OUr PASTOR
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Rev. Steven Howard has been on staff at ELBC since 2008, and has been the Sr. Pastor since June 2017. He attended Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, NC from 2004-2006 and graduated with a BA in Bible. He was ordained in 2013. He has been married to his partner in ministry, Valerie, since 2006. |
WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE BIBLE:
We believe in the verbal (very words) and plenary (complete text) inspiration of the Bible; That it is God’s Word (God-breathed), thereby rendering all Scripture inerrant and infallible, our only rule of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21).
GOD:
We believe that there is only one true God; infinite, glorious in holiness, eternal, self-existent, creator, sustainer and supreme ruler of the heavens and the earth, We believe that He exists, three Persons in One, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; they are equal but they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great redemptive plan of God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 1:18-20) is the Second Person of the Trinity. He is the eternal Word (John 1:1); born of a virgin (John 1:14; Matthew 1:23): both God and Man (John 14:9; 1 Tim. 2:5); sinless (Hebrews 4:15); savior (John 3:16); sin-bearer (Isaiah 53:5,6); that He arose from the dead with a literal body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39) after suffering death on Calvary’s tree (John 19:33); that He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9,10) to be our Advocate and Intercessor (Hebrews 4:14) and to wait for His second coming to earth. (John 14).
THE HOLY SPIRIT:
We believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is the Divine agent in creation (Genesis 1); in revelation (1 Corinthians 2:10); in redemption (2 Corinthians 3:16,17); convicts of sin (John 16:8-11); regenerates believers (John 3:5); indwells, baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, and sanctifies all of those who are truly believers. (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:14).
SATAN:
We believe in the existence of the person of Satan (the devil). He is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12-14); God’s adversary (Job 1:6); god of this present age (2 Corinthians 4:4); leader of a host of evil spirits and demons. (Ephesians 6:11, 12).
CREATION:
We believe without reservation the Genesis account of creation.
(Genesis 1): that God created from nothing the world and all that is therein in six 24 hour days, and that this is received only by faith. (Hebrews 11:3). In light of God's creative design, we believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of one man to one woman and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bonds of a Biblically defined marriage. Any other form of marriage or sexual intimacy is immoral and a perversion of God's gracious will. (Gen. 2:8, 24, 25; Mat. 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-29; I Corinthians6:9-20; 7:1-5; Ephesians 5:22-23 and Hebrews 13:4.)
SALVATION:
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, a free gift from God. It cannot be earned or merited by anything that men can do. It is received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ, no man can ever be saved. (Romans 6:23; Titus 3:5; John 14:6). We believe that the person who accepts Christ as his personal Savior is justified from all things; that he has pardon from sin and has eternal life. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:1,9). We believe that men must repent of their sin and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
ELECTION:
We believe that all men are totally depraved, without ability to come to God, and are hopelessly lost, but God, in sovereign grace, and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit or response, and in perfect consistency with human responsibility, chose some before the foundation of the world, to be recipients of His Grace in Christ. (John 6:44; Ephesians 1:4,5; Romans 9:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14).
RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND GOOD WORKS:
We believe in righteous living and good works, not as a procuring cause of salvation, but as its proper evidence and fruit (Matthew 7:16-18). We believe Christians should practice holy living (Titus 2:12); be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8); and assume responsibility of preaching the Gospel to all. (2 Corinthians 5:19).
THE LOCAL CHURCH:
We believe in the one true church, which is the mystical body and bride of Christ. We believe that in time and history this church is manifested in the outward visible form in the local church. (Ephesians 4:4; 5:25-32). The inception of the church was at Pentecost and it will be complete when Christ returns at the Rapture (Acts 2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17); that all true believers are baptized immediately into this body (1 Corinthians 12:12,13); and that all members should assemble themselves for worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching and observance of the ordinances. (Hebrews 10:25).
ORDINANCES:
We believe that baptism by immersion is the only scriptural way of baptism. It is not a means of grace, but shows forth the work that God has already perfected in the individual, and gives testimony to salvation and reception of the Savior, and identifies with His death and resurrection on our behalf. (Acts 8:36,38; Romans 6:3,5).
We believe that the Lord’s supper was instituted to commemorate the death of our Lord Jesus Christ until He comes. It is not a means of grace, and should never be entered into without solemn self-examination. (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER:
We believe that all who are truly saved can never be lost. (Romans 8:38,39; John 10:28).
THE WICKED:
We believe that all who reject Christ as Savior must spend eternity in a literal lake of fire, eternal punishment from which there will be no escape, and which they will be conscious. (Revelation 20:11-15).
CIVIL COVENANT:
We believe that God has ordained human governments for the good and benefit of mankind and that magistrates are to be prayed for, honored and obeyed, except in those things that run contrary to the Word of God. (Romans 13:1-7).
SEPARATION:
We believe that children of God should walk in separation from this present evil world (Romans 12:2); to abstain from all worldly amusements and unclean habits which defile the mind and body (Ephesians 5:3-5); from divorce (Matthew 19:9); from use of courts to settle disputes between believers (1 Corinthians 6:1-9); and to be separated from all religions and churches that have departed from the fundamentals of the faith.
FUTURE LIFE AND BODILY RESURRECTION:
We believe that the souls of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8) where they abide in joyful fellowship with Him until His second coming, when their bodies shall be raised from the grave. (1 John 3:2).
ANGELS:
We believe in the existence of angels, both good and bad, and in their presence with us. (Hebrews 1 & 2).
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
We believe in the personal, imminent, literal, visible return of our Lord; that He will return for His Church before the Tribulation, and reveal Himself to the world at the end of the Tribulation to redeem Israel and set up His Kingdom. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 19:1-20; Matthew 13:41-43). At the conclusion of the Millennium, Christ shall raise and judge the wicked, the earth shall be baptized with fire, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and the eternal state shall begin. (Revelation 20,21, 22).
