Providence Reformed Baptist Church

OUR CONFESSIONAL IDENTITY

We are Evangelical:
“Evangelical” refers to the heritage of the core message of the New Testament revelation, which is about Jesus Christ and His saving life and work. The very term, “evangelical”, is delivered from the New Testament word which means “gospel” or “the good news.” As an evangelical church we therefore believe and teach the lifesaving and life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is revealed in the infallible and inerrant Word of God. Hence, one of our greatest concerns and deepest passions is to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ always with clarity, wisdom, power, and integrity for the salvation of sinners to the glory of God (Rom.1:1-17; I Cor.1:18-2:5).

We are Reformed:
“Reformed” refers to the heritage of the teachings of our Lord and His Apostles which were recaptured at the time of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century by such men as Martin Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-1564), and John Knox (1514-1572), among many others. These “reformers”were given the grace to see that the Word of God had been encrusted with centuries of human traditions and the gospel obscured. The saving message of the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ in the gospel had been lost. But these men, who had their own souls reborn by the power of the gospel of sovereign free grace, preached from the pulpits of Europe with tremendous power and blessing by the Holy Spirit and whole nations were changed.

We are Baptist:
“Baptist” is an historical tern expressing our self-conscious conviction that baptism is for believers alone; and as a consequence of “believers’ baptism”, the membership of the church must then consist only of those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit with credible proof of God’s saving work in the manner of their lives (e.g., faith in Christ alone for salvation and on-going repentance of sin).

How We Worship:
We firmly believe that God Himself regulates His worship through His Word. We therefore make special effort to protect our worship of the Lord from elements and innovations for which there is no biblical authority. We desire that our worship be God-centered rather than man-centered. We desire that it be reverent and joyful. In our worship services we meet with God in prayer; we read, sing, hear, and teach God’s Word; we give unto the Lord our tithes and offerings; and we seek to fellowship with one another before and after the services as a means of edification in our walk with Christ and with each other.

OUR CORE CONVICTIONS

Sola Scriptura:
The Scriptures alone are our final authority in every area of life, because every word and every part of them are the Word of God.

Solus Christus:
Christ alone, in His perfect life and atoning death in the sinner’s place, is the basis of our acceptance of God.

Sola Gratia:
The grace of God alone in Christ, not works of human merit or effort, is how God saves sinners.

Sola Fide:
Faith alone is the means by which sinners receive or appropriate this grace of God.

Soli Deo Gloria:
To God alone be the glory for saving sinners and for everything else in this life and the life to come, eternal.