In summary, our doctrinal beliefs are in agreement with the 2000 edition of
The Baptist Faith and Message.
We believe that the Bible is God's word and as such is inerrant, inspired, and infallible. God has preserved His word and has revealed Himself, His purposes, and HIs ways through the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament.
We believe that Almighty God is the One True God Who has manifest Himself in three co-equal and co-eternal persons; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Father sent Jesus Christ His Son into this world to reveal Himself, fulfill the Law, and to provide salvation to all who will follow Him.
Jesus is the Son of God and therefore God, the Son. He has perfectly fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah (Christ) and was miraculously born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, willingly gave up His life and died a sacrificial, substitutionary death for the sins of man.
Furthermore, we are convinced that Jesus was bodily resurrected on the third day and was seen by many witnesses (as many as 500 on one occasion) before bodily ascending to the right hand of the Father in Heaven and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Through His sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection Jesus has made it possible to be saved from sin and judgment and receive eternal life. Scripture teaches that God will save all who come to Him through faith in Jesus acknowledging their sinfulness and confessing Him as the Lord of their lives.
The Lord Jesus causes those who are saved to also be "born again." The saved are adopted into God’s family and are promised an inheritance in heaven where they will dwell with God eternally. Salvation is by grace, through faith, and therefore those who are truly regenerated and receive the gift of eternal life are eternally secure in their salvation.
God is not willing that any perish, but tragically those who refuse to place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as their Lord will ultimately experience a living death for eternity in a literal place prepared for the Devil and his angels called "hell." Ultimately everyone will bow before Jesus and acknowledge Him as The Lord - either willingly in this life or at the final judgment in the next.
At the moment of conversion, all believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is literally, God, the Spirit. The Spirit of God indwells all true believers. As the Spirit of God is allowed to have His way in the life of the believer they will manifest evidence or “fruit” such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The Spirit of God also uniquely endows each believer with spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts vary among believers and enable the believer to build up the local Body of believers - the church. Since no believer has every spiritual gift, the fellowship of believers - the church - compliments one another by their varied gifts.
As each part of the fellowship humbly serves God in the strength of the Spirit, the church is strengthened, unified, and grows as Christ is glorified. The supreme desire of the Spirit of God is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
As believers submit to the leadership of God, the Holy Spirit, they are being “filled” with His Spirit. Jesus desires not only to forgive everyone for their sin and give them the gift of eternal life; He also desires that His followers (disciples) live a life of purpose and meaning - a “life worth living.”
For a complete description of our doctrinal beliefs, please see The Baptist Faith and Message.
Our Cooperation - Westside Baptist Church is fully independent of any outside control and is led, as we believe, by God. Therefore, as in the early days of the Church, we happily cooperate with churches of like faith and order in order to build up the Kingdom of God and fulfill the Great Commission. We are glad to be considered a part of the Southern Baptist Convention and join with fellow like-minded believers in supporting its Bible-based mission.