What We Believe
- Jesus Christ is the living and only Son of God, who lived, died, and rose again that we might have eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
- God is the creator of the world and is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- The Bible is the written, inspired, and authoritative Word of God.
- Humans have been made in the image of God, but sin has marred that image.
- Salvation is God’s gift of grace to the world, which must be accepted and acted upon in simple faith.
- The Holy Spirit fills individual believers and the Body of Christ so that they can continue Christ’s work upon the earth.
What kind of Baptists are we at Brookwood?
First, we are Gospel-centered Baptists. Jesus is the most common name in our church’s vocabulary. We are concerned about knowing Jesus and making him known to others. While we are Baptist, we believe that God is bigger than Baptists. We rejoice in God’s activity in numerous denominations and non-profit groups. We want to cooperate with and be open to all that God is doing in these organizations. While we celebrate our Baptist heritage, we respect and love anyone who makes the common Christian confession, “Jesus is Lord.” We are more interested in the Kingdom of God than in a specific denominational label.
We are open-minded Baptists. Being open-minded means that we respect each others' views, even when we might disagree on some of the details. Being open-minded does not give a believer the right to ignore or disobey Biblical teachings and the example of Jesus. With that said, however, there is not a lock-step mentality at Brookwood that requires every Christian to look, walk, and talk the same. Our goal is to follow Jesus Christ, and that necessitates a spirit of liberty (and responsibility!) which we cherish here.
What sets Baptists apart from other Christian denominations? It’s how we understand the church. Baptists believe in the following:
Believers’ Church
A New Testament church is made up of believers only. Children and grandchildren of members are precious to God and are important to their families within the church, but they cannot be members themselves until they consciously place their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Believers' Baptism
Baptism by immersion in water is the rite of initiation into the church. It is reserved for those who publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we baptize believers only, not infants.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the presence and grace of Jesus Christ. By faith, we meet the risen Lord at his table in a unique and powerful way.
Church Offices
The two church offices in a Baptist congregation are ministers and deacons. Ministers are the spiritual leaders of the church, overseeing worship, proclamation, discipleship, and all other ministries. Deacons offer spiritual and practical counsel to the ministerial leadership and prayerful consideration of major proposals offered by church committees and teams. Deacons are not a governing body of the church, but rather a ministering body, discerning and modeling the best ways that Brookwood can reach others with Christ’s love.
Priesthood of All Believers
All Christians are priests before God. Baptists elevate the laity so that every member is a minister.
Autonomy of the Local Church
Every Baptist church receives its marching orders from Jesus Christ. No church has to gain permission from another church in order to do what it believes is the will of God. Ultimately, the beliefs, practices, policies, and ministries are determined by the local church body.
Religious Liberty
In their earliest years, Baptists were persecuted for their convictions about religious liberty. Having suffered at the hands of those who wanted to unite church and state, Baptists have long stood for the absolute religious liberty of all people, achieved through the separation of church and state. “A free church in a free nation” is the motto of Baptists.