At Monroe Bible Church we exist to equip people to grow, praise, and serve Christ.
 
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Ephesians 4:11-16

What We Believe

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe however, that the following statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members. All literature used in the church shall be in complete agreement with the statement of faith.

Article 1 – The Scriptures

We believe that all of the Bible as originally written was verbally inspired, the product of Spirit-controlled men, and is absolute truth without any error. We further believe that those sixty six books of the Old and New Testament comprise the only infallible and authoritative rule for faith and practice in the Christian life.
 
(Matthew 5:17, 18;  II Timothy 3:16, 17;  II Peter 1:19-21)

Article 2 – The True God

We believe that there is only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, Who is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. We also believe that He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, submission, and love. We further believe that in the unity of the Godhead there exist three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and each carry out distinct but harmonious functions in the great work of redemption.

(Exodus 20:2, 3;  Deuteronomy 6:4;  Matthew 28:18-20;  Luke 3:21, 22;  I Corinthians 8:6;  II Corinthians 13:14;  Revelation 4:11)
 
 

SECTION 1 – GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God The Father, initiator of all things both visible and invisible, Who is true holiness, eternal power, infinite love, perfect justice, absolute truth, the Alpha and Omega, and the great “I AM.”

(Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Leviticus 22:33; Romans 1:20; 3:26; Titus 1:2; I John 4:8, 9; Revelation 1:8)
 
 

SECTION 2 – GOD THE SON

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the eternal Son of God. We also believe that He was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and that He is thus both true God and true man.

(Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14)
 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished eternal redemption for man through His death on the cross as a sinless, representative, substitutionary sacrifice. We also believe that the believer’s justification before God is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.

(Matthew 27:27-50, Romans 4:25; I Corinthians 15:12-21; II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 1:18, 19; 2:24)
 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven where He is now exalted to the right hand of God as the believer’s High Priest, Intercessor, and Advocate. We also believe that He will return one day to receive all believers living and dead unto Himself to be with Him forever.

(John 14:2, 3; Acts 1:9-11;I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 4:14, 15; 7:25; I John 2:1)
 
 

SECTION 3 – GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, of the same nature, and that He was active in creation. We also believe that in His ministry in the unbelieving world He restrains Satan until God’s purposes are fulfilled and that He convicts the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment to come. We further believe that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel through the testimony of believers. We moreover believe that He is the Agent of the new birth and that He seals, baptizes, empowers, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, fills, and helps the believer. We also believe that He indwells every true child of God.

(Genesis 1:1, 2; Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5; 14:16, 17, 26; 16:8-11; Acts 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27; II Thessalonians 2:7; Hebrews 9:14)
 

We believe that the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to believers to enable them to serve Him effectively in the local body, the church, and that He is sovereign in His distribution of those gifts. However, we do not teach that the spiritual gift of tongues is either a means to the filling of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life nor a common or necessary sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 4:8, 31; I Corinthians 12:1-31)

Article 3 – Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, that he was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and the desire to be like God he fell and drew after him a host of other angels. We also believe that he is now the malicious prince of the power of the air, the unholy god of this world.

(Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; II Corinthians 4:3, 4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:7-9)
 
We believe Satan to be man’s great tempter, the arch-enemy of God and Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power and instigator behind the present apostasy, the lord of the Anti-Christ, and the head of all the powers of darkness. We also believe, however, he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son and to the judgment of eternal punishment in hell, the very place prepared for him and his angels.
 
(Matthew 25:41; Mark 13:21, 22; Luke 22:3, 4; II Corinthians 11:13-15; II Thessalonians 2:3-11; II Peter 2:4; I John 2:22; 4:3; II John 7; Jude 6; Revelation 19:11, 16, 20; 20:1-3, 10)

Article 4 – The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence and in the likeness of God. We also believe that by willful sin he fell from that privileged estate, lost spiritual life, became dead in trespasses and sins, and subject to the power of Satan. We also believe that as a result all mankind is under just condemnation by God, without defense or excuse. We further believe that apart from the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit, humanity remains in a condition of total depravity, that is, controlled by evil impulses and completely out of contact with God.
 
(Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-19; 5:12; 8:6, 7; Ephesians 2:1-10; I Timothy 5:6; I John 3:8)

Article 5 – Salvation

We believe that God Who is rich in mercy, sent His only Son to be the Savior of all who would repent and believe in Him. We also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of all mankind as their substitute. We further believe that all who trust in Christ are justified on the ground of His shed blood and thus are eternally saved because of His perfect and finished work on the cross.