We believe in the verbal (very words) and plenary (complete text) inspiration of the Bible; That it is God’s Word (God-breathed), thereby rendering all Scripture inerrant and infallible, our only rule of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21).
GOD:
We believe that there is only one true God; infinite, glorious in holiness, eternal, self-existent, creator, sustainer and supreme ruler of the heavens and the earth, We believe that He exists, three Persons in One, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; they are equal but they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great redemptive plan of God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 1:18-20) is the Second Person of the Trinity. He is the eternal Word (John 1:1); born of a virgin (John 1:14; Matthew 1:23): both God and Man (John 14:9; 1 Tim. 2:5); sinless (Hebrews 4:15); savior (John 3:16); sin-bearer (Isaiah 53:5,6); that He arose from the dead with a literal body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39) after suffering death on Calvary’s tree (John 19:33); that He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9,10) to be our Advocate and Intercessor (Hebrews 4:14) and to wait for His second coming to earth. (John 14).
THE HOLY SPIRIT:
We believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is the Divine agent in creation (Genesis 1); in revelation (1 Corinthians 2:10); in redemption (2 Corinthians 3:16,17); convicts of sin (John 16:8-11); regenerates believers (John 3:5); indwells, baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, and sanctifies all of those who are truly believers. (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:14).
SATAN:
We believe in the existence of the person of Satan (the devil). He is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12-14); God’s adversary (Job 1:6); god of this present age (2 Corinthians 4:4); leader of a host of evil spirits and demons. (Ephesians 6:11, 12).
CREATION:
We believe without reservation the Genesis account of creation.
(Genesis 1): that God created from nothing the world and all that is therein in six 24 hour days, and that this is received only by faith. (Hebrews 11:3). In light of God's creative design, we believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of one man to one woman and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bonds of a Biblically defined marriage. Any other form of marriage or sexual intimacy is immoral and a perversion of God's gracious will. (Gen. 2:8, 24, 25; Mat. 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-29; I Corinthians6:9-20; 7:1-5; Ephesians 5:22-23 and Hebrews 13:4.)
SALVATION:
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, a free gift from God. It cannot be earned or merited by anything that men can do. It is received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ, no man can ever be saved. (Romans 6:23; Titus 3:5; John 14:6). We believe that the person who accepts Christ as his personal Savior is justified from all things; that he has pardon from sin and has eternal life. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:1,9). We believe that men must repent of their sin and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
ELECTION:
We believe that all men are totally depraved, without ability to come to God, and are hopelessly lost, but God, in sovereign grace, and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit or response, and in perfect consistency with human responsibility, chose some before the foundation of the world, to be recipients of His Grace in Christ. (John 6:44; Ephesians 1:4,5; Romans 9:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14).
RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND GOOD WORKS:
We believe in righteous living and good works, not as a procuring cause of salvation, but as its proper evidence and fruit (Matthew 7:16-18). We believe Christians should practice holy living (Titus 2:12); be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8); and assume responsibility of preaching the Gospel to all. (2 Corinthians 5:19).
THE LOCAL CHURCH:
We believe in the one true church, which is the mystical body and bride of Christ. We believe that in time and history this church is manifested in the outward visible form in the local church. (Ephesians 4:4; 5:25-32). The inception of the church was at Pentecost and it will be complete when Christ returns at the Rapture (Acts 2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17); that all true believers are baptized immediately into this body (1 Corinthians 12:12,13); and that all members should assemble themselves for worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching and observance of the ordinances. (Hebrews 10:25).
ORDINANCES:
We believe that baptism by immersion is the only scriptural way of baptism. It is not a means of grace, but shows forth the work that God has already perfected in the individual, and gives testimony to salvation and reception of the Savior, and identifies with His death and resurrection on our behalf. (Acts 8:36,38; Romans 6:3,5).
We believe that the Lord’s supper was instituted to commemorate the death of our Lord Jesus Christ until He comes. It is not a means of grace, and should never be entered into without solemn self-examination. (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER:
We believe that all who are truly saved can never be lost. (Romans 8:38,39; John 10:28).
THE WICKED:
We believe that all who reject Christ as Savior must spend eternity in a literal lake of fire, eternal punishment from which there will be no escape, and which they will be conscious. (Revelation 20:11-15).
CIVIL COVENANT:
We believe that God has ordained human governments for the good and benefit of mankind and that magistrates are to be prayed for, honored and obeyed, except in those things that run contrary to the Word of God. (Romans 13:1-7).
SEPARATION:
We believe that children of God should walk in separation from this present evil world (Romans 12:2); to abstain from all worldly amusements and unclean habits which defile the mind and body (Ephesians 5:3-5); from divorce (Matthew 19:9); from use of courts to settle disputes between believers (1 Corinthians 6:1-9); and to be separated from all religions and churches that have departed from the fundamentals of the faith.
FUTURE LIFE AND BODILY RESURRECTION:
We believe that the souls of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8) where they abide in joyful fellowship with Him until His second coming, when their bodies shall be raised from the grave. (1 John 3:2).
ANGELS:
We believe in the existence of angels, both good and bad, and in their presence with us. (Hebrews 1 & 2).
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
We believe in the personal, imminent, literal, visible return of our Lord; that He will return for His Church before the Tribulation, and reveal Himself to the world at the end of the Tribulation to redeem Israel and set up His Kingdom. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 19:1-20; Matthew 13:41-43). At the conclusion of the Millennium, Christ shall raise and judge the wicked, the earth shall be baptized with fire, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and the eternal state shall begin. (Revelation 20,21, 22).
404 Sokokis Avenue, Limington, Maine, 04049
pastorsteve@elbcme.org
pastorsteve@elbcme.org