Our name is Moyock Baptist Church.
The “Baptist” in our name does not refer to membership or affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention or any other denominational entity.
Instead, that word, “Baptist”, refers to a way of thinking about being a Christian, and implies several important biblical principles.
Soul Competency
We believe that every individual is spiritually “competent”, meaning that every person is capable of hearing the gospel and responding appropriately for himself or herself.
Everyone can approach God directly; no one requires any mediator other than Jesus Himself.
The Primacy of Scripture
We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, and that it is sufficient for all that we need in order to begin and maintain our relationship with Him.
Because every individual is competent before God, every individual is able to read and understand the Bible for himself or herself.
Not to diminish the value of learned teachers, nor the importance of reading Scripture in community, in the end, each person, individually, is responsible for reading the Bible, understanding its meaning, and obeying its commands.
The Nature of Salvation
We believe that salvation takes place when an individual, aware of his/her own sin, consciously repents of that sin, and asks God for the mercy and forgiveness offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Because each person is individually responsible for this decision, we do not baptize children as infants, nor solely because the parents desire it. While parents are incredibly influential, the choice to follow Jesus belongs to the individual, who must possess sufficient intellectual and moral maturity to make such a choice for themselves.
A Church of Believers, Voluntarily Assembling Together
We believe that a church properly consists of those believers who have voluntarily entered into covenant with one another to live out the requirements of our faith together.
Such a church is free to organize as it so desires, and is autonomous and self-governing in all aspects of its life. However, we assert that a democratic form of government, where all matters of church life are subject to the will of the entire membership, is most in keeping with Baptist principles.
Religious Liberty
Believing that every person is free and competent before God, it follows that it is not within the purview of secular government to dictate in matters of religious faith or conviction, either to forbid or to require particular beliefs or practices.
We thus believe it is incumbent upon Christians to advance the gospel by means of persuasion only, and not to rely on the coercive power of the state.