Articles of Faith
DOCTRINE
1.        THE WORD OF GOD:  We believe the Holy Bible (66 books) was given by verbal plenary inspiration by God using spirit controlled men.  Therefore, it is absolute Truth and is without any error.  We accept a literal interpretation and believe the Bible to be relevant for today as the only rule for what we believe and how we live.  2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
2.        ONE GOD:  We believe there is one living and true God.  He is without beginning or ending, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, glorious in Holiness.  He alone is worthy of our worship.  In the unity of God there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  They are equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.  Exodus 20:2-3; Revelation 4:11.
3.        SON OF GOD:  We believe that Jesus Christ, was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner and was born of Mary, a virgin.  He is both the Son of God and God the Son, fully God and fully man.  John 1:14 & 29-37, Hebrews 4:14-15, Isaiah 7:14, 2 Timothy 2:5, Romans 5:15.
4.        THE HOLY SPIRIT:  We believe the Holy Spirit was given as a comforter and teacher to the believer and is the restrainer of evil.  Upon trusting Christ as Savior, He indwells, us.  He is the agent of our redemption and we are sealed by Him ensuring our Salvation.  John 14:16, Luke 1:35, John 3:5-8, Matthew 28:19, Acts 11:16.
5.        THE DEVIL/SATAN:  We believe that Satan exists and that he is the unholy god of this world and the author of all evil and sin.  We believe he was once created beautiful and “the Cherub that covereth” and that he sinned against God and is destine to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.  Matthew 4:1-3, & 25-41, Revelation 20:10-11 &  12:9-10, 1 Peter 5:8, Isaiah 14:12-15.
6.        CREATION:  We believe the Genesis account of creation being six literal 24-hour days.  We believe that man came by direct creation of God and not evolution.  Genesis 1 & 2, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17 .
7.        SALVATION OF MAN:  We believe that man was created in innocence by God, but voluntarily sinned, passing sin to all mankind.  Therefore, all have sinned and are totally depraved and in need of a Savior.  We believe the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace apart from works.  Salvation is through the sacrificial blood, death and resurrection of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who willingly sacrificed Himself, taking the penalty for man’s sin.  This satisfied the demands of a Holy God thus justifying the repentant believing sinner.  We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition for salvation.  1 John 4:10, Acts 15-11, Romans 3:24-27, 1 Corinthians 15:3, John 3:16 .
8.        THE LOCAL CHURCH:  We believe VBBC is a congregation of baptized (immersed) believers associated by covenant of faith and friendship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) that is governed by His laws and exercising the gifts,  rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word.  We hold the local Church has absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of a hierarchy of individuals or organizations and that its one and only head is Jesus Christ.  All decisions made by the local Church will be made in accordance with the Word of God.  Ephesians 1:20-23& 5:23-24, Acts 20-28, 1 Timothy 3:15, Colossians 1:18 .

PRACTICE
1.        CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: We believe that the local Church body is made up of saved persons who have publicly declared their salvation through baptism.  This is not a decision to be taken lightly or rashly and all prospective church members must display a testimony consistent with the Word of God and also meet with the Pastor and Elders before being presented to the Church body for a vote of acceptance in to membership.  1 Timothy 3:14-16, Ephesians 4:1-32.
2.        BIBLICAL MARRIAGE:  We believe marriage is the union between a natural man and a natural woman.  We believe any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, incest, pedophilia, fornication or adultery are perversions of God’s gift of sex.  Romans 1:26-29, Hebrews 13:4, Ephesians 5:22-28, Genesis 2:23-24.
3.        ABORTION:  We believe human life begins at conception and the unborn child is a living human being and therefore abortion is wrong.  Any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, for mental well-being, or for convenience is not acceptable. The wrongful taking of any life of a human being is murder. For those who have had abortions there is forgiveness to be found in Jesus Christ as sin is confessed and repented of. Job 3:16, Isaiah 44:24 & 49:1-5, Jeremiah 1:5 & 20:15-16, Luke 1:44, 1 Timothy 3:14-16, Ephesians 1:7, 4:1-32.