Our Beliefs

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Rooted in Christ. Grounded in Scripture.
Living Out Faith.

At First Baptist Church of Crown Heights, our faith is centered in Jesus Christ and grounded in the Word of God. We believe the Gospel is more than something we profess on Sunday—it is a way of life that shapes how we love God, love one another, serve our neighbors, and seek a more just and compassionate world.

Since our founding, First Baptist has proclaimed a risen Christ who works toward the liberation of humanity from every form of oppression—spiritual, social, political, and economic. We seek to live the Great Commandment—to love God with all that we are and our neighbors as ourselves—while carrying out the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.

We Believe in Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God—fully human and fully divine. In Jesus, God entered human history and showed us what divine love looks like in the flesh.

Jesus proclaimed Good News to the poor and oppressed, welcomed those pushed to the margins, healed the hurting, challenged injustice, extended mercy, and called people into transformed lives.

We believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for human sin and rose from the grave with all power. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we encounter God's saving grace and the promise of new and eternal life.

We Believe Salvation Is God's Gift of Grace

Salvation is God's gracious work of restoring us to right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  
We believe salvation begins when we receive Christ by faith, but the Christian journey does not end with a single decision. Salvation is a lifelong journey.  
We have been saved through the work of Christ.  We are being saved as the Holy Spirit continually transforms us.  
And we live in hope of the fullness of God's salvation yet to come.  
Following Jesus means continually growing in His love, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, and justice.

We Believe the Bible Guides Our Faith and Practice

As Baptists, we believe the Bible is the foundation for our faith and practice.

Scripture is not merely a book we read; it forms us. Through study, preaching, teaching, prayer, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God's Word renews our minds, strengthens our faith, and equips us to live faithfully in the world.

We Believe the Church Is a People, Not Just a Place

The church is more than a building. The church is a community of people called by God for a divine purpose, united in Christ through worship, fellowship, ministry, and witness.

We believe the Christian life was never intended to be lived alone. We need one another. We gather to worship, pray, learn, serve, encourage one another, and grow together as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our covenant calls us to walk together in Christian love, remember one another in prayer, care for one another in times of sickness and distress, practice reconciliation, support the work of ministry, care for those in need, and share the Gospel throughout the world.

We Are Baptist

Our Baptist identity shapes how we understand Scripture, the church, and the freedom and responsibility of every believer.

We believe Scripture is our ultimate authority for Christian faith and practice.

We believe the local congregation is responsible, under the leadership of Christ, for discerning God's direction for its worship, leadership, ministry, stewardship, and common life.

We believe every believer has direct access to God through Jesus Christ. Every Christian is also called to participate in the ministry of God's people.

We believe God has given each person the freedom and responsibility to respond faithfully to God. Faith cannot be coerced.

We affirm religious liberty and the historic Baptist conviction that the institutions of church and state should remain distinct.

"We hope that our church will be a house on the side of the road — a friend to all."

— Rev. Dr. Clarence Norman Sr., Founding Pastor, 1953