We are believers belonging to Evangelical Baptist Churches who seek to heighten the space occupied by Scriptures and live our beliefs on a daily basis. We seek to share and carry out the beliefs and practices that define the identity of our denomination in light of the Declaration of Baptist Beliefs and Practices approved by our churches in 1987.
Our Association represents a community which thinks through its faith, articulating it daily in a Christian life style –with the help of biblical and theological education at its best expression– and making that faith available for the growth of the people of God.
In entering the third millennium, globalization and the growing religious confusion of our days make indispensable that we reemphasize the text of the Declaration of Baptist Beliefs and Practices approved by our churches in 1987. That text is a calling to all churches that carry the name “Baptist” to reaffirm their denominational identity and to continue to teach beliefs and practices which are not at odds with their history, thus affirming the convictions that clearly arise out of the revealed doctrine of the New Testament.
In so doing, we affirm:
- That the Bible, written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the only norm of faith and practice that we recognize.
- That we Baptists do not believe in new private revelations, and we exhort all Christians to define concretely their own identity in light of the revelation of the Word of God.
- That the one who empowers and instructs the believer and the church for a mature worship, for proclamation and every form of service to the neighbor is the Holy Spirit of God.
- That the Holy Spirit’s ministry is not frivolous. It is joyous but it is not humorous nor awkwardly festive.
- That the Holy Spirit’s objective is to guide the lost to repentance and faith, and to lead all believers towards the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ.
- That we believe in the local church as an autonomous body in subjection to the lordship of Christ Jesus where every member exercises his/her spiritual priesthood.
- That we believe in the spiritual authority of pastors but reject any form of pastoral authoritarianism. Every member who is subject to the guidance of the Holy Spirit has the right and the responsibility to participate freely in the exercise of congregational government which has always characterized Baptist churches.
- That the relation between pastors and natural leaders in the church must be founded upon mutual respect, in dialogue and understanding of each other’s role, and in assuming that every project will seek the best for the congregation, setting aside partisanship or a spirit of competition.
- That we believe worship services are a testimony of Christ and thus should be conducted with dignity and in order, without any trace of manipulation, in order to achieve the conversion of nonbelievers and the spiritual edification of the sisters and brothers.
- That we sustain that the Baptist identity of our churches, pastors, leaders and members should be known and recognized by all because of: