Vision and Beliefs

We believe God is calling us to be a catalyst for spiritual revival amongst God's people and for the spiritual awakening in the Columbia Metropolitan area and beyond.

Oakwood Baptist Church (OBC) exists for the purpose of:

  1. We believe the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God, without any error, the all-sufficient authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and Christian living (II Timothy 3:16).We further agree with The Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy and the Chicago Statement of Biblical Hermeneutics (Addendum A&B).
  2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14
  3. We believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23), and that He is true God and man (John 1:1,14; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13). He died on the cross for our sins (I Peter 3:18; I John 2:1-2). He rose bodily from the dead (John 2:18-22; I Corinthians 15:3-5; I Peter 1:3), ascended into heaven (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11) where He sits at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:32-33; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 1:1-3) and is now our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17, 3:1, 6:20) and Advocate (I timothy 2:5I John 2:1).
  4. We believe that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) but fell into sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:12) and is, therefore, lost (Romans 6:23). Only through regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3; Titus 3:5) can man’s salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
  5. We believe that eternal salvation is the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8), entirely apart from man’s works Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5a), and is possessed by any and all who have faith in and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (John 3:16, 36; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-11).
  6. We believe in a regenerated church membership (Romans 10:9-10; II Corinthians 13:5; I John 2:19): that is, persons old enough to understand their need for Jesus Christ and, of their own free will, accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior.
  7. We believe that baptism is by immersion (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Acts 8:36-37) and the Lord’s Supper is a memorial (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20;I Corinthians 11:23-26) to His suffering and death on the cross. These are ordinances to be observed by the church in its present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means for man’s salvation.
  8. We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:10-11;Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7) and that His second coming inspires believers for dynamic and zealous life and service for Him while waiting for His return (I Thessalonians 5:23; I Peter 1:13; James 5:7).
  9. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, the everlasting blessedness of the saved in heaven, and the everlasting punishment and separation from God of the unsaved in hell (Daniel 12:2; John 3:36; Acts 24:15;
  10. We believe in the autonomy of the local church. The church shall manage its own affairs and shall not be subject to any other religious body or organization (Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 2:10).
  11. We subscribe to the Oakwood Baptist Church & 2000 Baptist Faith and Message as a larger Statement of Faith with scriptural references.

Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life 

  1. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death.
  2.  We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.) 

Statement on Sexuality

  1. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female
  2. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27).
  3. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

Statement on Marriage

  1. We believe the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25).
  2.  We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church (Eph. 5:21-33).
  3. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4).
  4. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
  5. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, cohabitation, homosexual behavior, rejection of one’s biological sex or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
  6. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11).
  7. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).
  8. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Oakwood Baptist Church.

 To learn more about the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and OBC beliefs, click below.

Baptist Faith and Message