The Network is founded upon shared theological convictions, biblical principles, and missiological methods that shape our ministry priorities and unite our churches.

Shared Creed

All churches and individuals in the Network affirm the DTN Statement of Faith, along with the historic confessions and creeds it references, including the Apostle’s Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Nicene Creed, and substantial agreement with the 1853 New Hampshire Confession.

Shared Cultural Convictions

We affirm that cultural ideologies such as critical theory, intersectionality, and secular views of social justice are incompatible with biblical truth. Therefore, full affirmation of the statements found within the DTN Statement of Faith are required, including the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, the Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality, the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel.

Commitments to Biblical Principles

All churches and individuals in the Network must adhere to and promote these biblical principles:

The Lordship of Jesus Christ

We affirm that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord over all creation and is Head of His Church. He alone, through His Word, governs the mission, doctrine, and practice of every local church.

The Authority of Scripture

We affirm the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. Scripture alone is the ultimate, sufficient, and final authority for all things that pertain to faith and practice.

The Regulative Principle of Worship & Expositional Preaching

We affirm that corporate worship should be regulated by Scripture. Worship in a local church should be marked by the reading, praying, singing, and preaching of the Bible, as well as the proper observance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The preaching of God’s Word should be faithful, expositional, and centered on Christ.

Reformed Soteriology

We affirm the doctrines of grace and the sovereignty of God in salvation. The Network is distinctly reformed in soteriology and united in proclaiming salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Baptist Doctrine and Ecclesiology

We affirm a distinctly Baptist understanding of baptism and church polity. We are credobaptist and uphold congregational autonomy. We hold to elder-led congregationalism, regenerate church membership, and the practice of biblical church discipline.

The Biblical Design of a Local Church

We affirm that a biblical church is a single, identifiable congregation gathering regularly under the leadership of qualified elders for worship, discipleship, and observance of the ordinances. This means that we affirm a “one, unified assembly” model of the church. While we respect the challenges of growth, we do not support multi-campus or video-venue models that fragment the church’s gathered life. Instead, we encourage planting new congregations to preserve the clarity and integrity of biblical ecclesiology.

The Primacy and Centrality of the Local Church

We affirm that the local church is God’s appointed means for making mature disciples, raising up new leaders, and fulfilling the Great Commission. The Network exists to serve, not replace, the local church, and thus we reject models of ministry that sideline or circumvent the church in favor of individualism, parachurch autonomy, or unaccountable missionary efforts.

Missiological Commitments

The Great Commission

We affirm that the Great Commission is the responsibility of every local church. We are committed to establishing and strengthening biblically-faithful, gospel-preaching, disciple-making churches among all peoples for the glory of God.

Unity in Truth and Love

We affirm that unity among the brethren is grounded in shared truth and mutual love, not in institutional uniformity. We commit to foster joyful fellowship, mutual encouragement, and doctrinal accountability among churches and individuals. We further commit to guarding the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace by upholding the truth without compromise. We will not elevate preferences over principles or blur doctrinal boundaries for the sake of superficial unity. Instead, we will labor together in love, truth, humility, and gospel partnership.

Financial Transparency and Integrity

We affirm that financial transparency and integrity are essential in all God-glorifying ministries, especially in parachurch ministries that serve local churches and their missionaries. DTN was founded on this very conviction and makes every effort to abide by this principle. The Network is structured to enable and encourage partner churches to uphold their biblical responsibility to faithfully steward the funds God has provided for missions.