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SHBC officially chooses to align itself with the basic statement of faith in the Baptist Faith and Message, 1963.


Here are some summaries of the basic beliefs of the BFM, 1963.

On the need for relationship with Jesus Christ when developing doctrinal belief:
“Baptists are a people who profess a living faith. This faith is rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ who is ‘the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.’ Therefore, the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is Jesus Christ whose will is revealed in the Holy Scriptures.”

On the priority of Scripture in developing faith and practice:
“That the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Confessions are only guides in interpretation, having no authority over the conscience.”

On the divine nature of the Holy Bible:
“The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God’s revelation of Himself to man.”

On a Personal Monotheism:
“There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe.”

On a Trinitarian Monotheism:
“The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.”

On humanity:
“Humanity was created by the special act of God, in His own image, . . . and fell from his original innocence, . . . inclined toward sin, . . . under condemnation. . . [and yet still] possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.”

On salvation:
“Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer.”

On the Church:
“A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized (immersion) believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ (Lord’s Supper and Baptism), committed to His teachings, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

On missions:
“It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations.”

On giving:
“God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. . . . . [We] are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; . . .”

On our role in local and state and national conventions:
“Christ's people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the great objects of the Kingdom of God. Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches.”

On family (added to BFM 1963 in 1998):
“God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.”