Mission, Values, & Beliefs
Mission, Values, & Beliefs


Edgewood's Mission is to equip people to reach their full potential in Christ. This aligns with the great commission of Christ to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20a)

Read the E-Book "Edgewood on Mission" by Pastor Brian Bill


Edgewood remains "on mission" by using these four words to keep us focused: Gather, Grow, Give, and Go

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Statement of Faith


(A) OF THE SCRIPTURES. We believe that the Holy Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction. That it has God for its Author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. That it reveals the principles of God and is the final authority for all Christian faith and life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, Isaiah 8:20, Psalm 19:7,John 17:17, Romans 15:4 1, Thessalonians 2:13; 5:21

(B) OF THE TRUE GOD. We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth. That He is loving, faithful, holy, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. That in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

John 4:24, Psalm 83:18, Exodus 15:11, Mark 12:30, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, Ephesians 2:18

(C) OF THE FALL OF MAN. We believe that man was created by God in His own image but by voluntary transgression (disobedience) fell from that holy and innocent state. That the consequence of this disobedience means all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice, being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God. That although possessing tremendous potential for good, people are inclined to do wrong, and are marred by an attitude that separates them from God and causes many problems in life. Therefore, all mankind is under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defense or excuse.

Genesis 1:27; 1:31; 3:6-24, Isaiah 53:6, Ezekiel 18:19-20, Romans 1:20; 5:19

(D) OF THE WAY OF SALVATION. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the sacrifice and mediation of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature. That being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, yet without sin, He honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sins. That, having, risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies and divine perfection; thus, in every way Christ is qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. That salvation is God's free gift to men, but that it must be accepted by trusting in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:8, John 3:16, Philippians 2:16-17, Hebrews 7:25; 2:18, Colossians 2:9, Isaiah 53:4-5

(E) OF JUSTIFICATION. We believe that the great gospel blessing, which Christ secures for all who believe in Him, is justification. That justification includes the pardon of sin, the promise of eternal life, and the declaration of our righteousness in Christ. That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness or self-improvement which we have done, but solely through faith in Jesus Christ. That by virtue of our faith, His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God. That justification brings us into a state of blessed peace and favor with God through God's grace and forgiveness.

John 1:16, Acts 13:39, Romans 5:9; 4:4-5; 5:1-2

(F) OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION. We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That it is the immediate responsibility of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith. That nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which leads to ultimate and eternal condemnation.

Isaiah 55:1, Romans 16:25-26, John 5:40; 3:19

(G) OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH. We believe that repentance and faith are inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the Holy Spirit of God. That being deeply convinced of our need, when we turn to God with contrition, confession, and prayer for mercy, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. That when we rely on Him alone as the only and all- sufficient Redeemer, we experience a change of mind by turning from our self-ruled life to the life leadership of Christ.

Mark 1:15, Acts 11:18; 2:37-38, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9-10

(H) OF SANCTIFICATION. We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness, pure in heart and totally dedicated to God. That it is a progressive work, beginning when a person is saved and continuing in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. That the process of sanctification involves renouncing the desire to live for self, and replacing it with the desire to live totally for God. That it continues throughout life through the appointed means of the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, prayer, and living under the conscious control of the Spirit of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 John 2:29, Romans 8:5, Philippians 2:12-13

(I) OF ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to sin.

John 6:37-40; 10:27-30, 1 Peter 1:4-5, Galatians 5:13, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Romans 8:1, 38-39; 13:13-14, Titus 2:11-15

(J) OF A GOSPEL CHURCH. We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. That its only Scriptural officers are bishops or pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. We also believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control.

Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3, 1 Corinthians 5:4-7, 13, Acts 2:41-42; 14:27, Romans 16:1, 4 Matthew 18:17; 28:20, 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16, Acts 20:17, 28-32; 13:1-4, 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:1-13; 11:2, Acts 15:19-31; 20:28

(K) OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit to show our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior. We believe that the Lord's Supper, by the sacred use of the bread and wine, is to commemorate together the dying love of Christ by remembering His broken body and precious shed blood. Holy communion should include solemn self- examination, remembrance of what Christ did for us through His life and death, anticipation of His coming again, and thanksgiving for our salvation and blessings.

Acts 8:36-39; 2:41-42, John 3:22-23, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, 1 Corinthians 11:26; 11:28

(L) OF THE LORD'S DAY. We believe that the first day of the week (Sunday) is the Lord's Day and should be kept sacred to God's purposes whenever possible.

Acts 20:7, Isaiah 58:13-14, Hebrews 4:3-11; 10:24-25, Psalm 118:24

(M) OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society. That magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth. We believe the home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.

Romans 13:1-7, Acts 5:29, Matthew 22:21; 23:10

(N) OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS. We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. That only those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem. That all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight lost and under the penalty of sin. This distinction continues among men in time and eternity.

Malachi 3:18, Romans 1:17, 1 John 5:19, Luke 16:25

(O) OF THE WORLD TO COME. We believe that the end of this age is approaching and will culminate in "That blessed hope" - the personal, imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.

Acts 1:11; 24:15, Matthew 24:31-46, 1 Peter 4:7, Revelation 22:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

(P) OF HUMAN SEXUALITY AND GENDER.

We believe that God’s design for His creation and His way of salvation serve to bring Him the greatest glory and bring us the greatest good. God’s good plan provides us with the greatest freedom. Jesus came that we might have life and have it in overflowing measure. He is for us and not against us. Therefore, in the spirit of faithfully serving Christ and His church and witnessing publicly to the good purposes of God for human sexuality revealed in the Bible, we offer the following statement.

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. That all forms of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexualism, bestiality, incest, fornication and adultery are sinful perversions of God's gifts of sex. That the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman.

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, in His image for one another. Males and females are defined by their anatomical and reproductive organization. These two distinct, complementary sexes are determined at conception, and together reflect the image and nature of God. To deny any part of this teaching is to subject God’s purposeful design to the desires of humanity and the influence of contemporary culture. We understand that a person can never thrive or flourish apart from living in harmony with God’s design in creation. Therefore, rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that one’s sex is biological, immutable, unchangeable by medicines, surgeries, or by any human declaration. Our sexuality is designed by God either for complementary unity with the opposite sex in the context of marriage for procreation and mutual delight, or for celibacy in undivided devotion to Christ.

We believe that God offers redemption, forgiveness, cleansing, renewal, reconciliation, and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He offers power to live free from bondage to sin for those who repent and turn away from disobedience to God’s Word.

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing attitudes, language, or behaviors directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with our Savior, the Scriptures, or the doctrines of Edgewood Baptist Church.

Genesis 1:26-27; 2:24; 19:5; 10; 26:8-9, Leviticus 18:11-30, Deuteronomy 22:5, Psalm 86:13, 103:12, Isaiah 43:1, Matthew 7:12; Mark 10:45; 12:28-31, Luke 6:31; 7:47, John 8:1-11, 10:10, Acts 3:19-21, Romans 1:26-29; 6-18; 7:2; 8:1; 8:31; 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9-11; 7:1-10; 11:14-15, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:20-23, Colossians 1:13-14; 2:14; 3:10, Titus 2:14

(Q) OF MISSIONS. We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That as ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us.

Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:20