Pinecrest Baptist Bible Camp identifies itself as a Christian organization operating under the example of Christian life set forth by the North American Baptist Conference.
For purposes of Pinecrest Baptist Bible Camp’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Camo Board looks to God’s written Word in the Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as ultimate authorities.
Pinecrest Baptist Bible Camp Guiding Statements for Marriage, Gender & Sexuality
1. 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 Pinecrest Baptist Bible Camp.
2. 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 indicative of a fallen world and not God’s plan for creation.
3. We believe that biological sex is an essential part of human identity.
4. We believe that God’s good plan of two sexes is manifest in biology. Biology matters and doesn’t change, regardless of what people feel about themselves, the hormones they inject into their bodies, or their attempts to reconstruct themselves cosmetically. Biology and DNA both matter because they exist by original divine design. (I Cor. 6:18-20)
5. 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 the creation account (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 (I Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
5. 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; I Corinthians 6:9-10).
6. 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; I Corinthians 6:9- 11).
7. God calls us to proclaim the truth and beauty of His design and the redemption and restoration of sexual and all other brokenness in our lives and culture through Jesus Christ.
8.We believe, like everyone else, transgendered individuals are desperately in need of God’s truth and deserve to know the love and compassion of Christ as shown through His people.
We Affirm that:
1.The grace of God in Christ gives both merciful pardon and transforming power, and that this pardon and power enable a follower of Jesus to put to death sinful desires and to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 5:24, I Thess. 4:3-8)
2. The grace of God in Christ enables sinners to forsake transgender self-conceptions and by divine forbearance to accept the God-ordained link between one’s biological sex and one’s self-conception as male or female. (Eph. 4:21-24)
3. Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners and that through Christ’s death and resurrection forgiveness of sins and eternal life are available to every person who repents of sin and trusts in Christ alone as Savior and Lord.
4. Self-conception as male or female should be defined by God’s holy purposes in creation, fall, redemption and restoration as revealed in Scripture and that the church must continue to proclaim the truth of God’s intentional design for sexuality.
5. As Christians, we believe that God can heal these disconnected, gnostic views and bring restoration and wholeness – where body, soul and spirit are in unity. (I Cor. 6:18-20)
Guiding Statements of Faith
1. There is but one living and true God, the maker and preserver of all things. And in the unity of this Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in eternity, deity and purpose; everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness.
2. God was himself in the Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile people to God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, He joined together the deity of God and the humanity of humankind. Jesus of Nazareth was God in flesh, truly God and truly human. He came to save us. For us the Son of God suffered, was crucified, dead and buried. He poured out His life as a blameless sacrifice for our sin and transgressions. We gratefully acknowledge that He is our Savior, the one perfect mediator between God and us.
3. Jesus Christ is risen victorious from the dead. Thus, He ascended into heaven. There He sits as our exalted Lord at the right hand of God the Father, where He intercedes for us until all His
enemies shall be brought into complete subjection. He will return to judge all people. Every knee will bow and every tongue confesses Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
4. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. Proceeding from the Father and the Son, He is one with them, the eternal Godhead, equal in deity, majesty and power. He is God effective in
Creation, in life and in the church. The Incarnation and ministry of Jesus Christ were accomplished by the Holy Spirit. He continues to reveal, interpret and glorify the Son.
5. The Bible is God’s written Word, uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit.
6. The Bible has authority over all human life. It teaches the truth about God, His creation, His people, His one and only Son and the destiny of humankind. It also teaches the way of salvation and the life of faith.
