Beliefs

Our members join in the mutual covenant found in the church Bylaws:

We, as members of the First Baptist Church of Chappell Hill, Texas, having banded together to form a local and visible expression of the Body of Jesus Christ, mutually covenant with each other (Colossians 3:12-17):

To seek continually to "whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
To work faithfully to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19).
To support consistently the work of the ministry with our tithes and offerings (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
To commit ourselves to minister to the needs of one another with brotherly love (Romans 12:10; 1 Peter 4:8-10).
To submit ourselves to one another "out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21), and to "be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love[; and] make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

In addition to our reliance on the authority of the Holy Bible, and our agreement with the beliefs expressed in the Baptist Faith and Message, we have included in our church Bylaws this statement of additional doctrines to which we adhere:

Biblical Truth

We, the Church Body, acknowledge the Bible as our earthly authority for faith and practice. Our understanding of Biblical truth is in essential agreement with the BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963 and amended in 1998.

Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death (Psalm 139:13-16).

Marriage

We believe the Bible teaches that marriage is a central part of God’s creation covenant and reflects the relationship of Christ and the church, and that God has ordained marriage and defined it as the life-long covenant relationship between one man, one woman, and Himself (Genesis 2:18-25; Malachi 2:14; Ephesians 5:25-32).

Divorce and Remarriage

We believe that God intended marriage to be a life-long commitment (Malachi 2:14-16, Romans 7:2-3). Recognizing the human condition, we extend grace and mercy to those who have divorced, or who have remarried (Colossians 3:12-13; James 2:12-13).

Sexual Morality

We believe that God commands that sexual intimacy occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Hebrews 13:4). All other sexual relationships are sinful (Romans 1:24-27).

Gender Identity

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological gender or any attempt to change one’s gender is against God’s created design.

Responsibility to the Neighbor

We believe our responsibility is to speak the truth in love and that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, forgiveness, respect, and dignity. We reject hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual, as not in keeping with Scripture (Luke 10:36-37; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).