The Great Commission (mission with a commandment) is to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Since we love our neighbor, we want him to meet and know the love of our God. Therefore, the commission is to go ye therefore and make disciples
(Matthew 28:19-20).
The Church
The Bible teaches that the Church is one body (fellowship) of sanctified believers in Jesus Christ who is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18). Therefore, we, the Neighborhood Bible Study Ministries - Rivers of Water Church, support the church body as a whole. We invite membership only as an organization. We believe all Christian fellowship (churches) should work together harmoniously and have been established by our Savior to this end.
Preachers
The Bible teaches that God, in His sovereignty, made the man (the male) to be in spiritual authority in the operation of the church (I Corinthians 11:3). Preachers in the New Testament church are divinely called by God to positions of authority in the church body (I Timothy 3:1-2). God does not call women to be preachers as that would contradict His sovereign will in the creation of man and woman (I Timothy 2:12-13).