What we Believe
Values & Statement of Faith
We UNITE together around these Biblical values:
- A longing to glorify God by experiencing together Spirit filled teaching and worship
- Radical submission to God’s Word bringing abundant life
- Fervent prayer resulting in growing dependence on God
- Proclamation of the gospel is everyone’s duty
- Helping people in compassion is part of the gospel
- As we value each person our community is strengthened
- Continuous change demonstrates God’s presence, in our lives and in our church
- An atmosphere that encourages unbelievers to be in our services pleases our Lord
Statement of Faith:
We believe the Bible to be the complete Word of God; that the sixty-six books, as originally written, comprising the Old and New Testaments, were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God and therefore entirely free from error; that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and the true basis of Christian union.
We believe in One God, Creator of all, holy, sovereign, eternal, existing in three equal Persons – The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit
We believe in the absolute and essential deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His eternal existence with the Father in pre-incarnate glory, in His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension, mediatorial ministry, and personal return.
We believe in the absolute and essential deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, who convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; Who regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, seals, teaches, guides and comforts those who believe in Jesus Christ.
We believe that Satan exists as an evil personality, the originator of sin, and the archenemy of God and man. He is the head of a host of demons who are his forces of evil, who influence worldwide.
We believe that man was divinely created in the image of God; that man sinned, becoming guilty before God, resulting in total depravity, thereby incurring physical and spiritual death.
We believe that salvation is by the sovereign, electing grace of God; that by the appointment of the Father, Christ, voluntarily suffered death vicariously (on behalf of, or in our our place) expiatory (to atone for, pay price for), propitiatorily (to appease God and render us favourable to Him); that justification is by faith alone in the all-sufficient sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that those whom God has effectually called shall be divinely preserved and finally perfected in the image (likeness) of the Lord.
We believe that humans who are born again are those who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ and are made alive, renewed, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. We enjoy liberties and privileges as children of God, as well as discipline from His hand, as evidence of His love. We are sealed to the day of redemption, growing in grace, moving towards a mature holiness, walking in trust and obedience and embracing the promises of God.
We believe in the personal bodily and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ; in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; in the eternal blessedness of the redeemed, and in the judgment and eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.
We believe that Parkdale is a company of immersed believers, called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus, voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word, the mutual edification of its members, the propagation of the faith, and the observance of the ordinances. We believe it is an autonomous, independent body, exercising its own divinely awarded gifts, precepts, and privileges under the Lordship of Christ, The Great Head of the Church. We believe that its officers are pastors/elders and deacons.
We believe there are only two ordinances for the Church regularly observed in the New Testament in the following order:
Baptism – which is the immersion of the believer in water, whereby he obeys Christ’s command and sets forth his identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
The Lord’s Supper – which is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and wine, which symbolizes the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.
We believe in the entire separation of church and state, and that all religious groups have the right to practice and propagate their beliefs in their own sphere
We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day; and that, in a special sense, it is the divinely appointed day for worship and spiritual exercise.
We believe that Civil Government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except only in the things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and Prince of the Kings of the earth.
Parkdale Baptist Church affirms marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman. Like God’s complementary creation of man and woman, marriage holds great significance in revealing aspects of God’s character and His relationship to humanity.
The permanence and monogamy of the marital bond mirrors God’s faithfulness and singular devotion to his church and his church’s singular devotion to him.
Marriage symbolizes and supports the inherently procreative relationship that exists only between a man and a woman. It is also the relationship that forms the foundation of family and community life.
The family is to provide physical, emotional and spiritual care for its members as it enables them to serve God, other persons and creation. Parents (natural, Adoptive or Foster) have the privilege and unique responsibility of leading their children to know God and his ways as well as the world around them. We further affirm the belief that all people are created in the image of God and have inherent worth and value.
As Christians we celebrate God’s intention in creation, that sexual intimacy be reserved for the exclusive, life-long commitment of marriage, between one man and one woman. Recognizing humanity’s brokenness, we affirm the need for all people to engage in the journey towards wholeness in Christ including those dealing with sexual and gender identity questions.
We uphold the biblical principle to love our neighbor and affirm that same-gender attracted people should be treated with the respect that is consistent with communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ. God has called the church to relate graciously to all people, including same-gender attracted people.
The church is to provide a safe, supportive environment in which one can experience God’s healing love, as we guide all people to a restorative relationship with God through Jesus Christ.