Statement of faith
The following statement of faith was adopted by the leadership of Buckner International and is intended solely as a guide and should in no way be interpreted as a creed. This statement of faith should never be used for coercion, but rather to provide a clear understanding of the biblical guidelines under which Buckner International operates.
Scripture
The Bible is the inspired, authoritative word of God and is the record of God’s revelation of himself to humanity. It has God for its author, redemption for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Matthew 5:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17
God
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:1; Matthew 28:19; John 14:6-13
Jesus Christ
Jesus is the perfect Son of God, revealed in the flesh through the virgin birth. His death, bodily resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God provide the means of salvation for humanity.
Matthew 1:18-23; 16:21; John 1:1-18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God indwelling believers and enabling them to live a godly life.
Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 61:1-3; Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9-11
Salvation
Eternal salvation is the redemption of the whole person and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by his own sacrifice obtained eternal redemption for the believer.
John 3:3-21, 36; 5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; Ephesians 2:8-22
Humanity
Humankind was created by God in his image. By free choice, humanity sinned against God and brought sin into humanity. The sacredness of humanity is evident in that God created humanity in His own image and that Christ died for all humankind; therefore, all life is considered sacred.
Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-19; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 3:23-24; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-22
The Church
A New Testament church is a body of local baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
Matthew 16:15-19; Acts 2:41-42; 44-47; 13:1-3; 15:1-30; 1 Corinthians 1:2
Unity
In Jesus Christ, all who follow him are unified as the Body of Christ, with equality across racial, gender and social classes.
Acts 2:44; Romans 10:12-13; Ephesians 4:3-6; Colossians 3:11
The Family
The family is established and ordained by God as the primary institution in which children should be cared for and nurtured by a mother and father who are united in marriage. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9; Ephesians 5:21-33
Religious Liberty
God alone is the Lord of human conscience; therefore, church and state should be separate, and all humankind is accountable solely to God in matters of faith.
Matthew 22:15-21; Acts 4:19-20; Galatians 5:1; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:12-17