STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Tri-County Bible Church exists to glorify God by exalting the Lord, evangelizing the lost, and edifying the body of Christ.

We are committed to reaching the objective of exaltation by preaching the Word of God expositionally and authoritatively; by demonstrating the lordship of Christ through obedience to His Word; by worshipping the Lord in a manner that focuses on God rather than the worshipper and that is consistent with His character; by making prayer an integral part of our corporate and individual lives; by honoring the Lord through regular, cheerful and sacrificial giving; by observing the ordinances of baptism and communion in remembrance of Christ’s person and work; by defending the fundamental doctrines contained in this constitution; and by conforming our corporate and individual practices to the holiness of God.

We are committed to reaching the objective of evangelism by proclaiming the message of salvation by faith in Christ and repentance from sin and to God; by making the gospel message a regular part of our services; by welcoming the unsaved and kindly communicating to them their need of salvation; by communicating the gospel through personal and corporate outreach ministries; by planting like-minded, Bible-believing churches in our surrounding area; and by supporting worldwide missions through ordaining and financially supporting like-minded, Bible-believing missionaries.
 
We are committed to reaching the objective of edification by preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God in a manner that emphasizes personal godliness and conformity to Christlikeness; by equipping every member of this body to do the work of the ministry; by emphasizing personal Bible study; by confronting sin in a loving manner; by exposing false teaching and false teachers; by endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; by cooperating with parents in the spiritual nurturing of their children; and by promoting godly fellowship among believers.

With God’s help, these three objectives will be aggressively pursued and carefully balanced, to the end that Tri-County Bible Church "should be to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:12).

STATEMENT OF FAITH

Section 1: The Word of God
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures
(II Timothy 3:16). We believe that the Bible was revealed without error in the original autographs of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments by the Holy Spirit, of His volition and through holy men, so that it is the very word of God, not men (II Peter 1:20-21;
I Thessalonians 2:13; II Samuel 23:2). We believe that God has indeed preserved His Word (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35), and that it is sufficient as our only rule of faith and practice (John 10:35b; II Peter 1:3; Romans 15:4). We do not hold to any version as the only inspired and preserved word of God (Ephesians 4:3). We believe that any given text may have several applications but only one true meaning.
 
Section 2: The Godhead
We believe in the one true God, eternally existing in 3 distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each of whom is co-equal in power and glory (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14). We believe that God is immutable (James 1:17; I Timothy 1:17), that He is completely sovereign (II Chronicles 20:6; Proverbs 21:1), and that He is perfect in His attributes, all of which are governed by His supreme holiness (Isaiah 6:3). We believe that God is glorified by all His works, most notably by the creation of all that exists by His direct act (Colossians 1:16) and by his redemption of sinful mankind (Colossians 1:3-14).
 
Section 3: The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, that He became a man through the incarnation, and that He is therefore fully God and fully man, yet one person (John 1:1-14; Colossians 2:9). We believe in Christ’s miraculous birth, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35). We believe that the very purpose of Christ’s incarnation was that He should die as a sacrifice for sin and thereby accomplish the redemption of mankind (Mark 10:45; Revelation 13:8). We believe that Christ, though fully human, lived a sinless life on earth (Hebrews 4:15; I John 1:5). We believe that He died as a vicarious sacrifice for sinful mankind, the Just for the unjust (I Peter 2:24; 3:18), and that he made possible the forgiveness of sins by the shedding of His blood (Ephesians 1:7). We believe in the literal resurrection of His body from the dead, by which He assured our justification (Romans 4:25; I Peter 1:3). We believe that 40 days after His resurrection the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9) where He is now exalted at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12). We believe that His present ministry is the intercession for and representation of redeemed mankind before His Father (Hebrews 7:25; I John 2:1b). We believe that He will fulfill His promise of a literal return for His people at an hour known only to the Heavenly Father (John 14:3; Titus 2:13; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 24:36).
 
Section 4: The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son (Matthew 28:19). We believe that in relation to unbelieving mankind He restrains evil
(II Thessalonians 2:7); convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8); and is the Agent of the new birth (Titus 3:5; John 3:3-6). We believe that the Holy Spirit is very active in the life of the believer: He seals, indwells and baptizes the believer irrevocably at the point of salvation (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 12:13); He assures the believer of salvation (Romans 8:16); He illuminates the believer’s mind, enabling him to understand Scripture (I Corinthians 2:14-15); He progressively controls and sanctifies believers who submit to Him (II Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 5:18) and convicts those who do not (I John 3:20-21; Ephesians 4:30). We believe that His ministry brings glory to Jesus Christ, not Himself (John 16:13-14). We believe that the Holy Spirit gifts every believer for service (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11). We believe that the miraculous gifts were a form of direct revelation and were vital for the founding of the church. However, we believe that they were needed only during the lives of the Apostles to authenticate their message, and only during the formation of the New Testament. Therefore, we believe miraculous gifts ceased with the death of the last apostle and the completion of the book of Revelation (I Corinthians 13:8-12). Those miraculous gifts are apostleship, prophecy, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues.
 
