The Church
Universal
The Universal Church which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the redeemed of the dispensation of grace, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Risen Head; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
The Local Assembly
The present, local representation of the Universal Church is the Local Assembly, consisting of born-again believers in a given location, at any given time, meeting together under the governance of the local Oversight.
Fellowship of Christians
All Christians that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by His Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory. Being united to one another in love, they have communion and fellowship in each other’s gifts and graces. All are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as lead to their mutual good, both in the spiritual and temporal spheres.
Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, a sign of the covenant of grace, of the believers union with Christ, of regeneration, of the past remission of sins, and of his giving up to God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which ordinance is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the age.
The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command nor example in the Holy Scriptures for their baptism.
Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the person in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ’s institution, and the practice of the apostles, and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some part of the body, after the tradition of men.
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; to be observed in his church to the end of the age, wherein, the partaking of symbolic bread and wine, according to his appointment, his death is declared both collectively and individually, not after a corporeal and carnal manner, but by faith, mystically made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace.
Autonomy of Local Assembly Governance
The Assembly is governed by the local Oversight which is responsible under God, to God, for all matters pertaining to the operations of the assembly in matter both Spiritual and Temporal. They may seek advice on given matters from outside the assembly, but are not bound to, subservient, responsible or accountable to any other external ecclesiastical system, body, synod, concave or other controlling authority.
The Oversight
This is a subgroup of assembly members who collectively under God, are elected of God alone, fitted and empowered by the Holy Spirit to run the affairs of the local assembly. These affairs include spiritual and temporal governance, pasturing, teaching, guiding, disciplining, etc
