mindset

A likemindedness is essential in any task force. For the task described above, the mindset desired is one of conviction, commitment, and compassion.

Conviction: (quoted in part from the NBS catalog)

- We believe that the Scriptures, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, are verbally and plenarily inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings in all matters of which they treat: scientific, historical, moral, and theological.

- We believe that there is one true God who is the infinite, eternal, personal spirit. He is the Creator and supreme Ruler of the universe. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, truth, and love and is worthy of all love, honor, trust, and obedience. God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each having the same nature and perfections.

- We believe that Jesus Christ is truly and eternally God; that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; that He became perfect man and remains forever the theanthropic person; that He shed His blood for the sins of all men as a substitutionary sacrifice; that He arose in the very body, though glorified, in which He had been crucified; that He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God; and that He now appears in the presence of God on behalf of His people.

- We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person; that He is Christ’s representative on earth and convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He regenerates those who believe, both Jews and Gentiles, places them into the spiritual Body of Christ, empowers and indwells them. We believe that certain gifts of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings were intended for the apostolic era of the Church; that no particular gift was the necessary sign of the baptism of the Spirit.

- We believe that the universe was created in six literal days by the Word of God; that man was specifically created by God; that the first man, Adam, through disobedience fell from his original state of innocence, became corrupt in nature, and came under condemnation and the sentence of death; and that because of the unity of mankind in Adam, all come under the same consequences.

- We believe that through faith in the crucified and risen Christ, man is justified, regenerated, and given the position of a son in the family of God; that there is but one way of salvation, which is through faith in Christ; and that all those who have been born of the Spirit of God will never perish.

- We believe that a local church is an autonomous body of immersed believers organized together upon profession of faith, having two biblical offices, those of pastor and deacon, and observing two ordinances (immersion and the Lord’s Supper). The function of the local church is to encourage the worship of God, the edification of believers, and the evangelization of the lost. - We believe that God created an innumerable host of personal spirit beings, commonly known as angels, to glorify and serve Him; that a large number of angels, led by another known as Satan, sinned against God; that together they are in active opposition to God and His work; that they were defeated by Christ at the cross; that they will be bound for a thousand years at the return of Christ.

- We believe that a time of great judgment and cleansing (called the Tribulation) lies in the future and will herald the return of Christ to the earth to establish a millennial kingdom over Israel and the nations; that the spiritual body of Christ (called the Universal Church) will be gathered to Christ in a rapture before the Tribulation; that all the dead will be resurrected—the righteous to eternal life at the first resurrection and following the millennium the wicked to judgment in the lake of fire together with Satan and his emissaries where they will be punished forever.

Commitment: We are commited to the Word of God as our foundation for belief and practice. It is the standard by which all of life may be evaluated.

Compassion: We are biblically responsible to ensure that our conduct with others is expressed in truth and love. Compassion derives from the very nature of God and is to characterize a believer’s relationships with people.