STATEMENT OF FAITH

These are the core beliefs for the members of Hill City Church, Tampa Florida. This Statement of Faith is in harmony with the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.

The additional information as follows is taken from Ephesians 4:3-6.

‘Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’

  • ‘One Body’: This represents that the church is the Body of Christ with Jesus Christ being the Head and the individuals representing the members or different parts of the body.
    1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 1:22, 23

  • ‘One Spirit’: Also supporting unity and peace in the church is the concept of one Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God is a member of the Trinity (God as a Tri-unity)   Matthew 28:19

The Spirit of God indwells believers individually and corporately.  Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19

The Spirit of God infills believers. Ephesians 5:18, Acts 1:8

The Spirit of God convicts believers. John 16:8 

The Spirit of God guides believers into all truth.  John 16:13

The Spirit places believers into the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13

  • ‘One Hope’: Church members are people of expectation and anticipation. Which includes a living hope of the resurrection.
    1 Peter 1:3

A hope to be defended. 1 Peter 3:15

A blessed hope referencing the return of Jesus Christ for His church. Titus 2:13

  • ‘One Lord’: The church has only one Lord, who is Head and Divine – Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18, Deuteronomy 6:4

  • ‘One Faith’: The church is a community of faith because the members have been persuaded and are committed to the truth of the Bible.

The basic message of the faith is ‘repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Acts 20:21

The basic message of the faith includes ‘Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance to the Scriptures.’  1 Corinthians 15:3-4

The Scriptures (the Bible) which contain the Faith are Inspired – 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21,

Inerrant – Psalm 19:7,  Infallible – Isaiah 40:8 and Providentially Preserved – Matthew 5:18.

The Faith (the Bible) cannot be added to – Jude 3.

  • ‘One Baptism’: The early church was faced with a complicated system of washings and baptisms by the Jewish community and by John’s baptism in water for repentance (Matt. 3:11, Acts 19:2-4).  

Only one water baptism is required – Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12 – and that by immersion, Gr. baptizo / sink a ship, and this is for believers – Acts 16:33

  • ‘One God and Father’: The church reflects a mono-theistic belief in God.

God is holy, Trinitarian (three co-equal persons), transcendent and immanent. He is eternal, creator, incomprehensible, sovereign and independent of His creation. Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 28:19, Isaiah 57:15, Acts 17:28, Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 115:3, Acts 17:25

God is our Father – Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 6:9