Section 5: The Person and Work of Satan
We believe in the existence of Satan who is in Scripture revealed to be a murderer, the father of lies (John 8:44), the deceiver of the world and the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:9-10). We believe that he was created by God and is therefore subject to and limited by God (I John 4:4; Job 1:6-10). We believe that He rebelled against God in times past (Isaiah 14:12-17), is the enemy of God and man at present (II Corinthians 4:4; I Peter 5:8), and faces sure damnation in the lake of fire for eternity (Revelation 20:1-10).
 
Section 6: The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created by the direct act of God, in God’s image and without sin (Genesis 1:26-27). We believe that man voluntarily disobeyed God and thereby fell from his innocent state, became alienated from God and incurred both physical and spiritual death (Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 6:23). We believe that because of that fall, the entire human race is sinful both by nature and by choice (Romans 5:12). We believe that man is totally depraved (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18), unable and unwilling to seek after God or do good (Romans 3:10-11; 8:7-8), and incapable of achieving his own salvation (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:1-9). We believe that man’s only hope of salvation is God’s grace, by which he may repent of sin and trust in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe that man is eternal and will exist forever in heaven (John 3:16) or the lake of fire, depending on his personal acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:14-15; John 3:36).
 
Section 7: Salvation
We believe in the single, substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners (Hebrews 9:26; I Peter 3:18). We believe that by Christ’s atonement God made possible the salvation of sinful mankind (Romans 5:8-11; Matthew 1:21). We believe that salvation is entirely by God’s grace and is in no way earned or merited – in whole or in part – by the sinner (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe that salvation is received by an individual when he repents of his sin and places his faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior (Acts 3:19; 16:31). We believe that all who receive God’s gift of salvation are at that moment born again (John 3:3-5), given the gift of eternal life (I John 5:13), granted sonship with God the Father (John 1:12; Gal. 4:5), declared righteous by God (Romans 4:5), positionally sanctified (I Cor. 6:11; Hebrews 10:14), and given direct access to God the Father through the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16; I Peter 2:9). We believe that all the redeemed are kept by the power of God and are, therefore, secure in Christ forever (I Peter 1:5; I John 1:1-2). We believe that everyone who has been genuinely born again will demonstrate the new birth by obeying Scripture or by experiencing severe chastening for disobedience (Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 12:5-8). We believe that all of the redeemed have both a spiritual and a carnal nature, and that the two natures will strive against each other for the duration of the believer’s earthly life (Galatians 5:16-23). We believe that the process of practical, progressive sanctification by which we are transformed into Christlikeness is begun at the moment of salvation and will be completed at the appearance of Christ (Romans 8:29; I Thessalonians 5:23; I John 3:2). We do not adhere to the doctrines of Arminianism or hyper-Calvinism. We believe that Scripture teaches both divine sovereignty and human responsibility and that the two are not contradictory. We believe that all who reject Christ’s offer of salvation have no part in God’s grace and will consciously suffer torment in a literal lake of fire for eternity (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:15; 21:8).
 
Section 8: The Universal and Local Church
We believe that the church, the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again believers of this present age (Colossians 1:18). We believe that Jesus Christ is the sole head and builder of His church (Matthew 16:17-18). We believe in the organization and establishment of local churches, as taught throughout the New Testament (Acts 14:23). We believe that the local church is the primary means through which God is working in this age and that its purpose is to glorify Him through exaltation, evangelism and edification (Ephesians 1:12; 3:20-21). We believe that a local church is comprised of believers in Christ who have identified with the Lord through water baptism and with each other through membership. We believe that each local church is under the authority and administration of the Holy Spirit and is absolutely autonomous and sovereign in the handling of its own affairs (Acts 20:28; I Corinthians 3:4; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11). We believe that the relationship of a local church with other ecclesiastical bodies is one of fellowship only (Ephesians 1:22-23). We believe that the ordinances of the church are two: baptism by immersion (Matthew 28:19-20) and the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:23-28), both of which are symbolic memorials of the person and work of Christ.
 
Section 9: Things to Come
We believe in the imminent, pre-tribulation rapture of the living church and the resurrection of the dead in Christ, at which time both companies will meet the Lord in the air to be with Him forever (John 14:1-3; I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13). We believe that following the rapture will be a seven year Tribulation period, which will be closed by the triumphant and pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ in power and great glory to judge the wicked, cast Satan into the abyss and establish His literal millennial kingdom (Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-6). We believe that Satan will be loosed for a final and great rebellion, following which he will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). We believe that at death the souls of the redeemed pass immediately into the presence of the Lord, and the souls of those who have rejected Christ pass immediately into condemnation and misery in hell (II Cor. 5:8; Luke 16:19-26). We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men: the righteous dead will partake of the first resurrection unto eternal life, and the wicked dead will partake of the second resurrection unto eternal and conscious damnation following the great white throne judgment (John 5:28-29; I Corinthians 15:20-26; Revelation 20:11-15).

