The Servant's Foundation

Concerning God

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections¹.

Concerning Scripture

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, wholly inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed, the final authority for faith and life¹.

Concerning Creation

We believe that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are the literal history of the early Earth¹.
We believe that this material universe is the result of a sequence of unique creative acts of God the Son, accomplished with the aid of God the Holy Spirit and directed by God the Father². We believe these creative acts were ex nihilo, completed by the mere spoken commands of God³. We further believe that these creative acts were accomplished in six literal twenty-four hour days⁴. Therefore we hold to a young earth view supported by the genealogies and other time information provided in the Word of God. We also believe that the material universe was created in total perfection⁵ but subsequently was sentenced to a slow decay and eventual destruction by the Curse (binding), which was part of the penalty for the disobedience of the Parents of all mankind, Adam and Eve, whom we view as real, literal people, created on the sixth day of Creation⁶. We reject all concepts of a pre-Adamic race. We believe that the biblical Noahic Flood⁷ was a real, year-long global event, the result of the judgment of God on the hopelessly rebellious descendants of Adam and Eve⁸, and resulted in much of the present geology of the Earth, including most of the fossil graveyards of myriads of plants and animals then living. We believe that only eight human souls, Noah and his family, survived the Flood⁹ and that all mankind now living are descended from this family, dispersed over the face of the Earth by the confusion of tongues described in Genesis 11. We believe God created mankind in His image into two distinct and unchangeable biological sexes: male and female. Since God created mankind distinctly male and female¹⁰, we believe that the only legitimate marriage is that between one biological man and one biological woman¹¹.
We believe that God created only one race—the human race. As such, we believe that all people have equal significance and value, and are treated equally both in God's eyes and, therefore, in the eyes of the College. ¹²

Concerning Christ & His Work

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men¹. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice in providing an unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead². We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate³.

Concerning Man, Sin, & Salvation

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved, in that every part of his being has been affected by sin. He is unable to remedy his lost condition¹. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins². The Christian has two natures, one carnal and one spiritual, which become a source of spiritual conflict³. While his position is perfect in Christ, the believer's present condition is no more perfect than his daily experience. He is called upon to live a separated life and can have a spiritually mature experience in which he will evidence the fruits of righteousness through the new nature, the Holy Spirit's control and the assimilation of God's Word⁴. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever⁵. We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh⁶.

Concerning the Church

We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age¹. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures². We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has left two ordinances to be observed by the local church in commemoration of His person and work. The one is that of baptism (immersion) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The other is the partaking of the Lord's Supper³. No person is qualified to have part in either of these two ordinances unless he has been born from above.

Concerning the Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God gives spiritual enabling gifts for service to all believers¹. We believe that the apostolic age of signs and the gifts of healing and tongues ceased with the ministry of the apostles chosen personally by Christ and with the completion of the written Word of God. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit. The gifts which remain are sufficient for the ministry and the perfecting of the Church today. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, according to His will, for the sick and afflicted².

Concerning Evangelism

We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the gospel to all mankind¹.

Concerning Eternal Life & Judgment

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment¹.

Concerning Christ's Return

We believe, according to Scripture, in the pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that this second coming will be a literal, bodily, personal appearance to the earth; that His coming for His Bride, the Church, precedes the Tribulation and constitutes the "Blessed Hope" set before us, for which we should be constantly looking¹.

Biblical Ministry

Appalachian Bible College operates under the auspices of Appalachian Bible Fellowship, an independent faith mission. Therefore, the College and its missionary staff function in submission to, and support of, like-minded local churches in their fulfillment of Christ’s mission for His Church.

Biblical Hermeneutics

Appalachian Bible College affirms a literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of both the Old and New Testaments. We follow a theological method that honors the progress of revelation, not allowing the NT to reinterpret OT promises to Israel. We further affirm a dispensational theology, which recognizes the distinction between Israel and the Church and the doxological purpose of biblical history.

Biblical Separation

Appalachian Bible College stands uncompromisingly for the historic Christian faith, as expressed in its Doctrinal Statement, and avoids official cooperation with churches and religious organizations which are members of apostate bodies (e.g., National Council of Churches).

Appalachian Bible College rejects expressions of evangelicalism that show a lack of clarity regarding the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, a compromise with modern secular scientific thought, and a theologically accepting attitude toward Pentecostalism, the Charismatic movement, and theological liberalism. Such evangelicalism demonstrates a disregard for both personal and ecclesiastical separation. Eschatologically, it is indecisive, permitting a wide range of positions while disparaging dispensational pretribulationism.