PREAMBLE
We, the members of Thousand Oaks Baptist Church of the Conejo Valley, Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, believe that the New Testament saints assembled in groups called churches; that new believers were added to these churches by the Lord and enrolled in membership through baptism by the local groups; that the purpose of gathering on the first day of the week and other occasions was to worship God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; that the Gospel was preached and the entire Bible was taught as the very Word of God; that the two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, were observed and practiced; that prayer, faithful giving, and loving service were promoted; that believers were taught to live and die for the faith once for all delivered to the saints; and that Christians, as they came to be known, were shown their responsibility to become bearers of the light of the Gospel, sharing their knowledge of salvation with those nearby and praying for and sharing in the support of giving forth the Word of Life in nearby and distant places.
We believe the local groups were and are now autonomous, having no legal or political connections with other local churches and, therefore are subject to no hierarchy nor subject to any control by any governmental body or agency thereof. These local groups did, and are now commanded to, form their own churches, elect their own officials, conduct their own business, ordain pastors, missionaries, etc., and send them out to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ.
These churches were directed in the Word of God to “do all things decently and in order”
(I Corinthians 14:40). We, Thousand Oaks Baptist Church, therefore, set forth the following Covenant, Doctrinal Statement, and Constitution, by which we shall live with the help of the Holy Spirit and by which we shall conduct our affairs.