These are the views of Westgate Memorial Baptist Church regarding God & the Bible.
About God
God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal, co-existent, co-eternal, and are one God. (Genisis 1:26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2)
About Jesus Christ
Jesus is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead in three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven's glory and will return to Earth again one day to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-5, 14:10-31; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4; Hebrews 4:14-15)
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides Christians with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift(s) when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. (John 14:16-17; 16:13; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galations 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)
About the Bible
The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is inerrant, truth without any mixture of error. (Psalm 12:6, 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5; 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
About Salvation
Salvation is God's free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer for forgiveness can anyone be savedfrom sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus by faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (John 1:12, 14:6; Romans 5:1, 6:23; Galations 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
About the Ordinances
We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the church. Baptism is immersion in water of the believer as a public display of his or her identification with Christ's death, burial, and ressurection. The Lord's Supper is a memorial in which the believer partakes in two elements: bread and the fruit of the vine. These are symbols of Christ's body and blood, and are taken in testimony of the believer's faith in Christ, in remembrance of His death; and it is to be observed until He comes again.
Autonomy of the Local Church
Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperation with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. (Colossians 1:18)
Priesthood of the Believer
The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to full-time Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading. (1 Peter 2:9)
About Stewardship
We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the Biblical standard of giving. Tithing means we do not have to depend on non-Christians to underwrite the Kingdom of God's work through His church. Offerings are amounts given above the tithe. God also expects us to be good stewards of our time, talents, and other resources. (Leviticus 27:30; Matthew 23:23)
Telling others about Christ
It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the good news with those God brings into contact with us. We practice personal sharing about Christ. We also encourage people to invite their friends to church. (1 Peter 3:15)
The Family
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. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalms 51:5;139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 6:20-22; 14:1; 18:22; 23:13-14; 31:10-31; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.)