The Heart of Our Church
We are a Bible-Believing Church
A church desperately relies on the Bible to get its vision, mission, and design. All ministries and messages here at Tulare First Baptist Church will be rooted in the Word for the building up of every Christian (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
We are a Discipleship-Driven Church
The Bible tells us every Christian has been given a spiritual gift. This gift is meant to be used. Here at Tulare First Baptist Church, we are committed to using these gifts to build up one another. Pastors and teachers will be disciple-makers who will help each Christian to use their gifts and grow in Christ (2 Timothy 2:1-2).
We are a Family-Friendly Church
At Tulare First Baptist Church we are committed to helping everyone cultivate a Christ-centered home for the next generation of believers. We desire to partner with families by offering family-friendly classes, discipleship, counseling, and more to help equip families with all they need to honor God in all that they do (Proverbs 22:6).
We are a Community-Connected Church
The church was designed by God to attract the lost to Himself. Tulare First Baptist is committed to serving the community of Tulare, the Central Valley, and even the globe to see people saved by Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35).
We are a Lost-Loving Church
Tulare, like any city, is in desperate need of the life-saving message of Jesus. We will love people and share the gospel with everyone. Our ministries, programs, and events will be designed for people to come to this campus and hear the gospel (Luke 19:10).
"We Exist to Lead an Ever-Increasing Number of People to Love God, Love Others, and Serve Joyfully."
Doctrinal Statement
God has superintended human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error God’s revelation to man in the words of the original autographs.- Psalm 119:105- Psalm 119:160- Psalm 12:6- Proverbs 30:5- 2 Timothy 3:16- 2 Peter 1:20-21- 2 Timothy 1:13
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:22, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, being fully God and fully man. He is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return physically again someday to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords (Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 1:3-4, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift(s) when they are saved (2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, John 14:16 & 17, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18).
People are made in the image of God, to be like Him in character and are the supreme object of God’s creation. Every person, however, is separated from God by sin. All mankind is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably wicked apart from divine grace (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:1-2).
Salvation is God’s free gift to us. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty of eternal death and separation from God. Eternal life begins the moment one trusts Jesus Christ for his salvation (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6, John 1:12, Titus 3:5, Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1).
The person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ is secure in their salvation through the completed work of Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian believer and He is the guarantee or down-payment for the Christian’s salvation. Because salvation is based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who is God, the Christian can be confident in the eternal security of God’s gift of salvation (John 10:29, 2 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:14, 1 Peter 1:3-5).
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin in Hell or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation with Him. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence (John 3:16, John 14:17, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:17-18, Revelation 20:15, 1 Corinthians 2:7-9).