Who Is Heritage Baptist Church?

Heritage Baptist Church is short on history and long on heritage. Short on history because our congregation was founded in 1998; long on heritage because we stand on the shoulders of great Baptists of the past such as Kiffin, Bunyan, Keach, Gill, Spurgeon, Broadus, Dagg, and Boyce who believed in the doctrines of God’s wonderful grace.

Even though we appreciate our Baptist heritage, we concur with Terry A. Chrisope, who said:

"In the first place, it desperately needs to be pointed out that the most important thing about being Baptist is being Christian. A Baptist is, by definition, simply a variety of Christian. It follows that a Baptist’s identity as a Christian is more fundamental than his identity as a Baptist: he is first a Christian, then, as it happens, a Christian of Baptistic persuasion." (On Being Baptist, Founder’s Journal, issue 41, p.23)

Heritage Baptist Church has established The Confession of Faith of Heritage Baptist Church as a reasonable statement of our faith. We do not require adherence to the Confession for membership, nor do we use it as a creed. We agree with Charles H. Spurgeon's statement concerning the use of Church Confessions:

"This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness. Here the younger members of our church will have a body of divinity in small compass, and by means of the Scriptural proofs, will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them." (from the Forward of The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689).

It is not enough to merely say, "The Bible is my creed" since many denominations and churches say this, but differ drastically in doctrine and practice. We must be able to answer those who ask specific answers to what we believe about the primary doctrines of the Christian faith. The Confession of Faith of of Heritage Baptist Church provides those answers in pointing to God’s Word.

Heritage Baptist Church allows Scripture to regulate, not only our worship, but the way we organize and direct church life. For instance, our church government does not resemble most other Baptist churches where a majority rules. We believe the Bible clearly models a plurality of pastors overseeing the church body. It is the pastors responsibility to be on guard for the flock (Acts 20:28), to shepherd the flock of God with eagerness and to be a good example, and not do it for sordid gain (1 Peter 5:2). In response, the members of the church are to do as it says in Hebrews 13:17, "Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."

In the same way wives are to lovingly submit to their husbands (Eph. 5:21) and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25), so is the relationship between pastors and the members of the flock. Responsibility and leadership provided by the elders, loving support and encouragement provided by the members.

Scripture clearly teaches that man is so utterly depraved in his sin that he will not seek God of his own will (Romans 3:9-18, Matthew 19:25-26). It is also perfectly clear that if a man has faith in Christ, it is only because God has had mercy on him, regenerated his heart, and given him faith (Ephesians 2:1-10, John 10:25-30, Acts 13:48). For this reason, Heritage Baptist Church embraces the doctrines of Grace and rejects the idea that it is within man’s ability to be converted of his own natural will. Praise God for calling us out of darkness and into His glorious light!

Heritage Baptist is faithful to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in evangelism and in our services, for it is the ordained means by which God will convert sinners to Himself (Romans 10:14-15, 1 Corinthians 1:18-21) and give all the glory to God alone.

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:17