Purpose and Doctrinal Statement
A. - Purpose
It is the stated purpose of Austin W. Duncan Ministries to worship God, to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to encourage users and readers of this site into community and fellowship with fellow Christians in the Church and the Church Universal, to render loving service toward all of God’s creation, to seek out and to save the lost, to nurture the saved into maturity, and to demonstrate the kingdom of God on earth by proclaiming the words and doing the works of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 4:16-19).
B. - Doctrinal Statement
Item A - The Godhead
Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worth of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:13; Revelation 1:4-6).
Item B - The Holy Scriptures
Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and these words apply to the whole Bible, in the sense that the Holy Spirit breathed out the very words of the sacred writings to holy men of old; and that His Divine inspiration is not in different degrees, but extends equally and fully to all parts of these writings (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Mark 12:26, 13:11; Acts 1:6, 2:4).
Item C - The Person and the Work of Christ
Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1, 2:14; Luke 1:35). Austin also believes that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Ephesians 1:7). The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. He is also Head and Supreme Administrator of the Church, and we can and should be confident in the ultimate victory of Christ’s Church over the forces of darkness (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Matthew 16-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Item D - The Person and the Work of the Holy Spirit
Austin W. Duncan Ministries affirms the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling in Christians enables us to live a godly life. We affirm the fulness of the Holy Spirit empowers Christians for witness and service, that the Holy Spirit provides one or more spiritual gifts to all believers, manifesting them as He wills, and all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are operative today (Romans 8:11-12; Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:4-7, 12:7-11; John 16:13).
Item E - The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; that man is totally depraved, guilty before God and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
Item F - Ordinances/Sacraments
Baptism: Austin W. Duncan Ministries affirms believers’ baptism by immersion in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ; however, the mode of baptism is not a condition of membership or covenant (Mark 1:9-10 Matthew 28:19).
The Lord’s Supper (Communion): Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes that Communion was instituted by the Lord as a remembrance of His sacrificial death, and it is the responsibility and privilege of every believer to partake thereof (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23; 1 Corinthians 11:13-31).
Item G - The Eternal State
We affirm the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, those that are saved to the resurrection of life and those that are lost to isolation from the Living God in hell (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:1-15).
Item H - Salvation
Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the remission of our sins (Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Item I - Purpose
We affirm the Church’s purpose as offering worship to God, fellowship and instruction to itself, and evangelism and service to the world. Austin W. Duncan Ministries affirms the five-fold ministry of the body of Christ as outlined in Ephesians 4:11 as the Church’s divinely-established order and government. We affirm the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
Item J - Spiritual Gifts
Austin W. Duncan Ministries affirms that the Bible teaches that both women and men are called to develop their spiritual gifts and to use them as stewards of the grace of God. Both men and women are divinely gifted and empowered to minister to the whole Body of Christ, under His authority (1 Peter 4:10-11; Acts 1:14, 21:9; Romans 16:1-6; Philippians 4:2-3; Colossians 4:15; John 20:17-18).
Item K - Marriage
Austin W. Duncan Ministries believes marriage was instituted by God to be between a man and a woman, joined together as one for life, and that no man shall separate them. This institution of marriage has also been confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ through His teaching, be between a man and woman as God has commanded it from the beginning (Genesis 2:4-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-23).
Item L - Tithes and Offerings
We affirm the grace of giving in conformity to the Apostle Paul’s instruction to the churches. We also affirm the privilege of sharing in the service to the saints and the funding of the various ministries of the Church. We believe tithing as spoken of in the Old Covenant is a godly pattern which believers are encouraged to follow. Although tithing is not mandatory for salvation, we are confident the Lord blesses a cheerful giver, and all members are encouraged to give as the Lord leads them (2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15).