What we believe

~ In essential beliefs – we have unity.

 “There is one Body and one Spirit…there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all…”    Ephesians 4:4-6

 ~ In non-essential beliefs – we have diversity.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?  To his own master he stands or falls…So then each of us will give an account of himself to God…So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.”    Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22

 ~ In all our beliefs – we show charity.

 “...If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains – but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.”                         I Corinthians 13:2 (Ph)

The Essentials We Believe:

1.  ABOUT GOD

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He has eternally existed in three personalities:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  These three are co-equal and are one God.  This God, who has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, is the one and only true God.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2; II Corinthians 13:14;  John 14:1-14; I John 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; I Corinthians 8:4-6

2.  ABOUT THE FATHER

He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise.  He reigns with providential care over the universe and the flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.  God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

     Genesis 1:1, 2:7; Exodus 3:14, 6:23; Matthew 23:9; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; Romans 8:1-15; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; I Timothy 1:17

3.  ABOUT JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He is co-equal with the Father.  Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross.  He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  Jesus Christ is the only true Savior and the only way to heaven is by faith in Him.

     Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14, 15; I Corinthians 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3, 4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14, 15; Titus 2:13; John 14:6

4.  ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God.  He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ.  He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.  He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.  He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved.  As Christians we seek to live under His control daily.

     II Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

5.  ABOUT THE BIBLE

The Bible is God’s word to us.  It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.  Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.

     II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20, 21; II Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5 

6.  ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS

People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character.  People are the supreme object of god’s creation.  Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”.  This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

     Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

7.  ABOUT SALAVATION

Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it.  We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works.  Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty.  When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved.  Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

     Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5, Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

8.  ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation is for eternity.  If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it.  Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.  It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

     John 10:29; II timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14; I Peter 1:3-5

9.  ABOUT ETERNITY

People were created to exist forever.  We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell.  To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life.  Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

     John 3:16, 2: 25, 5:11-13; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; I Corinthians 2:7-9; Matthew 1:8, 2:44, 46

OUR LIFESTYLE STATEMENT

What we practice (B.A.P.T.I.S.T.)

Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions.  Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following seven practices:

Bible as our sole authority.

“The whole bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right.”  II Timothy 3:15

Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living.  Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say?”  We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization.  The Bible is the basis for all we believe.

Autonomy of each local church.

“Christ is the head of his Body, the church.  He is the source of the body’s life…” Colossians 1:18 (GN)

Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization.  While recognizing the value of association and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control.  In relating to our “daughter churches” that we sponsor, we encourage each congregation to determine its’ own strategy, structure, and style.

Priesthood of every believer

“Christ loves us, and by his death he has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God.”  Revelation 1:6 (GN)  “You are…the King’s priest…God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God.”  I Peter 2:9 (GN)

The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation.  We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry.  Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.

Tithing

“A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”

Leviticus 26:30

At Briarwood we practice tithing for the support of Christ’s Body, the Church, as God commands.  We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the biblical standard of giving.

Immersion

“For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ…”  Colossians 2:12 (GN)

We practice baptism by immersion under water – the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.

Spirit-led living

(Jesus said) “I am the Vine, you are the branches.  If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us.  So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right.

     Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 5:18

Telling others about Christ

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  I Peter 3:15

It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those God brings us into contact with.  We practice personal sharing about Christ and inviting friends to church.

What We Believe

Southern Baptists have prepared a statement of generally held convictions called Baptist Faith and Message. It serves as a guide to understanding who we are.  At Briarwood we support the The Baptist Faith and Message and the ministry of the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention and ministry of the Georgia Baptist Convention.

Our Vision

1. Pervasive Grace - We believe that the basis of our relationship with God is grace through faith. We want Briarwood to be known as a "place of grace" where people are welcomed regardless of their past and feel love and encouragement, not condemnation. We want to consistently exhibit a spirit of hospitality.
2. Meaningful Worship - We believe worship should be God-focused and Christ-centered. We want our worship to be warm, personal and inspirational, engaging the mind, heart and will.
3. Concerted Prayer - We believe that everything we do must be supported by prayer. Our plans and best efforts are in vain unless we are cooperating with God wherever He is at work.
4. Purposeful Outreach - We believe that God is constantly drawing people to Himself and that He has called us to share the good news and love others into His Kingdom. We desire that every program and ministry have as its underlying purpose the goal of reaching those without Christ.
5. Faithful Obedience - We believe that God is stretching us beyond what is easy and comfortable and leading us to trust Him more fully. We believe that "without faith it is impossible to please" Him and we desire to be people who trust God for the big dreams and the little details.
6. Biblical Discipleship - We believe a healthy Christian life requires that a person never stop growing in the knowledge of the Word of God (the Bible) and its application to every area of his or her life. We desire to be relevant in our teaching and preaching while maintaining strict adherence to the truth of Scripture.
7. Enduring Excellence - We believe that God is deserving of our very best and that our service for Him is a reflection of our love for Him. We desire to exhibit excellence in every area of ministry.