We accept the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God and the basis for our beliefs. First Baptist Church of Rio Vista subscribes to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (BFM 2000) as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. We voluntarily band ourselves together as a body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind.

BELIEFS:

● Authority of Scripture - We believe that all Scripture is divinely inspired and serves as the final authority in all matters of belief and behavior (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Therefore, we value Bible-centered preaching and teaching as the foundation for all that we do.

 ● Worship - We believe that we are created by God to worship Him, and that glorifying God is the ultimate reason for our existence (John 4:23-24). Therefore, we will seek to praise and worship Him passionately – as individuals, as families, and as a local church.

● Prayer - We believe that prayer is the privilege and responsibility of every Christian, and that God unleashes His power and leading in the lives of those who spend time in prayer (Matthew 6:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Therefore, we will intentionally seek to set aside specific times for private, family and corporate prayer.

 ● Family - We believe that the family is God’s foundational institution for human society (Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-6:4). Therefore, we encourage lifelong commitments to marriage between one man and one woman; we support the ongoing spiritual nurture of the family; and, we are committed to honoring the priority of family time through our ministries and activities.

 ● Fellowship & Community - We believe that God instructs Christians to cultivate loving relationships as a community of believers (Romans 12:10; 1 John 4:7-11).Therefore, we will actively pursue personal, family, and staff relationships characterized by integrity, mutual accountability, mutual serving, mutual encouragement, and mutual honoring.

● Life Transformation - We believe that all Christians should daily pursue a growing, personal relationship with Christ, and are responsible for becoming more like Christ in their beliefs and conduct (Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:28). Therefore, we will provide opportunities for every believer to develop a Christian worldview and thus engage the culture wherein he lives, works, and interacts.

 ● Every Member Ministry - We believe that God cares about the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of every person. Further, we believe that every member of this church is called to minister (Ephesians 4:11-12). Therefore, we will develop lay leaders who will function effectively in their respective roles of service and, in turn, train and mentor other believers for ministry.

● Personal Evangelism & Missions - We believe that every person is important to God, that God desires a personal relationship with every individual, and that He has entrusted us with the message of salvation (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18- 20). Therefore, we will endeavor to share the message of salvation with all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status, both in Rio Vista, Texas and throughout the world.

● Stewardship - We believe that biblical stewardship involves the proper management of all that God has given us … time, money, abilities, etc. … to expand His kingdom               (1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Peter 4:10). Therefore, we encourage every member to adopt a lifestyle of stewardship that recognizes God’s ownership of everything and to practice the biblical principle of tithing (giving at least one-tenth of one’s income) to support the work of the church.