Statement of Faith

Pioneer Bible Translators^® unites people around the idea of simply reading, listening to, believing, and obeying the Bible together while making it available to others. If it would satisfy inquirers, we would claim the whole Bible as our Statement of Faith, but we have found that people would like more clarification about how we understand the Bible and what we believe.

Jesus said, “…unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). For that reason, we truly want to approach the Bible with childlike humility, understanding that we have much to learn. This Statement of Faith is our best effort to explain what we hold to be some clear teachings in the Bible. That’s why we include Scripture references: to invite readers to reflect on the Scriptures for themselves. Our fond hope is to draw people’s attention to the Bible.

We believe in one God who created the world and exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

(Genesis 1:1-3, Hebrews 11:3, John 1:1-3, Matthew 3:16-17) He created people to seek Him, walk with Him, and glorify Him (Acts 17:24-27, Micah 6:8, Isaiah 43:7, 1 Corinthians 10:31). In His sovereignty He works throughout history to make Himself known to all peoples and draw them to Himself (Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 9:16, Isaiah 49:6, John 12:32). In the end He will judge each person according to their actions (Revelation 20:11-13).

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is Savior and Lord.

(John 3:16, Matthew 3:17, Philippians 2:10-11, Luke 2:11) He is the “I Am” (John 8:24, Titus 2:13, Colossians 2:9), the Word of God through whom the world was created (John 1:1-3), who came to save the world (John 1:14, 3:17, and 12:47), was born of a virgin (Luke 1:35), and died on the cross, shedding His blood as a sacrifice to reconcile people to God (Colossians 1:19-20). God raised Him from the dead (Luke 24:6-7, Acts 2:24), and this is our assurance that we too will be raised to eternal life (Romans 6:4- 5, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Jesus is coming back (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) to judge all people (Acts 10:42).

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers to lead and help them.

(Romans 8:5-15) The Spirit gives Christ’s followers power for godly living in many ways (Galatians 5:22- 23, Ephesians 5:18, Romans 15:13). He gives them spiritual gifts needed to strengthen the church, the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7-13, Romans 12:6-8, Hebrews 2:4) until it responds perfectly to Christ, the head, and loves as He does (Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 5:5). The Spirit removes barriers and divisions to unite diverse people, building them together to become a dwelling in which He lives (Ephesians 2:14-22).

God saves people and gives them eternal life through Jesus.

(Romans 5:18) He has offered to all people the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of receiving eternal life on the basis of what Christ has done to save us (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:27, Revelation 21:1-4). No other name but Jesus can save (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).

God’s salvation is by grace through faith.

Every person is deserving of the wrath of God (Ephesians 2:3) and death because of sin (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). But because of God’s great love for us (Romans 5:8), He made those of us who believe alive with Christ, saving us by grace through faith—not by works (Ephesians 2:4-9, Galatians 2:16)—so that we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

We respond to God’s gift of salvation by obeying His commands.

We cannot make ourselves right with God through our works (Galatians 2:16), but we are called to obedience. God commands us to respond to His gift of grace by believing in Jesus (John 6:29 and 14:1, Acts 16:31), repenting (Acts 3:19 and 17:30), confessing Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:11, Romans 10:9, Matthew 10:32), and being baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38 and 22:16, Romans 6:3).

Baptism is the pledge of a good conscience to God that clothes us in Christ.

(1 Peter 3:21, Galatians 3:27) In being immersed into Christ Jesus, we die to sin, are buried with Christ, and are raised to live a new life (Romans 6:2-10). Jesus set the example for believers to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:13-15).

Each follower of Jesus should strive to live a holy, godly life.

(2 Peter 3:11) All followers of Jesus are called to Love God with all their heart and love their neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). Followers of Jesus should avoid sins such as greed, rage, slander, every form of malice, and sexual immorality (Ephesians 4:31-32–Ephesians 5:1-5) including all sexual intimacy outside of marriage between a man and a woman as taught in the Bible (Genesis 2:24-25, Exodus 20:14,17 and 22:19, Leviticus 18:22-23 and 20:13-16, Matthew 19:4-9, Romans 1:18-31, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 15-20, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Jude 7). We believe it is of utmost importance for every one of us as disciples of Jesus to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus by obeying everything He commanded us (Luke 9:23, Matthew 28:20).

Jesus is building the Church by assembling communities of His followers.

(Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:41-42) These followers gather to worship God (Acts 13:2, 1 Corinthians 14:26), pray (Matthew 18:19-20), and inspire one another to live holy lives (1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 5:25- 27). They receive power from God to live out the love of Jesus for one another (John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Ephesians 3:16-19). The mission of the Church is to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations (Luke 24:47, Acts 1:8) and to call people to obey Him as Lord (Matthew 28:18-20) and head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15).

We accept the Bible as the Word of God, our supreme authority and the basis of all we believe and do.

It is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servants of God may be equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Word of God brings us true knowledge of God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 11:18-19 and 32:45-47, Isaiah 55:8-11, Matthew 4:4 and 24:35, John 1:1-14, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:19-21).