The Unofficial Beliefs of the Church
Note: These statements are an attempt to reflect the collective beliefs of the body of Christ at Barton Avenue. They do NOT dictate the personal beliefs of every member.
Philosophy
Jehovah God exists and loves all men.
Jesus Christ is the Son of the one true living God.
Christ gave his own life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man.
He rose from the dead three days later and overthrew the reign of sin in men's lives.
That all who believe in Christ and are baptized* will find forgiveness in His arms.
That Christ is the one and only way of salvation.
Men are not saved by acts or good deeds, but rather by the grace and love of God the Father.
That Christ will return one day to take to Heaven those He has redeemed.
The Bible is the true and inspired Word of God and that we should strive to live by its principles and delve farther and farther into the depths of its words.
That love does and did conquer all.
Worship
Barton Avenue believes in the use of the voice as an instrument with which to praise the Lord ["Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord..." Eph. 5:19]. Athough we use no mechanical instruments in our assemblies, we have no right to condemn others who do. The Luling church does not condone the "we are the only one's going to heaven" attitude that some of us have manifested in the past (and still do). We, in fact, have special singing in our assemblies, usually by a quartet. Even this would cause us to be suspect with other churches of Christ.
We partake of the Lord's Supper (the bread and wine) every Sunday in remembrance of our Savior Jesus Christ.
* : We believe in baptism by immersion in water, symbolizing the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord. Anyone who has professed faith in the Lord Jesus and been baptized is saved.
