About

Our Pastor

Pastor Hoots was born in northeast Mississippi in 1957 and was born again by the grace of God in 1976. His call to the ministry came shortly thereafter and now consists of over 31 years of pastoring. Fourteen of those years were spent in south Louisiana, where he earned his Bachelor of Religious Education in 1986 from Bethany Bible College and Seminary in Dothan, Alabama. He became the pastor of East River in September of 1995.

Our pastor and his wife Cindy have been married since 1977 and have been blessed with five children, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. His vision for our church is simple and Scriptural---to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ both locally (various church ministries) and globally (missionaries around the world).

We feel that our pastor is a gifted pastor-teacher with a shepherd's heart. He loves the Lord, and he loves us. Likewise we love and pray for him. If you believe the Bible, allow us to encourage you to attend a church that preaches and teaches the same and to come experience our church family.

Roger Hoots (Pastor)

I have had the blessing of pastoring this great group of folks since 1995. If we can help you in any way, please let us know.

Our Faith

SCRIPTURE

We believe that the scriptures of both the Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, that they are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice, and are preserved in the Authorized Version (KJV 1611) of the Bible. 2 Tim. 3:16; Ps. 12:6-7

GOD

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy spirit. That God is supreme in His person, absolute in His attributes, glorious in His perfection, and eternal in His being. I John 5:7

JESUS

We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ, His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, His bodily resurrection, His exaltation at God’s right hand, and His personal imminent, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulational return. Matt. 1:20; II Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:7; Luke 24:6, 39; I Tim. 2:5

HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Son, the indweller of every believer to enlighten, guide, and enable him in life, testimony, and service, and seal each believer until the day of redemption of the body. John 15:26, 27; John 14:7-11; Eph. 1:13, 14

MAN

We believe that God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) in a state of innocency, but through temptation, he willingly transgressed, became dead in trespasses and sins. As a result, his posterity (all men) inherited a corrupt nature, are born in sin, and are under condemnation. Gen. 1:26; Psalm 51:5; Rom. 5:12

SEPARATION

We believe that all saved are called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices and alliances. II Cor. 6:14-18; II John 10:11; II Thes. 3:6, 14

ORDINANCES

We believe that two ordinances of the church are:

1. The Lord’s Supper: whereby believers do show forth the Lord’s death till He comes again. I Cor. 11:23-32

2. Scriptural baptism by immersion

SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

We believe that those who by faith receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, are the children God, are heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, are kept by the power of God, and can know they are eternally saved, once forever! Eph. 4:30; John 10:27-30; Jude 1, 24

LAST THINGS

We believe in the imminent, pre-tribulational, pre-millennial return of Christ. The Lord shall return for His church and rapture out the Church at any given moment. The world will then enter into a seven-year period of tribulation that will end with the battle of Armageddon and the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. He will come as “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords,” and establish His kingdom that will last for 1,000 years. The Lord will then judge the living and the dead at the Great White Throne Judgment (which is different from the Judgment Seat of Christ where the Lord judges the Church). After this, all the lost, Satan, death and hell, are cast into the Lake of Fire, while the Lord and His saints enter into “Eternal Bliss.” I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:51-58; Matt. 24:3-41; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-5; 21:1-6