Understanding Our Focus and Core
Our Church Worship
1. Scripture-Focused, Savior-Centered Preaching
John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by Thy truth; Thy word is truth.”
2. Christ Honoring music that Glorifies God
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
3. Coming together for Corporate Prayer
Matthew 21:13 – “And He said unto them, It is written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer.”
4. Coming together for Communion
I Corinthians 11:24 – “This do in remembrance of Me.”
5. Cheerfully Giving for the fulfillment of the Gospel Ministry
I Corinthians 16:2 – “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered.”
Our Daily Lives
1. Saturated in the Scriptures
II Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”
2. Sharing the Gospel
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.”
3. Having a Spirit of Excellence
Romans 12:11 – “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
4. Kind and Affectionate Fellowship
I John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.”
5. Practicing Separation from the things of the World
I John 5:15-17 – “Love not the world, neither the things that are of the world.”
Our Baptist Distinctives
Victory Baptist is a traditional, independent, fundamental Baptist church. The name Baptist was born during times of persecution. The Baptist people were first called Anabaptists, which means rebaptizers! These people were persecuted for refusing baptism for their infants. They believed instead that the Bible teaches only believers are to be baptized (Acts 2:41, 8:36-38). Along with believers’ baptism, the Baptist church has traditionally been known for the following distinctives that Victory Baptist Church holds dear:
B – Biblical Authority for Faith and Practice
(II Tim. 3:15-16). We reject the authority of tradition and church councils. We stand on the authority of God’s Word alone (Is. 8:20).
A – The Autonomy of the Local Church
The church, as a congregation, is responsible for all decisions pertaining to church officers (Acts 6:1-5), dispersement of funds (I Cor. 16:1-3), doctrinal statements (Acts 15), commission of missionaries (Acts 13), and discipline of its members (Matt. 18: 15-17; I Cor. 5). As an autonomous local Baptist congregation, Victory Baptist Church is a self-governing congregational assembly not aligned with any denomination or obligated to its oversight.
P – The Individual Priesthood of the Believer
(I Peter 2:5, 9). The New Testament declares that every born-again believer can access the very throne of God through “one Mediator, the man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5). Each professing believer is a practicing priest who represents God to man and man to God.
T – Two Biblical Ordinances
1.) Believer’s Baptism (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 8:36-38) by immersion, and 2.) The Lord’s Supper (I Cor. 11:23-26) as an ongoing remembrance of the sacrifice of the Savior for our sins.
I – Individual Soul Liberty
(II Tim. 2:15). Every believer will one day give account for his or her own decisions and actions before the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10). Therefore we must respect every believer’s right to read, interpret, and practice what is taught in Scripture as he or she lives and walks in the liberties enjoyed through Christ.
S – Saved Church Membership
(Acts 2:41f). Every member of Victory Baptist Church must profess Christ as personal Savior (Rom. 10:13).
T – Two Church Offices: the pastor and the deacon (I Tim. 3; Phil. 1:1). We believe that the words pastor, elder, and bishop refer to the same office (I Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 20:17, 28-30). We refer to our elders as pastors, believing that the word pastor is a term of endearment and relationship (Acts 20:28-30), elder a term of respect and authority, and bishop
one of administrative position (I Tim. 3:1). Deacons are to be spiritual men who strive to meet the needs of others. They serve under the oversight of the pastors and are elected by the congregation (Acts 6:1-7).
S – Separation of Church and State
(Matt. 22:21). Having been persecuted by state churches in England, Switzerland, France, and the American Colonies, the Baptist people advocated the separation of the church from the state. Americans enjoy the freedom of religion because colonial American Baptists demonstrated for religious freedom in Rhode Island and Virginia and finally secured it through the 1st amendment to our constitution.
Victory Baptist Church is pleased to be known as a Bible-based, evangelistic, traditional, historic, balanced, family-friendly Baptist church.