1.2 The Scripture.

We affirm that the Bible containing the Old and New Testaments is alone the only infallible inspired Word of God and that its authority is ultimate and final and eternal. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any regard. The Bible is the source of all doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof. It contains all that is needed for guidance in godliness and practical Christian conduct.

1.3 The Atonement.

Christ's vicarious death on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, but its benefits are only applicable to those who receive Jesus as their personal Savior. Healing of the body, soul, and spirit, is provided for in the atonement, as well as, all of God's provision for His saints, but these must be appropriated.

1.4 Salvation.

The Word of God declares clearly that salvation is a free gift of God, based on the merits of the death of His Son, and is appropriated by faith. Salvation is affected by personal repentance, belief on the Lord Jesus (justification), and personal acceptance of Him into one's life as Lord and Savior (regeneration). The new life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the Kingdom of God's beloved Son. Salvation is an act of free will in response to God's personal love for mankind. It is predestined only in the sense that God, through His omniscience, foreknew those who would choose Him. It is secure in the eternal unchanging commitment of God, who does not lie and is forever the same. Salvation should produce an active lifestyle of loving obedience and service to Jesus Christ our Savior.

1.5 The Christian Life.

We believe that the Scriptures portray the life of the saint in this world to be one of balance between what is imputed to us as Christians and what is imparted to us according to our faith and maturity. Hence God's provision for His children is total and the promises are final and are forever. The shortcomings of the individual and of the Church are because of the still-progressing sanctification of the saints. The Christian life is filled with trials, tests, and warfare against a spiritual enemy. For those abiding in Christ until their death or His return, the promises of eternal blessing in the presence of God are assured. To remain faithful through all circumstances of life, it requires dependence upon the Holy Spirit and a willingness to die to personal desires and passions.

1.6 The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

We believe that the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" is an additional impartation that may be subsequent to regeneration (see Acts 8:15-17 and 19:1-6). This baptism is usually accompanied by the gifts of the Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, etc.
We believe that this gift is presently available to all who believe (Acts 2:38-39) but is not essential for salvation or regeneration.

The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to impart spiritual power to the believer to be a witness (Acts 1:8, 5:32). This baptism is to be distinguished from being filled with the Spirit (Acts 4:31, 7:55, 13:9, 52, Eph. 5:18), which can be a special and repeated empowering for specific purposes.

We believe that when Christians truly have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, they should begin to take on His nature and fruit, becoming "helpers" and "comforters", leading others into truth, and testifying of Jesus.

1.7  The Church.

1. The goal of the Church is to make disciples of all nations and to present the saints complete in Christ.

2. The Church is governed by the fivefold ministry of Ephesians 4 and the office of the Elder.

3. It is essential to the life of the Church that scriptural patterns of discipline be practiced and that oversight for Church discipline, individual and corporate, be exercised by the leadership of the Church.

1.8  Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

The Word of God directs the Church on two perpetual ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first, baptism, is the outward sign of what God has already done in the individual's life and is a testimony to all that the person belongs now to Jesus. Baptism allows believers to identify with Jesus and is performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord's Supper is a commemoration of the death of the Lord and is done in remembrance of Him until He comes again and is a sign of our participation in Him. Both institutions are restricted to those who are believers.

1.9 Eschatology.

We affirm the bodily, personal, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the Saints, the Millennium, and the final judgment. The final judgment will determine the eternal status of both the saints and the unbelievers, determined by their relationship to Jesus Christ. We affirm with the Bible the final state of the New Heavens and New Earth.

2.0 Statement of Marriage.

The Garden Greenville Church herby creates this policy, which shall be known as the “Marriage Policy:”

God created human beings in His image, male and female He created them. As such, God instituted and ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman, regardless of the view of society, and the families created from such unions are the foundation of a civil society. (Gen. 1:26 - 28; Gen. 2:24)

Scripture attests to three fundamental truths regarding marriage and sexuality. First, Christian marriage is defined by scripture as the union of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. This shall be known as the “Biblical Definition of Marriage”. Second, sexual intimacy is properly exercised only within the boundaries of Christian marriage. Third, as a creation of God, the body and its corresponding sexual identity are biologically determined. Consequently, the Church regards any form of marriage or sexual intimacy outside the confines of these fundamental truths, or the alteration of one’s gender or sexual identity, as sinful.

While scripture does teach that sexual immorality causes one to sin against their own body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20), the Church does not wish to elevate the importance of any particular sexual sin over another. All sexual immorality is a sin. In addition, the Church differentiates between a temptation to sin, which itself is not sinful, and an unrepentant act of sin. All sin is against the design and will of God as Creator and separates us from God without the redemption that God provides through His son Jesus Christ. No sin is beyond the redemptive and restorative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ for those who acknowledge and repent of their sin. In all circumstances, the Church is eager to treat all individuals with respect, compassion, love, and dignity, regardless of an individual’s lifestyle in the fervent hope and prayer that each individual will repent from their sin of any nature, including sins of sexual immorality, and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and be restored to a relationship with God.

Under this Church’s Marriage Policy, the aforementioned Biblical Definition of Marriage is the only definition of marriage that will be recognized or accepted. No officer, employee, servant, agent or any person, corporation, organization or entity under the direction or control of this Church shall commit any act or omission, or make any decision whatever, that would be inconsistent with, or that could be perceived by any person to be inconsistent with, full support of this Church’s Marriage Policy and strict adherence to the Biblical Definition of Marriage rather than any alternative to the Biblical Definition of Marriage.