STATEMENT & EXPLANATION OF TENETS

Section 1: Personal and Ecclesiastical Separation
We believe that Scripture is clear in its commandments regarding separation. Specifically, Scripture commands personal separation from sin and worldliness (II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Ephesians 5:11), and ecclesiastical separation from false teachers (I Timothy 6:3-5; II John 1:10-11; Romans 16:17-18) and disobedient believers (II Thes. 3:14-15; Matthew 18:15-17; Titus 3:10). We believe the primary reasons for biblical separation are the glory of God (I Peter 1:15-16), the protection of the body (Acts 20:28-31; I Corinthians 5:6; 15:33) and restoration of fallen believers (James 5:19-20). We believe that separation – and not infiltration or Puritanism – is the prescribed biblical means of dealing with falsehood and protecting God’s holiness. We believe that separation from disobedient believers is to be carried out with a meek spirit and heavy heart, is motivated by love for that believer, is to be administered in careful accordance to the pattern laid out in Scripture (Matthew 18:15-17), and has as its ultimate goal the restoration of the believer to fellowship with the Lord and with the church (II Cor. 2:6-8; Galatians 6:1). Therefore, Tri-County Bible Church will not fellowship or cooperate with any church, organization or individual that is connected with the World Council of Churches (WCC), National Council of Churches (NCC) or National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Neither will we cooperate or be in alliance with any type of unbiblical practice or teaching, including all forms of ecumenism, modernism and new evangelicalism.
 
Section 2: Ecumenism
We believe that the ecumenical movement is orchestrated by Satan to undermine the truth by uniting it with error. Tri-County Bible Church stands in direct opposition to any attempt to attack Scripture by stressing unity over doctrinal purity, whether the motivation for such so-called unity be religious, political or social purposes. Tri-County Bible Church refuses to make any alliance with Roman Catholicism or any other unbiblical religious system and is committed to exposing such alliances as sin (Jude 3).
 
Section 3: Modernism
We believe that modernism (theological liberalism) is orchestrated by Satan to undermine the truth by exalting reason over biblical revelation. Tri-County Bible Church stands squarely in agreement with the fundamentalists of the early 1900’s who battled modernism and its tenets. Tri-County Bible Church repudiates all teaching that denies the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, including the destructive work of higher criticism, the denial of biblical miracles and the denial of the deity of Christ. We further stand opposed to liberalism’s promotion of the ecumenical movement and the social gospel. We believe that modernism is "another gospel," and therefore refuse to fellowship or cooperate with any church, organization or individual that believes or promotes its destructive tenets (Galatians 1:6-9).
 
Section 4: New Evangelicalism
We believe that the philosophy and practices of new evangelicalism are a compromise of biblical truth. While we understand that evangelistic fervor is behind many of the practices of new evangelicalism, we reject the pragmatism of the movement, which seeks to accomplish evangelism at any cost. We believe that cooperation with and tolerance of error – even for the sake of evangelism – dishonors God and disobeys His Word. We believe that the cancer of new evangelicalism, through its rejection of ecclesiastical and personal separation, has promoted the ecumenical movement by fellowshipping and cooperating with men and movements that are the enemies of the gospel; has sullied the church by the adoption of worldly means and music; has been the downfall of countless educational institutions, mission boards, churches and Christian media ministries; and has ultimately led to a distortion of the very gospel it claims to preach. Therefore, Tri-County Bible Church will not fellowship or cooperate with any church, organization or individual that is new evangelical in belief or practice.
 
Section 5: Women in the local church
We believe that godly women are invaluable to the local church. We reject extreme positions which either allow women to preach or refuse women the right to speak at all. We believe that Scripture forbids two activities for women in the church: teaching men in scriptural matters and exercising authority over men in the context of the church (I Timothy 2:11-15). Tri-County Bible Church will therefore have be no women pastors, elders or deacons, nor will we allow women to teach or have authority over men in scriptural and church matters, including board and congregational meetings. We will, however, encourage active
participation of women in every other aspect of our ministry, including public prayer and testimonies, performing special music, leading ladies’ Bible studies, teaching children and other areas of service (Romans 16:1-2; Philippians 4:3). 
 
Section 6: Morality
We believe that morality is based on the unchanging standard of God’s Word, not the norms of society or public opinion. We therefore will not take into or retain in membership, leadership or staff positions anyone who is involved in immoral practices forbidden by Scripture, including but not limited to homosexuality, extramarital heterosexuality and abortion (Leviticus 18:20-22). Those already in membership who are known to be involved in such immoral practices will be subject to church discipline as outlined in Scripture (I Corinthians 5:1-2; Matthew 18:15-17; II Thessalonians 3:14-15).