Non-Denominational, Protestant-Evangelical Church


Who We Are

Equipping the Saints Ministries (ETSM) is a non-denominational, independent church that stands in the Protestant-Evangelical tradition. As a Protestant-Evangelical church we espouse the reformed theology born out of the 16th century Protestant Reformation.

Equipping Christian Believers on How to Properly Handle The Scriptures

At Equipping the Saints Ministries, our main goal is to fulfill the biblical mandate by equipping our followers with invaluable theological knowledge. We primarily serve residents of Hyde Park, MA as well as the Greater Boston area.

What We Are

We are an equipping church, meaning our primary purpose is to ‘furnish’ the saints of God with the teaching and training, equipment and tools necessary to carry out and fulfill their individual work of service or ministry.

We are a covenant community. We are committed to one another as we share our faith in common unity (Acts 2:44, 4:32).

What We Believe


Statement/Articles of Faith

The fundamental beliefs and teachings of this congregation are reflected in the following “Statement/Articles of Faith”:

We believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God - divinely inspired, authoritative, infallible, inerrant, trustworthy, and sufficient. We believe the Bible alone, as special revelation, reveals the Person and works of God: His nature, character and attributes, as well as His purposes, plans and will for the universe and man, and is the final authority on all matters of life, faith and Christian practice.

We believe in one God, Tri-une and self-existent; co- eternal, co-equal and co-substantial; omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent; the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and man; the sole Possessor of heaven and earth; revealed in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - Who being indivisible dwell together as one in divine union and agreement.

We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten and eternal Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin - fully God and fully man. We believe in His death, burial, and bodily resurrection for the atonement and justification of sinners, as well as His ascension, enthronement, and present high priestly ministry. We believe He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Person, work, and ministry of the Holy Spirit - to draw, regenerate, seal, and sanctify the elect; to empower believers to be witnesses for Christ, to live the Christian life in the present evil age, and to enable believers with spiritual gifts for works of service and the edification of the Body of Christ.

We believe in the creation of the universe according to Genesis 1. We also believe that man was created in the image of God, and is therefore both unique above all God’s creation and accountable to his Creator.

We believe in the fall of man and original sin, and that through the disobedience of Adam, the first man, all are under the curse of sin and death. Because of sin man is separated from God and abides under His wrath. We believe man is totally depraved, and completely incapable of saving himself. Therefore, man’s greatest need is God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, the second man and last Adam.

We believe salvation is by grace (alone), through faith (alone), in the substitutionary, atoning work of Christ (alone). We believe that remission of sins is through Christ (alone). We believe that in order for man to be saved man must first hear the Gospel, come under its conviction, and be genuinely converted through true repentance and saving faith in Christ (alone).

We believe in the biblical gospel preached by Christ and His apostles, the Reformers and the Revivalists, as the one and only message given to the Church to proclaim. We believe that “justification by faith alone” is at the heart of the (biblical) gospel and is the chief article upon which the Church stands or falls.

We believe the Church is the Body of Christ made up of those who are elect, predestined, called, and redeemed. We believe all born again believers must identify with the (one) universal Church expressed through membership in a local church.

We believe in the ordinances of Water Baptism (by immersion) and the Lord’s Supper as commanded by Christ.

We believe in church discipline according to Matthew C.18, vv.15-22 and 1Corinthians C.5. We believe our Lord Jesus Christ gave this authority and responsibility to His Church as judgment against sin and to correct wrongful conduct in the church. Church discipline is the means by which purity and right relationships are maintained in the church.

We believe in final judgment with the wicked being condemned to eternal damnation (including Satan and his fallen angels) and the righteous entering into eternal glory.

The preceding Articles of Faith are what we believe and teach in keeping with the apostles’ doctrine, the classical traditions of historic Christianity, Church Creeds and Confessions and Reformed, Protestant Evangelicalism.

Our Vision

Our vision is:

  • To see the body of Christ come to full maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, thereby becoming an accurate expression of Him in character and ministry (Eph. 4)
  • To see the body of Christ come to the revelation of the Kingdom as a present reality (Matt. 4:17, 23, Acts 28:30-31)

Our Mandate

Our mandate is to:

  • Lay a strong biblical foundation on Christ (1 Cor. 3:9-11, Eph.2:20)
  • Build properly upon the foundation (1 Cor. 3:15)
  • The FOUNDATION to be laid, the only foundation that can and must be laid is Christ! (Is. 28:18, 1 Cor. 3:10, 1 Pet. 2:4-8)

Our Core Commitments

  1. To Love God
    • In worship and obedience
  2. To Love Our Neighbor
    • Caring about others
  3. Covenant Christian Community
    • Body Building/Relationship Building
    • Common unity centered in and around Christ
    • Commitment to faithful service
    • Giving/Kingdom Investments
  4. Discipleship
    • Godly Lifestyle (Christ-likeness)
    • Biblical Competence
    • Stewardship
    • Obedience
  5. Healthy Marriages & Families
    • God's divine institutions
  6. Servant-Leadership (John 13, Php. 2)

Our Mission

Our mission is to equip (“fully furnish”) the saints: biblically, theologically, doctrinally, apologetically, polemically, historically, and in spiritual gifts and callings. Our mission is also to equip believers to have a distinctly biblical worldview.

Our Mission Statement:

‘Fulfilling the biblical mandate to equip the saints.’ (Ephesians 4:12)

Church Government:

The governmental structure of ETSM, in accordance with the New Testament, consists of the governmental offices of:

  • Elders (Plurality of elders)
  • Deacons (Multiplicity of ministries)

(NOTE: A full disclosure of ETSM’s government is explicitly set forth in our church by-laws.)