About Us
Thanks for visiting Forest Bible Chapel online. We would like to take this opportunity to you to invite you to any of our services. Our desire at Forest Bible Chapel is to be a light in the community through the proclamation of the gospel and the teaching Of God’s Word. Our ultimate aim is that in all things we glorify Him.
Statement of Practices & Beliefs
This autonomous assembly of Christians, under the leadership of elders, gathered unto the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, is subject only to Him. ( Mat. 18:20 )
The elders, or under shepherds, are directly responsible to the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the teaching, counseling, discipline and correction in spiritual matters pertaining to those who have come into fellowship in the assembly.( 1Pet. 5 2-4; Heb. 13:17 )
We seek to follow the pattern of the early church in fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer and the study of scriptures. ( Acts 2:42 Acts 20:7 )
We preach the gospel of the grace of God; that salvation is through faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work on the cross. ( 1 Cor. 15:3,4 Rom. 1:16 Acts 4:12 Eph 2:8,9 )
We observe the ordinance of believer’s baptism, by immersion, on personal confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. ( Mat. 28:19 Rom. 6: 3,4 )
We partake of the Lord’s Supper (communion ) on the first day of each week. Visitors, who are born again believers, who hold to the basic truths of Scripture and are seeking to live a Godly life, are welcome to partake of the Lord’s supper with us. ( Acts 20:7 1Cor. 11: 23-28)
In our gatherings, we recognize the priesthood of all believers and the diversity of spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. ( 1 Pet. 2:5 ,9 1 Cor. 12:4 1 Pet. 4:10 )
We support the Lord’s work at Forest Bible Chapel as well as home and foreign missions, through the freewill offerings of believers. ( 1 Cor. 16:1,2 Phil. 4:15-18 )
We believe it to be scriptural for Christian women to appear in church services with a head covering. ( 1 Cor. 11: 1-16)
We believe that Christian women should not exercise authority or leadership in a local church in administration or in preaching, praying, or teaching in a mixed audience.
( 1 Cor. 14:34, 35 1Tim. 2:11,12 )
Statement of Faith
About the Bible
The Bible, consisting of both Old and New Testaments, is the revealed word of God. It was given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and written by men, as they were guided by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). It is free of error in the original writings and is our sole authority on all matters of doctrine and conduct.
About God
There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who eternally exists in three persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). The three persons of the Godhead are distinct personalities; yet are co-equal one with the other (Ephesians 4:4-6, Hebrews 9:14). God is spirit – invisible, personal, self-existent, eternal, and unchanging.
About God the Father
God the Father is holy and cannot overlook or be associated with evil in any way. God is love (1 John 4:8) and has shown His love and mercy to all people in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus, to earth to pay the penalty of sin (1 John 4:10). God the Father was fully satisfied with the life and death of His Son and to demonstrate this He raised Him from the dead. The price for sin has been paid, people can enter God’s holy presence on the basis of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. God is not limited or localized by time and space; however His throne or place of administration is in heaven (1 Kings 8:27; Acts 7:48-49).
About God the Son
God the Son entered human history as a man – Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 3:16). He was born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:34-35) having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). While here upon earth He was, in one personality, both truly God and truly man (John 10:30). He lived a perfect and sinless life and then died on the cross having offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins (1 Peter 2:24). He rose bodily from the dead (Luke 24:39), ascended to His Father’s right hand in heaven (Ephesians 1:20) and appears there as our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16, 9:24).
About God the Holy Spirit
God the Holy Spirit is the Comforter sent by the Lord Jesus to abide with His people (John 14:16-18). He permanently indwells those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9; 2 Timothy 1:14), thus putting God’s seal of ownership upon them and guaranteeing their security until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30).
The function of the Holy Spirit is to instruct believers in things about the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:26; 15:26-27), to transform them into the likeness of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:22-26) and to equip and empower them for service (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
About Humankind
Humans are a special creation of God, made in His image (Gen 1:27), distinct from the animal world and given dominion by God over the rest of His creation (Gen 1:26). All human life is sacred, from conception (Ps 139:13-16) until death.
Adam was created by God in a state of innocence in which he enjoyed a personal relationship with God. By a deliberate act, he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Romans 5:12). All his descendants are born into the world as sinners and are sinners in thought, word and deed. Furthermore, the sinner in his/her natural state does not understand the things of God, nor does he/she seek God. (1 Cor. 2:14, Romans 3:11)
About Salvation
Salvation is the gift of God to mankind offered by His grace on the basis of the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus. The process of salvation is a supernatural work of God which involves His choosing us before the foundation of the world, His graciously regenerating and redeeming us, His continuing to sanctify us through His Word and ultimately His transforming us into the likeness of Christ (Eph 1:4-6, Phil 1:6, Romans 8:29-30) Salvation is received by repentance and faith, altogether apart from works. However, the believer is called by God to live a life that is pleasing to Him and is enabled to do so through the power of the Holy Spirit. Saving faith thus results in good works in the life of the believer which are evidence of the genuineness of his/her faith and a basis of assurance (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:17, 1 Peter 1:15, 1 John 2:5, 3:10, 18-10. 24, 5:12).