Who We Are
God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness (evil, sin) and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through His sacrifice (salvation), the forgiveness of our sins. Colossians 1:13-14
What We Believe
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That the Holy Bible was written by divinely inspired men and is God's revelation of Himself to mankind. All scripture is completely true and trustworthy. The scripture is God's divine instruction, and therefore is the standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be examined.
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That there is only one true God. God is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, unchanging, and all wise. He has revealed Himself to mankind as consisting of three persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
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That God the Father reigns over His universe and His creatures according to the purposes of His grace. He is the true Father to all who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
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That Christ is the eternal Son of God, having always existed with the Father, fully divine. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed the Father to mankind, lived the will of the Father, taking upon himself human nature with its demands and necessities, and lived a sinless life. Through His death on the cross, Jesus provided atonement for sin. Jesus was raised bodily from the dead, appeared to many witnesses, and ascended into heaven where He reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is the only Savior and Mediator between God and mankind. He will return in power and glory to judge all mankind, and to consummate His redemptive mission.
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That the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He was the inspiring Author of the scriptures. Through illumination He enables people to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts people of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls people to the Savior, and enables them to place their faith in the Son of God. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows on them the spiritual gifts by which they serve God amidst His church. He enlightens and empowers the believer. He now dwells in all believers as the living and present Lord.
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That mankind is the special creation of God, made in God's own image. God created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. In the beginning mankind was innocent of sin and was endowed by God with freedom of choice. By free choice, Adam and Eve sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Because of that sin all mankind has been born with a fallen nature that is inclined toward sin. It is only through a person's trusting faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God, that a right relationship with God can be realized. In this right relationship with God, a person is both redeemed and saved completely. This is God's free gift to anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
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That the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is comprised of all who have believed in Christ through faith. Each person is spiritually gifted by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God as he or she is led by the Spirit.
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That the two New Testament ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are acts of obedience to the instruction of scripture. Baptism by immersion bears witness to the believer's faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, as well as the believer's death to sin, burial of the sinful life, and resurrection to walk in the new life of Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of remembrance, representing the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. Through the partaking of the two elements, believers demonstrate their faith in Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice for themselves personally, for all of mankind, and His promise to come again.
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That we celebrate the Lord's Day on the first day of the week, commemorating the day of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. It is a day of corporate worship, celebration, and fellowship.
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That it is the duty and privilege of all Christians to play a role in the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God's love manifested in each believer is demonstrated, in part, by the sharing of His "Good News". Whether sharing the gospel face-to-face with others, or supporting the efforts of those who are in the mission field, every Christian contributes to spreading the truth and grace that came through Jesus Christ.
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That Christianity is the one true faith. In Jesus Christ and His Word live all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The new birth in Christ brings with it a desire to know Him more and obey His instruction. In order to live a life that is consistent with the Christian faith, every believer should endeavor to know God's Word, and live in harmony with the instruction it provides.
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That it is God's desire that His followers live in unity. While believers may have differences of opinion in some doctrinal areas, we remain united in our core beliefs of who God is, and what He has done for us. We demonstrate that fact through our love for each other and those still needing to hear the gospel. We are willing to set aside whatever differences we may have so that we might together accomplish the work that God has given us to do in this life.
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That God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the union between one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Marriage is God's unique gift to provide for a man and a woman the framework for intimate companionship, and the means for procreation. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing and providing for the household and nurturing their children. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing from the Lord. Parents have the responsibility of raising their children, through teaching and example, to follow the Lord. Children are to both honor and obey their parents. The family is meant to be a living demonstration of God's love as each person lives out the divine command to "Love one another".
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Our History
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Though rich in history, we are not stuck in the past. The Pleasant Hill Baptist Church grew from the Free Will Baptist Fellowship that was established in Hollis in 1780, leading to the dedication of the first church in 1840. During October of 1947, the church building burned in the forest fires that destroyed much of southern Maine. A new church was built and dedicated on June 26, 1949. In 2006 we completed a massive renovation which included an addition to the building that doubled the size of the sanctuary, tripled the size of the fellowship area, and made the entire building handicap accessible.
It has been said, and is still true today, that though the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church seems to have always had a modest membership, these few have had influence out of proportion to their number. We look forward with enthusiastic anticipation to what our gracious Lord has planned for us as we walk with Him.