History & Beliefs

Our History

Central Baptist Church was established in 1949. For more than 70 years since then, it has been a gospel lighthouse in the Pine Belt Area. As an independent, Baptist church, Central Baptist Church puts a strong emphasis on the preaching of the infallible Word of God, the edifying of the Christian, and the reaching of lost souls for Christ. During the early days of this ministry, Central Baptist Church went through a series of pastors, but in 1957, God called Dr. Charles R. (C.R.) Williams to be the pastor. Under the leadership of Dr. Williams, Central Baptist Church became the largest Baptist church in the state of Mississippi. Thousands came to know Christ as their personal Saviour as a result of Dr. Williams’ ministry.


Our Purpose

The purpose of the church is summed up in the commission Christ gave His disciples just before He ascended to Heaven: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18–20).
This last command of Christ should be our highest priority; every facet of church activity should in some way relate to this, the purpose of the church. Acts 5:42 records that the Jerusalem church was indeed fulfilling this purpose: “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” This young church was constantly engaged in making the Gospel known to the world.

At Central Baptist Church, we have emphasized this purpose in our three-point mission statement:

Loving God Loving God begins in the heart, with a personal relationship with Him. As we gather and participate in Christ-honoring worship services and respond to the preaching of God’s Word, this love flourishes. Mark 12:30 says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Growing Together We grow together, in Christ, through the study of God’s Word. This occurs in our weekly services, in our smaller adult Bible fellowships, and in one-on-one discipleship.

Serving Others We serve others as we find a place of ministry in the local body. We also serve by sharing the Gospel with those who need the Lord—through witnessing to friends, coworkers, neighbors, and loved ones, as well as in participating in church outreach and giving to missions. As a church, our mission is to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ. We want to utilize every available biblical means, and we want to disciple and train every member to participate in accomplishing our church’s purpose.

What We Believe
The following paragraphs simply summarize what we believe as a church family. We believe the Bible and teach it to be perfectly true. Every belief and teaching of Central Baptist flows from God’s Word.

  1. The Deity, virgin birth, and sinless humanity of Jesus Christ our Lord; His substitutionary death on the Cross as the atonement for man’s sins; His bodily resurrection from the tomb and His ascension into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:23; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; John 11:25; Acts 1:11) The Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; three persons in one essence in the unity of the Godhead. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:1-9; Luke 3:22)
  2. That Christ Himself organized the Church during His personal ministry before the day of Pentecost. (Matthew 16:18; Luke 16:12; I Corinthians 12:28)
  3. That the New Testament Church is a visible, local congregation of baptized believers acknowledging Christ as their Head, united in the belief of what He has said and covenanting to what He has commanded. (Galatians 1:2; Revelation 1:4)
  4. The creation of man by the direct act of God and his subsequent fall due to disobedience. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7)
  5. The Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two ordinances of the church. That immersion only is the baptism and that only confessed believers should be baptized. (Matthew 3:16-17; Acts 8:36-38; Romans 6:1-6) Only baptized believers have the right to partake of the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 10:16-21; I Corinthians 11:23-30). No one has the right to administer the church ordinances except an ordained church officer, and that by the authority of the local church. (Matthew 28:18-20)
  6. That every born-again believer has the responsibility to be a personal soul-winner. (Psalms 126:5-6; Luke 14:23; II Timothy 1:9)
  7. In the doctrine of the total depravity of man, that all men by nature are sinful and lost. It is impossible for him to recover himself from the fallen state by his good works, and for salvation, Holy Spirit regenerations are absolutely essential. (Psalms 51:5; Psalms 58:3; Romans 3:10, 23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:8-9)
  8. Every local New Testament Baptist Church must be involved in missions to be scriptural. (Acts 1:8; Acts 13:1-4; II Corinthians 8 & 9; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Ezekiel 13:17)
  9. The power of Christ to save men eternally from the penalty of sin through faith in His shed blood, and the gift of eternal life by grace through repentance. (John 3:3; Acts 10:21)
  10. Every born-again Christian should be separated from the world, daily consecrated, and dedicated to the House of God. (Romans 12:1-2; II Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 10:25; I Corinthians 4:1-2; James 4:4; Ephesians 4:1; I John 2:15-17)
  11. In the eternal security of the believer in Jesus Christ, and that he is kept by the power of God. He possesses everlasting life at the moment of salvation. (John 10:28-29; I Peter 1:5; John 3:16; John 5:24; I John 5:13)
  12. In the eternal punishment of the wicked in a burning Hell, and the eternal bliss, happiness, and the joy of the saints in a real place, which the Bible calls Heaven. (Matthew 13:47-50; Mark 9:44-48; Revelations 7:15-17; John 14:2-3; Revelations 21:1-5)
  13. That all men will stand in judgment to give account for the deeds done in the body. The Christians at the Judgment Seat of Christ. (John 5:27; Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 3:9-15) The wicked will stand at the Great White Throne Judgment of God. (Revelations 20: 11-15)
  14. In the resurrection of the dead, both saved and lost, the saved unto the resurrection of life and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation, separated by at least 1,007 years. (John 5:29; Revelations 20:5-6)In Christ’s imminent, personal, pre-tribulation, pre-millennial return for all the saved, according to His promise. (John 14:3; Matthew 24:21; Revelations 19:11-16; Revelations 20:1-5; Ezekiel 39:25; I Thessalonians 4:17)
  15. That Christ will one day return to this earth and he shall literally rule and reign in peace upon the earth for a thousand years. (Revelations 20:4-6; Zachariah 14:4; Revelations 19:15)

Our ministry of faith is grounded on and limited by the Word of God. It is in His Word that we find our authority, through the local church, for what we believe and are obligated to perform.
The plenary and verbal inspiration of the Bible and its inerrancy as God’s Holy Word as contained in the King James Bible, and is the only correct rule of faith and practice. (II Peter 1:19-21; II Timothy 3:15; Psalms 119:89)