Glenwood Baptist Church is a Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church. The only document that correctly states completely what we believe is the King James 1611 Authorized Version Bible. However, we give the below summary of our beliefs so that visitors can have an idea of what they will hear taught and preached from the pulpit of our church.
(Taken from our 90th Anniversary Homecoming Book – 2016)
The following was written by our pastor, Brother O’Neal. With new babes in Christ regularly coming into the church, it is obvious that not every member understands every subject, issue, or detail on these matters. The following is presented to try to represent the distinctives of our church’s beliefs and behavior in spirit and in summary. For a more detailed explanation, members are referred to the church’s constitution and by-laws. The pastor will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Glenwood Baptist is an old-fashioned, Bible-believing, fundamental, independent Baptist church. Those who attend our services will hear preaching and teaching from a King James Bible, believing every word of it. We sing the old hymns from the hymn books. You will hear these great themes from the pulpit on a regular basis:
THE SCRIPTURES – The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, pure, perfect, preserved word of God. When I say “Bible” I am referring to the King James 1611 Authorized Version.
OUR SOVEREIGN GOD – God is one God, manifest in three Persons, as is declared in 1 Jn. 5:7.
SALVATION – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation was ACCOMPLISHED for all mankind when Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Salvation is ACQUIRED when the individual believes on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:29-31). Salvation is eternal; that is, the believer is eternally secure.
SERVICE – Every person is saved to serve (Eph. 2:8-10). The Spirit of God gives gifts to every believer to minister to other believers.
STEADFASTNESS – As a steward, every believer is required to be FAITHFUL (1 Cor. 4:2). Faithfulness is the key to Christian growth.
SAINTS ASSEMBLED – Every child of God should be baptized by immersion and should unite with a local church. He should be faithful to the services of that church (Heb. 10:25). He should follow and submit to the leadership and preaching of his pastor (Heb. 13:7,17). He should support the ministry through voluntary tithes and offerings, and he should participate in the Lord’s supper when it’s offered in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ.
SEPARATION – God’s people should be holy, not conforming to the world, but rather be transformed by the word of God.
SOUL-WINNING AND MISSIONS – Every believer should win souls (Prov. 11:30) and bring forth fruit for the glory of God (Jn. 15:8). If we are not called to a foreign field to evangelize, we should pray for missionaries and give them financial support. (For some time our church has been giving over 15 percent of our offerings to missions.)
SECOND COMING – The next great event for the believer to expect is what many Bible students call the Rapture, described in 1 Thess. 4:13-18. Following the Rapture will be a seven-year period of time known as Daniel’s 70th week, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and the tribulation. It is a dispensation of judgment, with the church being judged in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10), the Jews being judged on earth (Rev. 6-19), and the Gentiles being judged at the close of the tribulation (Mt. 25). This period will close with the Savior returning to the earth in power and glory. We shall return with Him, and we will reign with Him on earth for 1,000 years.