We are Gospel-Centered
Here at 60th Street Baptist, we often talk about how the gospel is not just the kindergarten of Christianity – it’s the whole school. Meaning we don't just learn the gospel, forget about it, and move on. No. Everything we do here is rooted in the good news of Jesus Christ and the identity we now have through Him. Our sermons, our classes, our events, are all centered on the gospel because we believe the gospel is the only thing that brings about real inward change in our lives. Whereas other things like behavior modification and "steps for not sinning" only lead to an outward change of a person. The significance and impact of this truth is why Sixtieth Street will always be a gospel-centered church.
We teach...
The Holy Scripture
We teach accepting fully the writings of the Old and New Testaments as the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God; altogether sufficient in themselves as our only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice.
The One Triune God
We teach the one triune God: Who is personal, spirit, and sovereign; perfect, infinite, and eternal in His being, holiness, love, wisdom and power; Who is absolutely separate and above the world as the Upholder of all things; Who is self-existent and self-revealing in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each having a distinct ministry in God's relation to His creation and people.
The Lord Jesus Christ
We teach the Lord Jesus Christ: Who is the second Person of the Triune God, the eternal Word and only Begotten Son; Who without any change in His divine Person, became man by miracle of the Virgin Birth, thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one Person with two natures; Who as Man was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin; Who as the perfect Lamb of God gave Himself in death upon the cross, becoming there the sin of the world, and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead; Who arose bodily from the grave and was glorified; Who as our great High Priest ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor.
The Holy Spirit
We teach the Holy Spirit: Who is the third Person of the Trinity and the divine agent in nature, revelation and redemption; Who convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment; Who regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; Who further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and fills believers who daily surrender to Him.
All Men are by Nature and Choice Sinful and Lost
We teach that man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature, the father of a fallen race which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation.
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
We teach that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue, or work of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man; that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation.
Righteous Living and Godly Works
We teach that good works are not a means of salvation in any sense, but its proper evidence and fruit; that as Christians we should therefore obey the Word of our Lord, seek the things which are above, walk as He walked, and accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privileges of bearing the Gospel to a lost world, remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible for those who in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved mercies of God have presented themselves wholly to Christ.
The Existence of Satan
We teach that he originally was created a holy and perfect being, but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God, thus becoming utterly depraved in character, the great adversary of God and His people, leader of all other evil angels and spirits, the deceiver and god of this present world; that his powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God, Who overrules all his wicked devices for good; that he was defeated and judged at the cross, and therefore his final doom is certain; that we are able to resist and overcome him only in the armor of God, by the blood of the Lamb and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Second Coming of Christ
We teach that His return from Heaven will be personal, visible and glorious, a blessed Hope for which we should constantly watch and pray, the time being unrevealed but always imminent; that when He comes He will first by resurrection of the dead and translation of the living remove from the earth the saved, then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world, afterwards descend with the saved and establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years.
Future Life, Bodily Resurrection, and Eternal Judgment
We teach that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven, that for the purpose of the determination of rewards, their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ at the time when Christ comes for His own; that the spirits of the unsaved at the death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment, at which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave and they shall be judged and cast into Hell, the place of final and everlasting punishment.
The Separation of Church and State
We teach the separation of church and state: that each has definite and distinct spheres of responsibility.
The Priesthood of All Believers
We teach that Christ is our Great High Priest and through Him every born-again person has direct access into God's presence without the need of a human priest; that the believer has the right and responsibility to personally study and interpret the Scripture, guided by the Holy Spirit.
The Lordship of Jesus Christ
We teach that all who believe in Him as Savior should let Him be the Lord of their lives and that they should assemble and identify themselves in a local church.
The Importance of the Local Church
We teach that a New Testament church is a local assembly of born-again, baptized believers united in organization to teach and practice New Testament doctrines and ordinances, to meet together for worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching and a united testimony, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission.
The Independence and Autonomy of the Local Church
We teach that each New Testament church is free to govern itself without ecclesiastical interference, and should cooperate with other New Testament churches as the Holy Spirit leads; that each church is responsible to follow the pattern of the New Testament and is directly accountable to God.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We teach the ordinances given to the local church are two, baptism and the Lord's Supper: that baptism is by immersion of believers, thus portraying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that the Lord's Supper is the partaking of the bread and cup by members of the church as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.
God Wonderfully and Immutably Creates Each Person as Male and Female
We teach that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. We believe that God created marriage to be a spiritual covenant between one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy is a gift that is to be expressed by a man and woman exclusively in the covenant of marriage.