(John 1:12; 5:24; 10:28; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:16, 17; 3:22-26)
 

We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through personal faith in Jesus Christ, and that included in that saving faith is repentance of sin. We also believe that no other conditions are necessary for salvation. We further believe that the one who has been truly born again has the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, assuring him that he shall be kept by God forever.

(John 3:16, 18, 36; 6:29; Acts 16:31; 20:21; Romans 4:5; 10:4; I Corinthians 6:19; II Corinthians 7:10; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; II Peter 3:9)

Article 6 – The Church

We believe that the term “church” as it is used in the Bible has two different meanings depending upon its context: one refers to all believers of the church age and the other refers to local bodies of believers. We also believe that since most of the New Testament epistles are addressed to these local bodies of believers, that should be our main emphasis as well.

(Matthew 16:18; Acts 14:27; I Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:24, 25)
 

We believe that Jesus Christ, being Head of the Church which is His Body, is head over every local church as well. We also believe that the best definition of a New Testament church is a congregation of immersed believers associated together for worship, ministry, fellowship, and growth, and who regularly observe the Lord’s Table. We further believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, that the local church has the sovereign right to cooperate freely in spiritual endeavors with other individuals or organizations as it determines appropriate. We also believe that in matters of membership, organization, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

(Acts 2:41, 42; 20:17, 28; Romans 15:26; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22; 5:23, 24; Colossians 1:18; Titus 1:5)
 

We believe that God has called biblical leadership from within the membership to direct the church in conducting its affairs and to instruct, protect, equip, and admonish the members. We also believe that the lives of those leaders are to be a testimony and an example of a true walk with God. We further believe that they will one day give an account to God for their leadership ministry, and that thus the local church is responsible before God to pray for, honor, and support the leadership which God has given to them.

(Ephesians 4:11-13; I Thessalonians 5:12, 13; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:7, 17; I Peter 5:1-4)

Article 7 – Baptism and the Lord’s Table

We believe in practicing the observance of baptism and the Lord’s Table in obedience to the commands of Christ. We also believe that biblical baptism is the immersion of a believer in water as the outward expression of personal salvation and union with Christ. We further believe that the Lord’s Table is symbolic of the body and blood of the Lord poured out at Calvary, is a vivid reminder to be partaken of only by believers, should always be preceded by solemn self-examination, and should be practiced on a regular basis. (Matthew 3:16; 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41, 42; 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:17-34; Colossians 2:12)

Article 8 – The Resurrection and The Eternal State

We believe that at death those who have personally trusted in the Lord Jesus for salvation pass immediately into His presence and remain there in a state of conscious blessedness. We also believe that when the Lord Jesus comes for His own, their mortal bodies shall be resurrected as glorified ones, shall be re-united with their souls, and shall be associated with Him forever in glory. We further believe that at death all unbelievers remain conscious of their condemnation and are in misery until the judgment of the Great White Throne at the end of the Millennium. We consequently believe that at that point their souls and bodies shall be re-united to be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.
 
(Exodus 34:7; Proverbs 14:32; Malachi 3:16-18; Matthew 25:31-41; Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; John 8:21; Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 15:1-58; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)

Article 9 – The Return of Christ

We believe in the bodily, personal, pre-millennial, imminent return of Jesus Christ. We also believe that He will return before the Tribulation Period to catch away His Church, meeting them in the air. We further believe that He will come with His Church at the close of the Tribulation Period to judge the nations and to set up His Millennial kingdom upon the earth.
 
(I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-15)

Article 10 – Other Matters of Faith and Conduct

Section 1 – Marriage, Gender, & Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God and, as such, one’s biological sex is not to be rejected.
 
Gen. 1:26-27
 
We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive, lifelong union that is generative in nature, as delineated in Scripture.
 
Gen. 2:18-25; Eph. 5:22-33
 
We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological man and a biological woman who are married to each other.
1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4
 
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is contrary to Biblical teaching.
 
Lev. 19:6-23; Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
 
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who seek His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
 
Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 2:1-5; Titus 2:11-14
 
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual or group are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Monroe Bible Church (MBC).
 
Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31-36
 
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of MBC as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the MBC members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by or who represent MBC in any capacity, agree and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality.
 
Matt. 5:16; Philip. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22

 

Section 2 – Sanctity of Life
 
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Gen 1&2 Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception to natural death. Ps. 139 We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
 
 
For a copy of the Constitution, Bylaws, MBC Statement of Faith, and the EFCA Statement of Faith, click HERE.
Monroe Bible Church is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America, an association of autonomous churches united around ten theological convictions, which form the basis of what we believe. Learn more about EFCA by visiting their website.