Our Beliefs at Buffalo Baptist Tabernacle

Welcome to Buffalo Baptist Tabernacle, where spiritual growth and meaningful connections flourish. Our church is dedicated to fostering a welcoming community where individuals can explore their faith, deepen their understanding, and connect with others. We focus on offering meaningful worship experiences, educational programs, and service opportunities that inspire personal and spiritual growth.

We are an Independent, Fundamental, Bible believing, Bible preaching and Bible practicing church. We believe:

  • in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Old and New Testaments.

  • in the preservation of God’s Word through the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus.

  • that the King James Version is the best English translation of the Bible.

  • in one true God, manifest in three distinct yet equal persons of the Godhead:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  • that God created the world in six, literal twenty-four hour days.

  • that all mankind is sinful, in need of salvation, and is unable to save themselves.

  • that Christ died for the sins of all mankind; and, salvation is by grace, through faith alone, based upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

  • in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and His bodily ascension into Heaven where He now intercedes for believers.

  • in the reality of Heaven and Hell.

  • that man was created as a responsible being and as such, he has the freedom to choose to accept or resist the grace of God.

  • in the eternal security of the believer.

  • that the local church is God’s institution to carry out the Great Commission.

  • that the two ordinances of the local church are Believer’s Baptism by immersion, and the memorial of the Lord’s Supper.

  • in the pre-tribulational rapture of all believers.

  • in the pre-millennial return and millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • in the obligation of every believer to live a holy life and to witness to the lost of the saving power of Jesus   Christ.

We stand on Baptist Distinctives:

1. Biblical Authority
The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture’s inherent authority. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

2. Autonomy of the Local Church
The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church’s beliefs or practices. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a “member” of any other body. (Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23)

3. Priesthood of the Believer
“Priest” is defined as “one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God.” Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God’s Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God–whether we are a preacher or not. (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9-10)

4. Two Ordinances
The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord’s Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins.
 (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

5. Individual Soul Liberty
Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself.
 (Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:9)

6. Saved, Baptized Church Membership
Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
 (Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 4:3)

7. Two Offices
The Bible mandates only two offices in the church: pastor and deacon. The three terms—”pastor”, “elder”, and “bishop/overseer”—all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor and deacon exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside or over the local church. (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-38; Philippians 1:1)

8. Separation of Church and State
God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. The government’s purposes are outlined in Romans 13:1-7 and the church’s purposes in Matthew 28:19-20. Neither should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. Christians in a free society can properly influence government toward righteousness, which is not the same as a denomination or group of churches controlling the government.
 (Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 15:17-29)