FAQs

How do I join the church?
To join a church you must be a believer in Christ, accept Him as your Savior, and follow Him in believer’s baptism. You may contact the Pastor or a Deacon, or the church office to request your letter to be moved to VBC if you are already a Christian, and belong to a congregation.  If you are not currently a member and believe in Christ as your Savior, you may counsel with the Pastor, or a Deacon, to become a member of the church.  If none of the above apply to you, and you still desire to become a member, contact the church.

 

Do I have to be a member to attend any services, studies, or functions?
No.  All are welcome!

 

Do I have to be a Christian to attend church services, Bible studies, or other functions?
No.  All are welcome!

 

What is my purpose in life?
Every individual is created in the image of God.  Each person has infinite dignity and worth.  However, the Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).”  God’s desire is to have a restored relationship with you through His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth to die so that your sins would be forgiven.  Your purpose in this life is to serve God and love Him completely, for He created all of us for this purpose.

 

Who is God?
There is one God.  God is revealed to us as the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.  He is a triune being; fully God in all three forms (the ‘Trinity’).  God is the Creator of the universe.  God is Love and has provided forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation of every person if only they express saving faith in Jesus (see below).  Jesus is the Only Way to be forgiven of your sins.  Jesus will return to the earth one day and bring an end to human history as we know it, and then the judgment of the world will come.  The people who have denied the salvation offered by God through Christ will be separated eternally from God in a lake of fire.  The people who have expressed their faith in Christ will reign with Him in a new heaven and new earth.

 

How can my sins be forgiven?
If you are a human being, Jesus died for you.  Forgiveness of sins comes only through faith in Jesus.  This means you decide to put your complete trust in Jesus as the Savior from your sins and follow Him completely, turning from the way you have been living into a completely different direction.  The Bible calls this change ‘repentance.’  The Bible also talks about this process as being ‘saved,’ obtaining ‘salvation,’ and being ‘born again.’  Early in the time of the writing of the New Testament, followers of Jesus were called Christians (literally ‘little Christs,’ or ‘imitators of Christ’).

 

How can I be saved?
The foundational truths of being saved are as follows:

  • Admit that you are a sinner before God.
  • Believe that there is no hope of personal salvation (being saved) without Christ’s sacrifice on the cross applied to our hearts and lives.
  • Believe that Jesus was born of a virgin.
  • Believe that Jesus was both fully God and Man.
  • Believe that Jesus lived a life without sin.
  • Believe that Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of those who would believe and put their faith in Him.
  • Believe that He rose from the dead, securing victory over sin unto death.

The Christian is given the Holy Spirit to help live a life pleasing to God and be a testimony to others that they themselves are saved.

 

Are heaven and hell real places?
They are real eternal places talked about throughout the Bible.  Hell is described as the second death and a lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Heaven is a perfect place in the presence of God.

 

What is the church?
The universal church is made up of those in the world at any time that are Christians.  The Bible instructs Christians to meet together.  The church is also described in the Bible as the body of Christ, which shows the intimate relationship between Jesus and His followers.  Individual Christians meet in local churches.  Through prayer, listening to god, relationships with other Christians and Bible study, each member is to grow and mature in their faith.

 

What is the purpose of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (communion)?
We observe baptism and the Lord’s Supper as symbolic acts showing the truth of our faith in Jesus and remembering His sacrifice for us.