We believe in the one true sovereign God, creator and sustainer of the universe who is eternally existent in triunity of three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1, 26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Colossians 1:17).

We believe in the deity of Jesus, his virgin birth, his sinless life, his bodily resurrection, and his ascension to and exaltation in heaven (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-3, 14; John 10:30; 14:9; Acts 1:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-20; Hebrews 1:3; 4:15, 7:25-26; 1 John 5:20).

We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally and wholly inspired of God and inerrant in the original autographs. The Bible is the supreme and final authority in matters of faith and practice (Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; 1 Timothy 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 3:16).

We believe that mankind, although originally created in the likeness and image of God, sinned and therefore incurred the penalties of spiritual and physical death. All persons are born with a sinful nature and therefore grow to be sinners in thought, word and deed (Genesis 1:27; 2:16-17; 3:7-8; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 19:14; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures as the substitutionary sacrifice, and that all people who truly believe the gospel are justified before God on the basis of Jesus’ shed blood, are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and are saved for eternity (John 10:27-29; Romans 5:1; 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7, 13-14; 1 Peter 3:18).

We believe in the universal church which consists of all persons who upon trusting the gospel and person of Jesus Christ, are placed into union with him and all other believers by Spirit baptism. Believers should organize and assemble themselves in a local church to continue in the apostles’ doctrine; to participate in worship, fellowship, prayer, and the ordinances of Believer Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Table; and to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; John 17:20-22; Acts 2:42; 8:36-39; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 11:23-32; 12:13; Ephesians 4:4-6; 5:23-32; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:23-25).

We believe in “that blessed hope,” in the pretribulation rapture of the church, and in the personal and premillennial return of Jesus Christ to reign on earth. We believe in the bodily resurrection which results in the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting and conscious punishment of the lost (Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 25:41, 46; Luke 1:32; 16:19-31; John 3:36; Acts 1:6-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 20:4-15).

As the church awaits Christ’s coming, we believe Christians are called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to glorify God in life. Thus, mature spirituality is evidenced not in the exhibition of sign gifts, but in cultivating spiritual fruit and in righteous living (Romans 6:11-13; 1 Corinthians 13:1-2; Galatians 2:20; 5:16-25; Ephesians 2:10; 4:17-24; 5:18-21; Titus 2:11-12; 1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 1:5-7).

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one, legitimate meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, covenantal union, as delineated by Scripture. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-33)

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sinful perversion of God’s gift of sex is contrary to God’s Word. Some of those perversions include homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, polygamy, pedophilia, fornication, adultery, and pornography. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of this church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, and all members of Franklin Road Baptist Church of Indianapolis must abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage & Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly. (Rom. 6:12-14; I Cor. 5:9-11; Eph. 4:17-24; I Thess. 4:3-8)

Although we firmly believe this Statement on Marriage & Sexuality, we also believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. 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 this church. (Luke 6:27-31; Rom. 12:17-21; Rom. 13:8-10; I Thess. 5:15; I Pet. 3:8-12)