We believe in the local autonomy of the church. Each church has the right to manage its affairs with no central authority except that of Christ Himself. Freedom does not rule out cooperation. We are a cooperating church with the Southern Baptist Convention. This means that we cooperate with other Baptist Churches in pooling and sharing money for the support of missionaries and ministries at home and around the world. We also cooperate with the Georgia Baptist Convention, this is called a Cooperative Program. Acts 15

Each person is able to come to God for himself or herself. There is no need for a third party to tell a person how to pray, how to interpret Scriptures, or how to vote in church. All believers are ministers and servants of God. Therefore the church does not have a distinctive class of priests. All members are made “priests unto God” by the death of Christ. The church is a holy priesthood chosen by God to offer up spiritual sacrifices. There is only one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:5-6 | Ephesians 4:11-12 | 1 Timothy 2:5 | Romans 12:1 | 1 Peter 2:5

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the church. It was instituted when the Lord had the Passover meal before His crucifixion. We observe the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis in remembrance of Jesus Christ’s atonement for our sins. It is a proclamation of His death and an assurance of His second coming. We ask only those who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ to participate in the Lord’s Supper. The elements of bread and grape juice are used as symbols of Christ’s body that was broken and His blood that was shed for the remission of our sins. 1 Corinthians 1:21-32 | 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 | Matthew 26:29

Baptism is a picture and an illustration—a symbolic act. Baptism by immersion best illustrates the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf and our subsequent faith in Him. It is not necessary for salvation but is strongly associated with salvation, as it best illustrates our new identity with Jesus Christ. We believe in believer’s baptism. A person must first exercise faith in Jesus Christ, believing that He died for their sins, was buried and rose from the dead. An infant or person who does not understand God’s plan of salvation cannot make that kind of commitment. The Scriptural order is belief first followed by baptism. Baptism is limited to those who have personally believed in Jesus Christ as Savior. Mark 1:9-11 | Matthew 28:18-20 | Mark 16:15-16 Acts 8:12 | Matthew 3:13-17 | Colossians 2:12