Biographical Information
Name: Jay Dustin Long, go by Dustin
Ministry Experience: 13+ years total, Senior Pastor- 10+ years, Youth/Children- 3+ years
Education/Certification: Master’s Degree- Christian Studies, B.S. in Education, Licensed Ordained
Spouse: Amber Nicole Long (We were married in July, 2004)
Children: Madelyn- 13 years, Abbie - 10 years, Titus- 8 Years, Caroline- 6 years, Gideon- 2 years
Personal Beliefs- I affirm the Baptist Faith and Message, 2000
God: I believe that there is one God. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
Salvation: I believe that salvation is through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ alone, believing that He died for our sins and that we must commit our lives to the leadership and lordship of God and that He rose again, defeating death and giving us life after death. I believe that salvation is available to “whosoever believes” but that believing involves being made new, not simply mere acknowledgement. I believe in the eternal security of the saved.
Bible: I believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired, inerrant word of God. It was given to us to show a glimpse of the heart and thoughts of God. It was written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit to write exactly as God instructed. While God allowed the personalities of the authors to be present in the writings, each word written was as God intended it. I personally use word-for-word translations, preferring the New King James Version and the English Standard Version. I also reference the New American Standard and the Christian Standard Version.
Marriage: I believe that marriage is a covenant with God and is intended to be lifelong, faithful, and God centered. I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman and every effort must be made to keep the covenant of marriage. While there are Biblical grounds for divorce, I believe the Bible teaches that reconciliation and forgiveness should be the first options in any relationship.
Discipleship and Missions: Discipleship and missions are my passions and should be a vital aspect of today's church. They cannot be ignored or compromised. They must be done fervently to keep the church strong and to preserve its reliance on the Spirit and the Scriptures.
Ordinances: The New Testament church has two ordinances to observe and faithfully follow: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Personal Walk with the Lord: I believe that in order to have a personal walk with the Lord, one must pray frequently, study the Bible daily, fellowship with other Christians consistently, tithe faithfully, and spread the Gospel regularly. As a minister and a Christian, I am called to be an example in all of these and with the strength of the Lord, I commit myself to doing the best I am able so that I will not “disqualify” myself from the ministry.