Beliefs

The Baptist Church

The Baptist Denomination of the Christian Church is one of the mainstream denominations of the Christian Church. Beacon Lough Baptist Church is affiliated to the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and as such is in agreement with their Declaration of Baptist Principles.

What we Believe

We would identify ourselves as Evangelical; that is we believe that the Gospel (or Good News) of Jesus Christ is the most important message that any person can receive. This message, as given in the Bible, is that faith in Jesus is the only way that people can be rescued from a self-centred and unfulfilling existence and be given a new life in Him. While the church has not chosen to set out its beliefs in a specific document, as a member of the Evangelical Alliance we accept their Basis of Faith.

Personal Faith in Jesus Christ

One of the earliest confessions made by first century Christians was Jesus is Lord. They meant, by this, that Jesus Christ, a real person who lived, whose death is recorded by contemporary historians, and whose resurrection was attested by many witnesses, is Lord God. Not only this but that they have personally accepted Him as Lord of their lives. Baptists have always emphasised the need for personal faith: we believe that we too each need to accept the Lordship of Jesus over our lives.

Believers’ Baptism

The Baptist Church, along with some other Christian denominations, hold that the original and Scriptural practice of Baptism should follow a personal confession of Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Those who are able to make such a confession are encouraged to be baptised by immersion. We have a baptismal pool in the church for this purpose. Believers’ Baptism, is therefore an outward demonstration of the change that has already taken place in a person’s life when they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Baptismal Services are held as required and we are happy for anyone who would like to witness such a service to attend.

Though the church does not practice the baptism of infants, we are happy to arrange for a suitable Service of Dedication for babies or children. At such a service, prayers of thanks are given for the child. The parents are asked to agree to bring up the child in love and to enable the child to learn about the Christian faith.

Baptist beliefs

The person and teaching of Jesus Christ