What We Believe

At Jamestown Baptist Church, we are committed to glorifying God by faithfully proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, making disciples, and living according to His Word. As Southern Baptists, we joyfully affirm the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 as our doctrinal foundation, standing firm on the authority of Scripture in all we believe and teach.

The Bible, divinely inspired, is God’s perfect revelation to man. It is completely true, trustworthy, and centered on Christ. As the ultimate standard for faith and life, it reveals God’s judgment and guides all belief and conduct.

There is one true and living God—Creator, Redeemer, and Ruler of all. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and infinitely holy. God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, distinct in person but one in essence. We owe Him our highest love, reverence, and obedience.

God the Father reigns over creation and history with wisdom, power, love, and grace. He is Father to all but truly known as Father by those who trust in Christ.

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Fully God and fully man, He lived without sin, obeyed God perfectly, and died as a substitute for sinners. He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and now reigns as the Mediator between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and fulfill His redemptive mission.

The Holy Spirit is fully divine, inspiring Scripture and enabling understanding of truth. He exalts Christ, convicts of sin, and brings regeneration. He baptizes believers into Christ’s Body, cultivates character, gives spiritual gifts, and seals believers for redemption. His presence assures salvation and empowers worship, evangelism, and service.

Man is God’s special creation, made in His image as male and female. Originally innocent, man sinned by free choice, bringing sin into the human race. All inherit a sinful nature and become transgressors. Only God’s grace restores man to fellowship with Him. Every person has dignity and is worthy of love, as Christ died for all.

Salvation is the redemption of the whole person, freely available to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It includes regeneration, where believers are spiritually reborn through God's grace, responding with repentance and faith; justification, in which God fully acquits sinners who believe in Christ, bringing them into peace with Him; sanctification, a lifelong process of growing in holiness through the Holy Spirit; and glorification, the final state of eternal redemption for believers. Salvation is only possible through personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Election is God's gracious and unchanging purpose to save sinners through regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification, aligning with human free will while displaying His sovereign goodness. True believers will persevere; though they may fall into sin, they are upheld by God's power through faith unto salvation.

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, symbolizing faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It represents dying to sin and rising to new life and serves as a testimony to the final resurrection. As a church ordinance, it precedes church membership and the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act where believers partake of bread and the cup to remember Christ’s death and anticipate His return.

The Lord’s Day, observed on the first day of the week, commemorates Christ’s resurrection and is set apart for worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities should align with the Christian’s conscience under Christ’s Lordship.

The Kingdom of God reflects His sovereignty over all and His rule over those who trust in Christ for salvation. Believers should pray and work for its growth, while its full realization awaits Christ’s return and the end of the age.

God will bring the world to its end in His time and way. Jesus Christ will return visibly in glory, the dead will be raised, and all will face judgment. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, while the righteous, in glorified bodies, will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Every follower of Christ and His church is called to make disciples of all nations. The new birth in Christ brings love for others and a necessity for missionary work, as commanded by Jesus. Believers must share the gospel through verbal witness, a Christlike life, and other methods consistent with His teachings.

Christianity values enlightenment and intelligence, with Christ as the source of all wisdom. The new birth fosters a thirst for knowledge, making education essential to the faith. Christian education should balance academic freedom with responsibility, always guided by Christ’s preeminence, Scripture’s authority, and the school’s mission.

God is the source of all blessings, and Christians owe everything to Him. They are called to stewardship, using their time, talents, and resources for His glory and to help others. Scripture teaches giving cheerfully, regularly, and generously to advance Christ’s mission on earth.

Christ’s people should organize associations for cooperation in advancing God’s Kingdom, though these have no authority over churches. Such groups unify efforts in missions, education, and benevolence. True Christian unity is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation. Different denominations may collaborate when it serves a just cause without compromising faith or conscience.

Christians must seek to make Christ’s will supreme in their lives and society, recognizing that true change comes through individual regeneration by God’s grace. They should oppose sin, injustice, and immorality while caring for the vulnerable and defending the sanctity of life. Believers should promote righteousness in all areas of society and work with others for good, maintaining love and loyalty to Christ.

Christians must seek peace with all, striving to end war through righteousness and Christ’s teachings. The gospel is the true remedy for conflict, and the world’s greatest need is to embrace His law of love. Believers should pray for Christ’s reign as the Prince of Peace.

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and church and state should remain separate. The state must protect religious freedom without favoring any denomination. Christians should obey civil authorities unless it conflicts with God’s will. The church must rely on spiritual means, not civil power, to fulfill its mission. A free church in a free state ensures unhindered access to God and religious expression without government interference.

God ordained the family as the foundation of society, formed through marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, reflecting Christ’s union with the church and providing companionship, biblical intimacy, and procreation. Husband and wife are equal before God, with the husband called to lead in love and the wife to respect and support him. Children are a blessing from conception, and parents must model godly marriage, teach biblical values, and guide them through love and discipline. Children are to honor and obey their parents.