Antioch Baptist Church of Clinton is a, fundamental, Bible believing Church. We seek to be identified with those who love God’s work and strive to practice it. We not only believe the fundamentals of the faith, but we take our stand against all things which discredit and try to destroy the authority of the Bible.
We believe that the Bible is the complete revelation from God and its contents are verbally inspired. Holy men of God, qualified by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, wrote in obedience to the divine command, and were kept from all error, so that the Bible can actually be classified as the very Word of God; the books of the Bible are of divine origin and authority. As the result of believing this, we also believe what the Bible teaches about doctrine, history, prophecy, and stewardship. We believe in the full inspiration of the word of God and it is our source of faith, practice and the final authority in all spiritual matters. II Tim. 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19, 21;Rev. 22:18, 19
We believe that God is supreme in His person, eternal in His being, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and sovereign in His will. God is clearly distinguished from things which have life, or no life. God is the creator of man and the universe and upholds all by the word of His power. We believe in the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. I John 5:7.
We believe that man was created in the image of God and by his own choice and willful decision, fell into sin. By this act, he became a sinner and was put under the condemnation of God. He was severed from God and became spiritually dead. Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3:19; > Rom. 6:23; Rom. 3:23.
We believe salvation to be by grace through faith, wholly apart from any merit of man: and that every individual is a sinner by birth and by choice, and therefore must exercise repentance which is voluntary turning from sin; and personal faith, a voluntary turning to the redeeming work of Christ on Calvary’s Cross in order to be saved. Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5;Psalms 51:5; Rom. 10:9, 10; 3:10, 23, 24-28; 6:35
THE DETAILS
THE JUDGEMENT
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; the righteous into everlasting life. Matt. 25:35-46; Rev. 22:11; Mark 9:4-48; II Peter 2:9; I Cor. 6:9.
SANCTIFICATION
Those who have been regenerated are sanctified, by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing toward a heavenly life in cordial obedience to Christ’s commands. Phil. 3:20-21; I Thess. 5:23
THE LOCAL CHURCH
The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His Commandments, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or Churches and to each of these Churches He hath given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which He had appointed. The regular officers of a Church are Bishops or Elders (Pastors) and Deacons. Matt. 28:20; John 4:15, I Cor. 11:2; Acts 14:23; 15:22
BAPTISM
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in the newness of life. Baptism is prerequisite to Church fellowship and to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Acts 8:36-39; John 3:22; Matt. 28:19;Rom. 6:4.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed in His Churches until the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him, and to their Church fellowship. Luke 22:19, 20; I Cor. 10:16, I Cor. 11:23-30, Acts 2:42.
MISSION
We believe in the support of home and Foreign missions.
PRE-TRIBULATION RETURN OF CHRIST.
We believe in the pre-tribulation return of Christ. When Christ comes for His Church and all the saved are caught up to be with the Lord, the unsaved will be left behind to go into the tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation period, Christ will return with power and great glory to set up His Kingdom on earth and will reign a thousand (millennial) years. Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-6; I Thess. 4:13-18; Daniel 9:24-27; Matt. 24:1-51.
Our History
We praise God for using Grant R. Carter (a Missionary) to start ABCOC, which was chartered, June 5, 1977 and incorporated July 14, 1977. Services in the early days were held at Independent Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland.
June 5, 1977 – Chartered
The officials of the church signing as trustees were: Robert Briscoe, Curtis Latimore, John Rollins and Bernard Thompson.
July 14, 1977 – Incorporated
On June 25, 1978, Curtis Latimore and David Roane were ordained and appointed as Assistant Pastors. In September 1978, Dr. John Rollins became the first Deacon and the first Superintendent of the Sunday School.
June 1, 1980 – Curtis Latimore voted as first official Pastor
Under the inspiration of God and the leadership of Pastor Latimore on August 16, 1981, the church purchased a house and five acres of land at our present site.
April 29, 1989 – First Service in Current Sanctuary
The first worship service was held in our new sanctuary on April 29, 1989.
November 12, 2017 – Pastor James W. Jones, Jr Installed