Our Beliefs

We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God; that it is inerrant in the original manuscripts and preserved by God in its verbal plenary inspiration; and that it is the divinely authoritative, infallible standard for every person of every age.

We believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons —Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— and that these three are one God.

We believe that God is the absolute and sole creator of the universe, and that creation was by divine design, not through evolutionary processes.

We believe that God, by His sovereign choice and out of love for man, sent Christ into the world to save sinners.

We believe that Jesus Christ in the flesh was both God and man; that He was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life in which He taught, wrought mighty works, wonders, signs and miracles exactly as revealed in the Scriptures. He was crucified and died as the only sacrifice for our sins, and was raised from the dead bodily on the third day. Later, He ascended to the Father’s right hand where He is head of the Church and intercedes for believers. He is coming again in the clouds personally, bodily, and visibly for His children.

We believe that in His death and by His shed blood, the Lord Jesus Christ made the perfect atonement for sin, redeeming us from the curse of sin by becoming sin for us, and that men are saved and justified on the simple and single ground of the shed blood of Christ.

We believe that God directly and immediately created man in His image and likeness for God’s glory. Man was created free of sin and with freedom of choice. Through Adam and Eve’s choice to sin and rebel against God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of physical and spiritual death, became inherently corrupt through the inheritance of a sin nature, and is separated from God. Thus, God declared all men to be sinners by nature, by choice. It is only through God’s grace and the redemption offered in Christ Jesus that man could be restored to a right relationship with God.

We believe that salvation —with its forgiveness of sins, its impartation of a new nature, and its hope of eternal life— is entirely apart from good works, baptism, church membership, or man’s effort. Salvation is of the pure grace of God, through faith.

We believe that a true believer is eternally secure, that he cannot lose his salvation, but that sin interrupts the joy of his fellowship with God and brings the loving discipline of his Heavenly Father.

We believe that all who receive Christ as Savior and Lord become His children, joint-heirs with Christ, and at death, their spirits depart to be with Christ in conscious blessedness.

We believe that it is the goal of every Christian to grow in spiritual maturity through obedience to the Word of God and the indwelling Spirit.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, is God and possesses all the divine attributes. He indwells all believers, baptizes, seals, and gifts them at the moment of their salvation, and fills and empowers them in response to confession of sin and surrender to His control.

We believe that the Church is a spiritual body/organism designed by Christ and made up of all who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Christ is the one, supreme authority for the Church and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in Scripture. The Church is autonomous, free from any external authority or control, with the right of self-government. The ultimate purpose of the Church is to bring honor and glory to God.

We believe that two ordinances have been committed to the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Christian baptism by immersion is an act of obedience to the Lord showing one’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior and one’s own death to self and resurrection to new life in Christ. It is also a sign of fellowship with the local church. We also believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of Jesus’ death until He comes for His church. The Lord’s Supper should be preceded by a time of self-examination as taught by our Lord. We believe that the elements are only symbols of the flesh and blood of Christ, but that the Lord’s Supper is an actual communion with the Risen Lord who is present with His people.

In addition, we adhere to the beliefs as stated in the “Baptist Faith and Message” of 2000.

Memorial is a cooperating Southern Baptist Church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and supportive of its agencies, boards, and schools.