Statement of Beliefs
I. God & The Bible
We, the members of Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama, believe in the one true and living God, creator of all things, almighty, and sovereign in the universe. We believe that He is a three-person God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that He has revealed Himself generally through His Creation and Moral Law and specifically through His own voice, the incarnation of His Son, and His written word, the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative word of God.
(Deut. 6:4; Psalm 8; Psalm 19; 19:1; 93:4-5; Isa 40:8; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14; Rom 1:20; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21)
II. Creation & Sin
We believe that all things God created were good, but that mankind freely sinned against God and in that sin fell from God’s perfection. We believe that sinful man stands opposed to God and in that sin faces the eternal, just wrath of the Almighty God. We believe that God is a gracious God and that He has extended His grace to sinful man through His Son Jesus Christ.
(Gen. 1:31; 3:6-7; 6:5-8; Jer. 10:10; Micah 5:15; Rom. 3:10-18; 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9)
III. Jesus Christ
We believe that Christ the Son, though being fully God, became fully man, being born of a virgin. We believe that Jesus Christ lived on earth and, though He was tempted in every way, did not sin and lived in perfect accordance to the will of the Father. We believe that Jesus was betrayed and was crucified on a Roman cross. We believe that in this crucifixion, Christ the Son took on the full weight of the Father’s wrath against the sinfulness of man and became the atoning sacrifice for all who believe in Him. We believe that Christ died and was buried, but after three days He was raised from the dead to live and to reign over heaven and earth.
(Isa. 7:14; 53:9; Matt. 16:21; 26:21-23; Luke 1:26-35; 22:47-48; John 1:14; 14:1-9; 19:15-17; Rom. 3:23-26; 1 Cor 15:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Gal. 3:13-14; Phil. 2:5-11; 2:8-11; Heb. 1:1-4; 4:15-16; 1 Pet. 2:22)
IV. The Church & The Holy Spirit
We believe that after His resurrection, Jesus met with His disciples, commissioned His church, and ascended into heaven, from where He reigns and is building His Kingdom. We believe that the church is the presence of the Kingdom of Christ on earth. We believe that followers of Jesus are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God who is the third person of the Trinity and who strengthens believers to grow in holiness and in obedience to the commands of Christ.
(Ezek. 36:27; Matt. 16:18; 28:16-20; John 16:13; 20-21; Acts 1:3; Rom 8:11; 8:34; Eph 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; Heb. 10:12-13)
V. Forgiveness & Faith
We believe that God’s gift of grace and forgiveness of sin is available to all who have faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. We believe we are justified (that is, accounted righteous before God) through faith alone in Jesus and not by our works. We believe that this offer of grace is exclusive only to those who confess and believe in the Lordship and saving work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we believe in the Great Commission and that we are charged by Christ to make disciples.
(Prov. 28:13; Isa 1:18; Matt. 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-16; Acts 1:6-8; 13:38-39; Rom 3:20, 28; Gal 2:15-16; 3:10-11; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 2 Tim 2:1-2; Titus 3:4-8; 1 John 1:9)
VI. Baptism & The Lord’s Supper
We believe that followers of Christ join together in localized bodies or local churches in order to live out the life of a disciple. We believe in baptism by immersion in water as a proclamation of faith and an experience of fellowship with Christ in his death and resurrection. We believe in the observation of the Lord’s Supper as a proclamation of Christ’s work and Kingdom until He returns.
(Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:4; Luke 22:14-20; Rom 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Rev. 19:9)
VII. The Return of Christ
We believe that Christ will return to establish fully His authority over all things. We believe that Christ will judge all of humanity and condemn all evil and that He will call those who have believed in Him to life in His everlasting Kingdom.
(Psalm 2:7-12, Matt. 24:29-31; 1 Cor. 15:27-28 1 John 2:28-3:3)
VIII. Humanity, Marriage, Sexuality, and the Family
We believe that God created humanity, male and female, in his own image. We believe that gender is rooted in biological sex and designed for human flourishing. We believe that all people—regardless of culture, ethnicity, developmental stage, mental capacity, or any other factor—have tremendous value, are equal before God in dignity and worth, and should be treated with love and respect. To fail to treat people accordingly is sinful.
We believe marriage, as an image of the gospel, is an exclusive, lifelong covenant union between one man and one woman, and that marriage is the only context in which God’s gift of sexual intimacy should be enjoyed.
We believe all forms of sexual immorality are sinful because they depart from God’s perfect design for human sexual experience. This includes any extramarital heterosexual activity and any homosexual activity. God offers forgiveness and restoration for sin through His Son Jesus Christ, and Christians should always act in the spirit of compassion and kindness toward all people, without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.
We believe that children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and inheritance from the Lord; that parents are to patiently lead their children in the ways of Christ by intentional instruction, gracious discipline, and consistent example based on biblical truth.
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15-25; Deut. 6:4-9; Psalm 78:2-8; Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 139:13-14; Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 1:18-32; Eph. 5:22-33; 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14-15; James 3:9; Rev. 19:6-9; 21:1-8)
Church membership Covenant
Having been led by the Spirit of God to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and having entered into the fellowship of His church, we prayerfully and joyfully make this covenant with one another and with Him.
We covenant together to Make Jesus Known and Make Disciples, affirming our Statement of Beliefs.
We commit to worship God corporately, and to pursue God devotionally both in private and with our families. We will not forsake this worship, but commit to pursue God regularly, sacrificially, generously, and with humility. We further commit to urge one another to be faithful in participating in the various components of worship; declarations of praise, sincere prayer, cheerful giving, and right living before the sovereign God of the universe.
We commit to connect with one another in sincere community, therefore we commit to join together in groups focused on biblical truth, intentional community, and disciple making. We commit to pray for one another, care for one another, and meet the needs of one another, always pursuing reconciliation and Church unity. Together, we commit to study God’s word, teach one another God’s truth, and urge one another to live out this truth. We further commit to connect with unbelievers for the sake of the advancement of the gospel.
We commit to use the gifts that God has given us to advance His Kingdom. Therefore, we commit to find a place to serve, whereby we can take part in building the Kingdom of Christ cheerfully, readily, and sacrificially in the Church, in our community, and even to the ends of the earth.
We submit to biblical authority, and to the authority of the congregation, and to the instruction, care, and discipline of the elders.
Finally, should we ever leave this church we commit to resign from this body and as soon as possible join another gospel centered, biblically driven church.
We make all of these commitments by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with his help, and for his glory.