About Us

Groton Heights Baptist Church began in 1843 as the small congregation on the East side of the Thames River decided to worship and serve the Lord on the “Groton Bank”. Since that time the church has continued to be a beacon for thousands who have passed through and lived in the greater New London area. In fellowship with the Conservative Baptist Association of America, we seek to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ supporting evangelism through mission efforts at home and around the world.

The Word of God

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, without error as originally given by God.  We believe the Bible is complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, is the supreme and final authority in all matters pertaining to spiritual life and godliness, and is the perfect rule of faith and practice.  (Proverbs 30:5, 6; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:3, 20, 21)

The Trinity

We believe that there is only one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The three persons are equal with the same nature and divine perfection.  They execute distinct, yet harmonious, offices in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16, 17, 28:19)

God the Father

We believe in God the Father, eternally existent, creator of heaven and earth, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power and ever present.  We rejoice that He concerns himself mercifully in human affairs, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He gives eternal life to all who come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ.  (Genesis 1:1, 21:33;  Leviticus 19:1, 2; Psalms 66:3, 139:7-12;  Proverbs 2:6; Luke 11:1-4; John 3:16)

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfection as God the Father.  He is not only fully God, but also fully man.  He was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  He lived a sinless life, died on the cross in payment for our sins, was bodily resurrected from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, and acts as mediator and intercessor between believers and the Father.  (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:5-8;  1 Timothy 2:5, 6;  Hebrews 1:3, 4:15, 7:25)

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  The Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, teaches, empowers for service, comforts those who believe in Jesus Christ, and intercedes for believers before the Father.  We believe that spiritual baptism occurs at conversion, resulting in union with Christ and His body, the Church.  (John 16:8-15;  Acts 1:8, 9:31;  Romans 8: 9, 16, 17, 26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:13;  Ephesians 1:13, 14;  Titus 3:5, 6;  1 Peter 1:2)

Satan

We believe that Satan is a created being, a fallen angel, who is the embodiment of all evil, and through whom sin entered the world.  He is man’s greatest tempter, the enemy of God, the accuser of the saints, and the author of false religions.  He is destined, however, to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son and to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire.  (Genesis 3:1-6;  Isaiah 14:12-15;  Matthew 4:1-11;  John 8:44;  2 Corinthians 4:4, 11:13-15;  1 John 3:8;  Revelation 12:9, 10,  20:10)

Man

We believe that God created man (male and female) in His own image and in a state of innocence.  Through the temptation of Satan, man voluntarily transgressed, resulting in his spiritual death.  In his natural state, mankind is eternally separated from God.  As a result all men are sinful by nature and by choice, and lack the holiness required by the law of God.  It is impossible for man to save himself.  (Genesis 1:27-31, 3:1-24; Romans 1:18-32)

Salvation

We believe that salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men.  We believe that for the salvation of sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.  In order to be saved, one must believe, repent and receive Christ Jesus as Savior.  This is the new birth which results in a new creation in Christ Jesus.  The new creation is brought about in a manner beyond comprehension, not by culture, character or the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel.  Its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.  Nothing can separate believers from the love of God, but they will be “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”  (John 1:12, 13, 3:16-18, 6:47;  Acts 3:18-21;  Romans 5:15-19, 8:38, 39;  2 Corinthians 5:17;  Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10;  Titus 3:5-8;  1 Peter 1:3-5)

The Church

We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ;  that the Church is a living, spiritual body of which Christ is the Head, and of which all regenerated people are members.  Our local assembly is made up of members who have been baptized upon a credible confession of faith and joined themselves for worship, instruction, evangelism and service. (1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Ephesians 1:22, 23, 4:7-13)

Ordinances

We believe that Christ has given two ordinances to the Church:  baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water, symbolic of the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  The Lord’s Supper is an act of worship, serving as a memorial of Christ’s death for us, and symbolic of His sustaining our spiritual life and growth.  (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:14-20; Acts 8:36-38; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)

The End Times

We believe in the personal, bodily and imminent return of Jesus Christ for His Church, at which moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies.  Believers living when He returns shall be given glorified bodies and shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust:  the saved to everlasting life and joy in the presence of the Lord, and the unsaved to everlasting judgment and conscious punishment.  (Zechariah 14:4, 5; John 5:28, 29; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, 15:35-57; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15)

Accountability

We believe in the priesthood of the saints, and that every human being is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith.  We further believe that God has established His Body, the Church, and gave it the responsibility to disciple its flock in the Word, which is “profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.”  (Matthew 10:32, 33, 28:19, 20; Luke 14:27; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 1 Peter 2:4-10)