Baptist Faith and Message 2000

From the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have laid out doctrine (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. As those who know God, we believe it necessary to set forth in a concise fashion the cornerstone truths of our church as guided by Scripture. Our Statement of Faith summarizes essential Christian beliefs, shows unity in Christ, and guards the church from error.

In 2015 Hopewell Baptist Church unanimously adopted as its official statement of faith the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.  This statement of faith can be accessed through the link provided below.  While it is not an exhaustive document, it does state the common beliefs that we at HBC hold dear.  The BF&M 2000 is not a replacement for the Scriptures.  Rather it is intended to communicate in a relatively brief fashion what we believe the Bible teaches on key subjects.

http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp

Hopewell Baptist Church Covenant

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive Jesus Christ as the Lord, Savior, and, supreme Treasure of our lives, and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, angels and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.

We covenant, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and peace; to promote its spirituality and fruitfulness; to sustain its worship, ordinances, and discipline; to sincerely hold to its doctrine, as found in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000; to give it a sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of merely human origin; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also covenant to maintain family and personal devotions; to educate our children in the Christian faith; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment, to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to seek God’s help in abstaining from all drugs, food, drink, and practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another’s faith.

We further covenant to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.

We moreover covenant, that should we move from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with some other likeminded church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

Our Vision - Why We Are Here

Our vision is the same as for every gospel congregation throughout time and around the world.  As those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we want to bring him glory.  The main way we do that is through our life together as a church, as this gospel community demonstrates the love of Jesus through our love for each other (John 13:35).  We gather together to sing his praises, offer our prayers, hear his Word, and care for one another.  And we serve side by side to see Jesus worshipped as the true King both here in Louisville and to the ends of the earth.

We cannot be sure what life will bring for us as a church any more than we know what tomorrow will bring for us individually. We are nonetheless delighted at the spiritual health God is cultivating here and are thankful for the committed believers He has brought into our fold.  It is a blessing to serve God in the mission field of Louisville with these brothers and sisters of various ages, backgrounds, and occupations.