We are often asked what we as a church believe concerning various theological issues and doctrines. While not every issue we are asked about is given equal weight in Scripture, the following doctrines are considered by our church family to be essential. 

• The Bible Is The Inspired Word Of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
• The Absolute Deity Of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-7; John 1:1-14, 8:57-58, 14:9)
• The Virgin Birth Of Christ (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-25)
• The Historical Fall Of Man (Genesis 3)
• The Sinful Nature of Man (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23)
• The Substitutionary Death of Christ On The Cross (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24-25)
• The Bodily Resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
• The Literal Return Of Christ (John 14:1-8; 2 Peter 3:3-13)
• The Resurrection And Assignment Of All People to Heaven Or Hell (Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:28-30)
• The Abiding Presence Of The Holy Spirit In All Believers (Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:13-14)

At East Brainerd, we believe salvation is a gift from God and a deep reflection of his grace and mercy towards us. By placing our faith in God’s great work through Jesus Christ, we are saved from our past, set free in the present, and given hope for the future. This pivot towards God and away from our own selfish pursuits and desires is referred to in the Bible as repentance. As a response to God’s love towards us in Jesus, we respond in obedience to Him through baptism; recognizing God’s work through Jesus alone as our hope for salvation (Rom 3:23, Eph 2:8, Rom 6:23, Acts 2:38, Titus 3:5). 

At East Brainerd, we believe baptism is one of the most exciting moments in a person’s journey of faith. Baptism is a powerful moment in which we publicly identify ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as we surrender our ways to His way. We celebrate baptism in a variety of ways. People have been baptized in front of large crowds during our Sunday Worship Gatherings, late at night surrounded by a small number of friends and family, in pools at church camp,— even in the ocean on a family vacation. Regardless of the time, the place, or the number of people watching — we love to celebrate as people choose to acknowledge their dependence on Jesus through baptism.

If you or someone you know is ready to be baptized or if you have questions about baptism CLICK HERE to fill out an online form to let us know and someone from our ministry team will contact you to set up a time to talk about getting baptized.