About Flagler Beach Community Church
Our Beliefs
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:20-21
The Godhead
We believe in the Triune God, eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:10,26
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became a man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. John 16:8-11; Ephesians 1:13-14
We believe that He as the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved to be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 1:17-18, I John 2:20, 27
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-12
The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God.
We believe that man is totally depraved, and for himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Romans 3:22-23, Ephesians 2:1-13; 4:17-19
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7, 2: 8-10; I Peter 2:18-19
The Eternal Security & Assurance of Believers
We believe that all redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5
The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. I Corinthians 12:12-14
We believe the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32
We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of an external authority or control. Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31; I Peter 5: 1-4
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in the age. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 22:41-42; I Corinthians 11:23-26
Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that the separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; II Corinthians 6:1-4
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “blessed hope” the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His church prior to the 7-year Tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return, with His saints, to establish His earthly, messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the Nation of Israel. Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. Luke 23:43; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. Matthew 25:41-46; Revelation 20:11-15
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. Job 1:6-7; Matthew 4:2-11; Revelation 20:10
Missions- Outreach
We believe that God has given the Church the Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19-20
Our Core Values
W - The Preaching of His WORD
Preaching is Biblically commanded and spiritually required for Christian growth. Preaching must be Biblically based and relevant to today's living. And how can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14; ...faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
O - OUTREACH to our neighbors and the world
We are commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 to reach out to our neighbors around our church and to all the world. How do we do that? Through financial support of missionaries and missions who represent us to the communities they are impacting with God's love and the truth of His Word.
R - Our RELATIONSHIPS with one another
Have you ever gone to a church for the first time and felt like an outsider? We believe that friendliness and love are not just good words to speak, but at Flagler Beach Community Church we seek to practice them in action as the Lord Jesus commands. Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35; A man who has friends must show himself friendly... Proverbs 18:24
S - SERVICE and MINISTRY
The Word of God speaks about faith and works. Both are necessary. Faith revealed in our words and our work reveals to others our faith. We serve the Lord with the gifts, talents, and abilities He has given to us. We are to minister to others with these same Christian traits.
H - HELPING HAND
Christianity isn't just about us. It's about showing the love of Christ and assisting others in need, those who live around us and those who live thousands of miles away.
I - Simply INVITATION
The Lord Jesus commanded the church to ...go out into the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. Luke 14:23. We are not "an island to ourselves". We have the responsibility and accountability to reach out and invite others outside of our church family to attend our church services.
P - PERSONAL and corporate prayer and worship
Hebrews 10:25 is a command. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another even more as you see the Day approaching. Worship is all about God. It's not about us. Our worship is to bring praise, honor and glory to Him! Prayer is part of worship. It's communion with God - a two-way street - we talk to Him and He talks to us. Both worship and prayer are what we do corporately, but it takes personal involvement to make it real and meaningful in your life. It is our prayer at FBCC that our lives reflect Christ personally and as a church family.
How to know God
Our attempts to Reach God
There is a misconception in society that man has put together a formula God accepts that allows man to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, even a simple reading of the Bible reveals that there is no such formula. If we could do wonderful works around the church; if we could live morally righteous lives; if we could give lots of money; if we could spend two or three hours a day in prayer and reading our Bibles; if we could help the poor and feed the hungry; if we could somehow benefit those in need and one or some of these acts would allow us to enter into heaven when we die...ask yourself this question: "why would Jesus leave Heaven, come to earth and live here for 33 years, be rejected, be tortured, and die a horrible death by crucifixion for our sin, if we could pay for our sin by doing one or more of these other ways?" There is no other way but by the blood of the perfect Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Our Sin Problem
Sin became part of our human nature when Adam and Eve took and ate fruit, forbidden by God, from the tree in the center of the Garden of Eden. Sin is a trespass against the holiness and righteousness of God's character. Heaven is holy, righteous and perfect, a place where sin cannot enter. We take a shower or bath to clean off the dirt and smell on the outside of our body, but we cannot clean the filth and smell of sin on the inside of our body - only the blood of Jesus can accomplish that.
The Bible says...
For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
The Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
But, here is an amazing thing the Bible says about God...
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 5:8
God Provides the Only Way
Jesus died on Calvary's Cross for you and your sin. All you need to do is tell God that you are a sinner, He already knows that, but you need to admit it. Ask God to forgive you of your sin. Ask God to come into your heart and save you.
Romans 10:10 tells it this way, For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Then, if you ask Jesus into your heart and mean business with Jesus, you are SAVED! You have eternal life now and in heaven with the Lord...it never stops!
God's Assurance in His Word
And this is the testimony, God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13
As you begin your journey with Christ...
If you have any questions or concerns or would like help, please email or write to let us know. We are here to help you understand the love of Jesus no matter where you live. If you just accepted Christ as your Savior, would you share your experience with us? We would love to hear from you.
Our Pastors
Pastor
Bill Elias
Pastor Bill was called to be the pastor of FBCC in April 1998. Before then, he was a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He and his wife, Claudia, have been married over 50 years. They have two adult children, and many grand and great-grand children
Associate Pastor
James Smith
Pastor James was called into the ministry in the desert of Kuwait in December 2009 and joined FBCC as associate pastor in 2014. He is an avid fisherman. He and his wife, Martha, have been married for over 20 years. They have an adult daughter and one grandson.