This Church’s Marriage Policy specifically prohibits acts or omission including but not limited to permitting any Church assets or property, whether real property, personal property, intangible property, or any property or asset of any kind that is subject to the direction or control of the Church, to be used in any manner that would be or could be perceived by any person to be inconsistent with this Church’s Marriage Policy or the Biblical Definition of Marriage, including but not limited to permitting any church facilities to be used by any person, organization, corporation, or group that would or might use such facilities to convey, intentionally or by implication, what might be perceived as a favorable impression about any definition of marriage other than the Biblical Definition of Marriage.

We believe this Church’s Marriage Policy is based upon God’s will for human life as conveyed to us through the Holy Scriptures, upon which this Church has been founded and anchored, and this Marriage Policy shall not be subject to change through popular vote; referendum; prevailing opinion of members of the general public; influence of or interpretation by any government authority, agency or official action; or legal development on the local, state or federal level.

2.1 Statement on Gender and Sexuality:

The Garden Greenville Church’s statement regarding gender and sexuality is as follows:

God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)

This means that male and female are two distinct genders willed by God their Creator in their respective beings, which reflect the image and nature of God. ‘Being male’ or ‘being female’ is a reality that is good and willed by God. Therefore, to reject one’s biological gender is to reject the work of the Creator and imply that God made a mistake. God does not make mistakes. (Job 42:1-3; Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 1:24-27)

As God’s image bearers, men and women have inalienable rights and ensuing responsibilities. Men and women should be treated with dignity and respect. They should also lead lives worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, including by living chastely and in pursuit of purity. (Ephesians 5:3-4)

2.2 Statement of Life:

The Garden Greenville bases its understanding of the nature of human beings on the Bible, which reveals that God created the universe, the world, and all living things (Genesis 1:1,11,21,25). Humans are the highest form of God’s creative activity, and He is intentional in both their creation and destiny. By making human beings in His own image, God set them above all other forms of life on earth. The term “image of God” signifies that, like their Creator, men and women are personal and spiritual beings, rational and relational (Genesis 1: 26).

Creation in the divine image is not only an expression of the incalculable value God places upon human life, but it also signifies that God has sovereign power over life. He is both giver and sustainer of life; He alone has the power to determine its beginning and end. Every human life, from conception through death, is therefore to be valued, respected, nurtured, and protected. Therefore, the Garden

Greenville adheres to the following statement concerning the sanctity of life and our biblical stance concerning abortion:

Abortion. The Garden Greenville views the practice of abortion in all forms as a sinful act of murder against humanity. Abortion is a morally unacceptable alternative for birth control, population control, sex selection, and elimination of the physically and mentally handicapped. In addition, the Garden Greenville believes that life begins at conception and that Scripture reveals that God has a plan for every human life before they are even created within the womb as well as during the early prenatal stages. There are several biblical references that support our position:

• Jeremiah 1:5: The Bible recognizes that God has plans for the unborn child. Only He knows the potential of this new life. When God called Jeremiah to his prophetic ministry, He indicated the ordination was prenatal when He said: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

• Psalm 139: 1-24: David says, “For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13–16).

• Isaiah 44:2-24: The Bible recognizes that God is active in the creative process of forming new life. God spoke through Isaiah: “This is what the Lord says—he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant” (Isaiah 44:2). And again, “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things.” (v. 24).

• Luke 1: 31-36: The Bible recognizes that a woman is with child even in the first stages of pregnancy. When the virgin Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus, an angel made this announcement to her: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son” (Luke 1:31, NASB). The angel then informed Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age” (Luke 1:36).

Scripture makes it clear that in the prenatal phase both Jesus and John the Baptist were recognized as males well before the time of delivery. Moreover, John before birth is recognized as a “baby” (Luke 1:41,44). This translates to a Greek word used for children both before and after birth (Acts 7:19). The Bible always recognizes the prenatal phase of life as that of a child and not a mere appendage to the mother’s body to be aborted at will.

2. 3 Application of The Statement of Faith

In conformity with the foregoing Statement of Faith and more importantly because of the principles set forth in the scriptures cited, to ensure that the Church operates in a manner consistent with these and the three fundamental truths regarding marriage and sexuality, all persons employed by the Church in any capacity must agree with and abide by these Statements, and continue to agree with and abide by this Statement, in order to maintain such employment.

Furthermore, all ministers, staff, and individuals licensed or ordained by the Church must agree with and abide by this Statement of Faith and continue to agree with and abide by this Statement to maintain such status. Such ministers, staff, and individuals licensed or ordained by the Church must not use their title, position, license, or ordination in a way that contradicts this Statement, including but not limited to officiating over or solemnizing weddings or ceremonies other than those consistent with this Statement.

In implementing the fundamental truths of this section, the Church may prohibit the following: (a) the sale or lease of Church assets or property to be used in a manner that would be, or could be in the sole discretion of the Church, inconsistent with this Statement; and, (b) the use of Church facilities or resources, including staff time, by any person, organization, corporation, or group that might convey, intentionally or unintentionally, what might be perceived as a favorable impression about marriage, sexual intimacy, or gender identity inconsistent with this Statement.

This Statement is based upon the Holy Scriptures, upon which the Church is founded, and by which it is governed, and shall not be changed by popular vote, referendum, prevailing opinion of the members or the general public, influence or interpretation by any governmental agency, authority, official action, or legal developments at the local, state, or federal level.