Global Harvest Church generally holds to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Along with the BFM 2000, you can read our foundational beliefs below.

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that Scripture is God’s precious gift to His creation (mankind). It is the Word of God, meaning that it is God’s revelation and divinely inspired. It contains the will of God and the power to change people’s lives. Scripture is given to us for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training. It is truth without any mixture of error (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psa. 119:105, 160; 12:6; Prov. 30:5).

GOD

We believe that God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is a self-existing divine being, who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. There is only one God who has always existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The attributes of God include: love, holiness, and perfection in every way. He is our true Father who loves us even to the point of sacrificing His own Son (Gen. 1:1; 3:22; Psa. 90:2; Jn. 3:16).

JESUS

We believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God who was born of a virgin. He lived and walked among men and still was without sin. He has fulfilled His ultimate mission by dying on the cross to redeem us. The power of His blood and the resurrection is the very power, which compels us to preach the Good News. He is our best friend and our Savior. He will return soon to take His people and to judge the world (Mat. 1:22-23; Jn. 1:1-5).

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God’s own Spirit. He comforts His people in the midst of trials and empowers the believers for evangelism. He teaches all things and guides our way (Jn. 14:6; Acts 1:8; Jn. 14:26). The Holy Spirit is given to every believer at the very moment one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The receiving of the Holy Spirit is a one-time event. However, the filling of the Holy Spirit is an ongoing process which enables us to live a Christ-like life (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:22-23).

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is a gift from God to man to save man from the eternal penalty of sin. Eternal life is obtained at the moment one accepts Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Jn. 14:6; 1:12; Tit. 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1).

EVANGELISM & MISSIONS

We believe that it is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man's spirit by God's Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ (Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 19:5-6Mat. 9:37-38; Mat. 28:18-20; Luk. 10:1-18​; Luk. 24:46-53; John 14:11-12​; John 15:7-8​; John 15:16; John 17:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15; Eph. 3:1-11).

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DOCTRINE OF GOD

We believe in one God existing as one essence and three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each of whom is fully God, yet there is one God.  Each person is fully, equally and eternally God, yet there is one God.  Each distinct person is worthy of worship, honor and praise.  The Christian faith is bound together with the confession of God’s Trinitarian nature.

  • Trinity:  Mat. 28:18-20; John 10:30-33, 15:26; Rom. 8:9; Col. 1:15, 2:9
  • God the Son:  John 1:14; Heb. 1:13; Col. 1:15-20; John 15:26-27
  • God the Holy Spirit:  Eph. 1:13-14; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal.5:16-25
  • God the Father:  1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; Mat. 23:9; Isa. 64:8; Mal. 2:10; John 3:16
DOCTRINE OF REVELATION

God has made Himself known to the world in Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures and creation.

  • Jesus is the perfect revelation of who God is, He is the “image of the invisible God.” Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3; John 5:19
  • General Revelation:  God has made Himself known to His creation and has directly implanted knowledge about Himself in all men. Gen. 1:1; Rom. 1:19-20; Ps. 19:2; Rom. 2:14-15
  • Special Revelation:  The 66 books of the Old and New Testament are the inspired Word of God and are therefore without error. The Scripture is sufficient for all that God requires for us to believe and do. Rom. 10:14-17; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 1:20-21
DOCTRINE OF CREATION & PROVIDENCE

We believe that God created the world from nothing and governs all things at all times in all places.

  • God created the whole world from nothing. Gen. 1:1-2; Ps. 24:1
  • God upholds the universe by the power of His Word and He holds the world together in Himself. Col. 1:17
DOCTRINE OF HUMANITY

We believe that all humanity is created in the image of God and possesses intrinsic dignity and worth.

  • God made humanity, male and female, in His own image. Gen. 1:27-30
  • All men and women are called to represent God in His creation. 1 Cor. 10:31
  • Adam and Eve were made to complement each other in a one-flesh union in the covenant marriage that establishes the only God-ordained pattern of sexual relations for men and women. Gen. 2:24; 1 Cor. 7:2; Mark 10:6-9; Gen. 1:28; Mat. 19:5
Distinctive: Complementarianism

Men and women are equal in essence, dignity and value but are distinct by divine design.

  • As part of God’s created order, men and women are to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in the home and church. Eph. 5:22-33
  • Both men and women are gifted for service within the church. The office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. The office of deacon can be filled by both qualified men and women. 1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1
DOCTRINE OF SIN

We believe that sin has fractured all things, bringing both physical and spiritual death to man and his posterity.  

  • Through the temptation of Satan, humanity transgressed the command of God and fell from their original holiness and righteousness. Gen. 3
  • The entire human race inherits a sin nature that is opposed to God. Rom. 3:9-20
  • The depravity of man extends to the mind, will, body and affections. Eph. 2:1-3
DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  God’s sovereignty in salvation is comprehensive: from first to last, all salvation is the work of God.

  • Because of sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again. John 3:5-8
  • Salvation is only by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ through faith are declared righteous by God and become children of God. Heb. 10:19-25
  • The Scriptures teach that through regeneration, or new birth, the Holy Spirit imparts a new nature and a new life where the person becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. Gal. 2:20
  • Because salvation is fundamentally the work of God, before the foundation of the world, God elected His people, setting His affection and grace upon them. Rom. 8:29-30
  • In love God predestined His people for adoption. Eph. 1:4-6
  • Apart from the intervention of God, humanity cannot choose of his own accord to worship God and pursue righteousness.  Rom. 3; Eph. 2:1-3
DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

We believe that the Church is the Body and Bride of Christ, sent into the world to shine forth the glory of God.

  • By His Word and Spirit, God creates the Church, calling sinful humanity into the fellowship of Christ’s body. 1 Cor. 12:12-31
  • The Church began at Pentecost and that believers are placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-47
  • The Church is distinct from Israel. Eph. 3:1-6; 1 Cor. 10:32, 12:13
  • The Church is made up of genuine followers of Christ. 1 Cor. 12:27; Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 4:4
  • The Church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Acts 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:15
  • The mission of the Church is to bring glory to God by making disciples. Matt. 28:18-20
  • The Church is called to make disciples through worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances, fellowship, the exercise of our gifts and talents and proclamation of the gospel both in our community and throughout the world. Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 12:10, 15:14; Eph. 4:32; 1 Thes. 5:11; 1 John 3:11; 1 Cor. 11:23-26, 12; Col. 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:9-10
Distinctive: Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe in an open but cautious approach to understanding the activity of the Holy Spirit in the modern day church. While we fully believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we also find it important to examine the contemporary practices of such gifts. Certain gifts like speaking in tongues and the gifts of healing were given to certain individuals as authenticating signs for the early church and not as evidence of salvation or God's presence in a believer's life. We also believe that the gift of tongues as presented in the New Testament has always presented itself as a known human language. Acts 2:6-13; 8:14; 10:44-48; 11:15-18; 19:1-6; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; 14

Distinctive: believer's Baptism by Immersion

We believe by water baptism a believer publicly identifies with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but should not be baptized until they can personally articulate their faith and the purpose of baptism. Rom. 6:1-14; Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26

DOCTRINE OF RESURRECTION & ETERNAL STATE

We believe in the return of Christ our King to the world to judge the living and the dead. In the resurrection of the dead, those who believe will enter into eternal life with Christ and those who do not believe will be separated from Him to endure eternal punishment in hell.  

  • Satan and all those outside Christ will endure eternal punishment. Rev. 20:7-15
  • The righteous in Christ will reign with Him forever and the whole earth will proclaim the glory of God, who makes all things new. Rev. 21:1-5

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