The following convictions guide our understanding of marriage, family, gender, and the sanctity of human life. These beliefs are rooted in Scripture and shape how we teach, counsel, and minister at Pilgrim Baptist Church.
Biblical Marriage
We believe marriage is a sacred covenant instituted by God between one biological man and one biological woman for life. This union reflects the relationship between Christ and His church and is the only context God has ordained for sexual intimacy.
We affirm culture, courts, or human opinion, but by God's unchanging Word does not define that marriage. We cannot recognize, perform, or celebrate any union that contradicts this biblical definition.
(Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-33; Hebrews 13:4)
Sexual Purity
We believe God designed sexual intimacy exclusively for marriage between one man and one woman. All sexual activity outside of this covenant - including fornication, adultery, homosexual behavior, pornography, and all other forms of sexual immorality - is sin against God and contrary to His design.
(Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 18-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:4)
Biological Gender
We believe God creates each person as either male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders reflect the image of God and are determined by biological design, not personal feelings or identity.
We reject the ideology that gender is fluid, chosen, or subject to change. A person's biological sex is fixed at conception and cannot be altered by surgery, hormones, or self-identification. To reject one's biological sex is to reject the image of God and His creative design.
We believe those struggling with gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction need compassionate, biblical counsel - not affirmation of desires that contradict God's design. We offer hope through the transforming power of the gospel, not through the world's redefinition of identity.
(Genesis 1:27; 5:2; Deuteronomy 22:5; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
God's Design for the Family
We believe God established the family as the foundational institution of human society. Within the family, God has ordained distinct and complementary roles for husbands and wives that reflect His design and purpose.
The Husband's Role
The husband is called to be the spiritual leader and loving head of his home. He is to love his wife sacrificially, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. This leadership is marked by servant-hearted care, protection, provision, and a willingness to lay down his life for his family's good.
The Wife's Role
The wife is called to honor and submit to her husband's leadership, as the church submits to Christ. This submission is not inferiority, but a God-ordained role that reflects trust in God's design. A godly wife is her husband's helper, encourager, and partner in raising children and managing the home.
Spiritual Equality, Functional Distinction
Men and women are spiritually equal in position before God - both created in His image, both redeemed by Christ's blood, and both indwelt by the Holy Spirit. However, God has ordained different roles for men and women in the home and the church. These distinctions reflect God's wisdom and design, not issues of worth or value.
The Church's Leadership
We believe God has called men to serve as pastors, elders, and deacons in the local church. This is not because men are superior, but because God has designed men to bear the responsibility of spiritual leadership and teaching authority in the church, just as husbands lead in the home.
Raising Children
We believe children are a heritage from the Lord and a blessing to be received with joy and gratitude. Parents - particularly fathers - bear the primary responsibility for their children's spiritual training, discipline, and education. This includes teaching them God's Word through consistent example, instruction, and faithful involvement in the life of the church.
God entrusts parents, not the government or other institutions, with authority over their children's upbringing. This includes decisions regarding education, healthcare, discipline, and spiritual formation. Churches and Christian schools serve to assist parents in this calling, but they do not replace parental authority and responsibility.
(Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-24; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 22:6, 15; Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
We believe all human life is sacred because every person is created in the image of God. Human life begins at conception, and the unborn child is a living human being deserving of protection.
We believe abortion is the unjustified taking of innocent human life and is therefore sin. We grieve over the millions of lives lost to abortion and offer compassion, hope, and forgiveness through the gospel to those who have been affected by it.
We believe life is a gift from God, and only He has the authority to give and take life. Intentional acts to end life prematurely - including euthanasia and assisted suicide - usurp God's sovereignty. However, we do not believe that discontinuing extraordinary medical measures that only prolong death (rather than preserve life) constitutes euthanasia.
We are committed to supporting the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, offering practical help and biblical counsel to those facing difficult circumstances.
(Genesis 1:26-27; Job 31:15; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41-44; Exodus 20:13; Acts 17:25, 28)
We believe children are a precious gift from God and must be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The safety and well-being of children at Pilgrim is a sacred responsibility we take seriously.
Family-Integrated Ministry
Our commitment to child protection begins with our family-integrated approach to ministry. Children remain with their parents during worship services, and parents maintain primary oversight and responsibility for their children during all church activities. This structure ensures children are under the watchful care of those who love them most, rather than being separated into isolated programs.
Zero-Tolerance Policy
We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for anyone - staff, volunteer, member, or visitor - who abuses or harms a child in any way. All workers with children undergo background checks and training. We follow strict policies to ensure children are safe in all church facilities and activities.
Any suspected abuse will be reported to the appropriate authorities immediately. We are committed to responding with both justice for victims and compassion for families affected by abuse.
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalm 127:3; Matthew 18:6, 10; 19:13-14; Mark 9:42)
We believe God's design for marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. God hates divorce because it breaks what He intended to be permanent.
We recognize that Scripture permits divorce in cases of adultery (Matthew 19:9) or willful abandonment by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:15), though reconciliation is always preferable when possible. Divorce for any other reason falls short of God's standard and is sin.
We believe those who have been divorced and remarried may serve in many capacities within the church and can be greatly used by God. However, Scripture's qualifications for pastors, elders, and deacons require them to be "the husband of one wife," which we understand to exclude those who have been divorced and remarried (with biblical exceptions considered on a case-by-case basis).
We offer biblical counseling and support to those struggling in marriage, those considering divorce, and those seeking to heal from past relationship brokenness. God's grace is sufficient for all who repent and seek to honor Him going forward.
(Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)
We believe Christians are called to love all people - including those who oppose us, disagree with us, or live in ways that contradict Scripture. Love does not mean affirming sin, but it does mean treating every person with dignity, respect, and compassion as an image-bearer of God.
We are commanded to speak the truth in love, to be patient with those who oppose us, and to seek peace whenever possible. God forbids us from taking personal revenge, using violence to resolve conflict, or responding to opposition with hatred or cruelty.
While we must stand firm on biblical truth regarding marriage, sexuality, gender, and family, we do so with humility and grace. We abhor sin, but we love sinners - just as Christ loved us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8). Our goal is not to win arguments, but to point people to the hope of the gospel and transformation found in Jesus Christ.
We are committed to welcoming all people to hear the gospel preached at Pilgrim, while maintaining our biblical convictions and church standards.
(Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:43-48; 22:37-39; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10, 17-21; 13:8-10; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Peter 3:15-16; 1 John 3:16-18; 4:7-11)
Serious Teaching. Strong Families. Biblical Authority.
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170 4th Ave. Cookeville, TN 38506
