The Members of LaPaz Union Church officially formed Calvary Baptist Church on August 21, 1957. There were 57 charter members. Since Calvary Baptist Church was formed, there have been 12 pastors. Andrew Hostetler is our current pastor.
We believe that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The Holy Spirit gave the very words of the sacred writings to holy men of old; His divine inspiration is not in different degrees, but extends equally and fully to all parts of these writings–historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical; and to the smallest word, and inflection of a word, provided such is found in the original manuscripts (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:19-21; I Cor. 2:13; and Heb. 1:1-2). Thus we believe in the Scriptures as verbally, plenary, God-breathed, inerrant, and infallible in the original autographs and in its preservation, and is our only rule of faith and conduct (II Tim. 3:15).
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, having exactly the same nature, attributes, and perfections and worthy of the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Exodus 20:2-3; Matt. 3:13-17; and I Cor. 8:6).
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment, bears witness to the truth, is the Agent of the new birth, and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies and helps believers, indwelling, filling (control) ministries of the Spirit are separate functions, not to be synonymously equated. The charismatic/ gifts of I Cor. 12 ceased with the apostles.
We believe that Satan is a person. He is the unholy god of this age, the prince of the power of the air, and prince of this world. He was a murderer from the beginning. He is a liar and the father of lies. There is absolutely no truth in him. He is the enemy of God and man and the author of all the powers of darkness. He is a deceiver and blinds the minds of men which believe not, “lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” He is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; II Cor. 4:4; Matt. 4:1-l0; I Pet. 5:8; and Rev. 20:10).
We believe that there is a literal hell and a literal lake of fire; the place of eternal and conscious punishment of all the unsaved. (Lake of fire-Rev- 20:14-15; and 21:8. Hell- Psalm 68:13; and Luke 16:19-31).
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind,” by direct act and not by the process of evolution. (Gen, 1 and 2; Col. 1:16-17; and John 1:3). God created for 6 literal (24-hour), consecutive days.
We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus the whole human race inherited condemnation and death, so that now all mankind is conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity, and so are without excuse before God. (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:10-19; and Eph. 2:1-3). Man’s sinful actions are resultant from his sin nature.
We believe that abortion is unbiblical, since life from conception is sacred to God, and man is created in His image.
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is the only requirement for salvation from sin and that this salvation is wholly by God’s sovereign grace, and not of man’s works, or the ordinances of any local church (Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom. 10:9-13; and Acts 4:12).
We believe that the moment we trust Christ as our personal Savior we pass out of spiritual death into everlasting life, being justified, and accepted before the Father on the basis of Christ’s righteousness, and are become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. (John 5:24; Acts 13:39; Eph. 2:4-13; Rom. 5:1&8; and I John 4:17).
We believe that all who take Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally in Christ (John 10:27-29; Rom.8:35-39; Phil. 1:6; and I John 5:11-13). Once a person is truly regenerated by God, it is totally impossible for that individual to ever lose his salvation.
We believe that the Church universal is a New Testament institution, unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole Head; revealed through the holy apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; composed of believers in Jesus Christ as Savior, both Jew and Gentile, called out from the world and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is His “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture. (Matt. 16:18; Acts 1:8; 2:1-13; I Cor. 12:12-28; Eph. 1:22-23; 2:20; 3:21; 23-33; and I Thes. 4:13-18).
We believe that the Church universal is manifest through the local Church, which is a congregation of believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in it by His Word. (Matt. 18:15-17; I Cor. 1:2; 6:4-5; 7:17; 11:16; and I Tim. 3:1-15).
We believe that we are called with a holy calling to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the Spirit that we should not fulfill the lusts of the flesh; but the flesh being still in us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage, needs to be kept constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence to the dishonor of His name. (Rom. 8:12-13; 13:14; Gal.5:16-25; Eph.4:1-3; 4:22-24; Col.3:1-10; I Pet. 1:14-16; I John 4:5-9; and Titus 2:1-15).
We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate entirely from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy unto God (II Cor. 6:14-17; I Thes. 1:9-10; I Tim. 6:3-5; Rom. 16:17; II John 9-11).
We believe the constant and ultimate goal for every believer, is glorifying God. A necessary and constant way to accomplish this is through our spiritual growth (II Pet. 3:18).