We believe that the Church, which is the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons (Ephesians 1:22–23; 5:25–27; 1st Corinthians 12:12–14).

We believe that the establishment and continuation of local churches are clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17; 1st Timothy 3:1–13).

We believe that the ordinances of the Church are baptism by immersion as a mark of our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:4); and the Lord's Supper, remembering the Lord's death until He comes (1st Corinthians 11:26).

16. Ministry of Spiritual Gifts: We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today. Speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. This cessation of sign gifts does not preclude that God may, in a future dispensation, choose to reinstate the gifts of His choosing (1st Corinthians 12:4–11; 2nd Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7–12; 1st Corinthians 13:13).

We believe that God hears and answers the prayer of faith in accord with His own will for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1st John 5:14–15).

We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by work to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2nd Corinthians 5:19–20).

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to financially support his local church. We believe that God has established the tithe as a general model for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of his tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1st Corinthians 16:2; 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1st Timothy 5:17-18; 1st John 3:17). 

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (1st Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26–27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18–25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1st Corinthians 6:18; 7:2–5; Hebrews 13:4).

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18–20; 1st Corinthians 6:9–10). We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one's gender by surgery (Genesis 1:26–28).

We believe that, in order to preserve the function and integrity of MABC as the local Body of Christ and to provide a biblical role model to the MABC members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by MABC in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, or who are members agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14–16; 1st Thessalonians 5:22).

● We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19–21; Romans 10:9–10; 1st Corinthians 6:9–11).

● We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28–31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of MABC (Ephesians 4:29–32).

We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position and value before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and Elders) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1st Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through consistent lifestyle examples and appropriate discipline (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1st Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; 1st Peter 3:1-7).

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion is a procedure with the sole purpose of killing the unborn in the termination of pregnancy. We oppose abortion. When extreme medical emergencies arise that threaten the life of the mother, we believe in treatment to save the mother’s life, including premature delivery if that is indicated, obviously with the patient’s informed consent. This is not abortion to save the mother’s life. The purpose is to treat two patients—the mother and the baby—and every reasonable attempt to save the baby’s life would also be part of medical intervention. We acknowledge that, in some instances, the baby would be too premature to survive (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus, we believe that an act or omission that, by itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes murder, which is contrary to the will of God. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be a legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment (Exodus 20:13, 23:7; Matthew 5:21; Acts 17:28).

We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat and use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10, 17-21; 13:8-10; Philippians 2:2-4; 2nd Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1st John 3:17-18).

MABC’s Articles of Faith do not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind. It is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of MABC’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elder Board is the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.