Expositional Preaching – Theology must be at the heart of the message. What we know and believe about God and His character determines everything we do in everyday life. Preaching should be expository in nature, explaining the text in its God-given context, and applying its truths to instruct, exhort, reprove, and correct (2 Tim. 4:2). The preacher’s responsibility is to read the text, explain the text, support the text, illustrate the text, apply the text, and demand obedience to the text. The result should be a theologically literate congregation of people who live out the truth. Words such as justification, imputation, adoption, propitiation, and such should not be foreign concepts. Preaching that is determined by the felt needs of the people is letting the sheep dictate their diet, which is not healthy or wise. Examples of expository preaching in the Bible can be found in: Neh. 8:8 and Acts 2:16.
Biblical Understanding of the Gospel
The gospel is the heart of Christianity. But the good news is not that God wants to take people to heaven, meet people's felt needs or help them develop a healthier self-image. We have sinfully rebeled against our Creator and Judge. Yet He has graciously sent His Son to die the death we deserved for our sin, and He has credited Christ's acquittal to those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus' death and resurrection. That is good news.
Biblical Understanding of Conversion
The spiritual change each person needs is so radical, and impossible to attain by human efforts, that only God can do it. We need God to convert us. Conversion need not be an emotionally heated experience, or simply a quick decision but it must evidence itself in godly fruit if it is to be what the Bible regards as a true conversion.
Evangelism – The Gospel must be understood correctly if it is to be presented to others correctly. Jesus Christ is the central figure in redemption, not the man being redeemed. Mans greatest need is not to be rescued from hell. His greatest need is to know God by receiving spiritual life and deliverance from sin, which comes from Christ alone. The nature of man must be understood correctly in order to evangelize effectively. That he is by nature, spiritually dead, not spiritually sick. He is naturally at enmity against God and is inclined to reject, ignore, disobey, and hate all that is holy, because he is unholy. Man must meet God on His terms: belief and repentance. The law of God is the greatest tool for convicting the sinner of his guilt before God (Gal. ), so that he can be brought to a godly sorrow and to understand his need for grace and forgiveness. The sinner cannot be forced, coerced or manipulated into making a decision to receive Christ.
Biblical Theology
Paul charged Titus to teach what is in accord with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). Our concern should be not only with how we are taught, but with what we are taught. Biblical theology is a commitment to know the God of the Bible as He has revealed Himself in Scripture so that we may respond to Him correctly.
The Centrality of the Lordship of Christ
When a person becomes a Christian, submission to the Lordship of Christ is not optional as many teach in the modern church. In fact, it is the essence of what it means to be a Christian. Jesus demands nothing less than supreme love and devotion to Him alone if someone wants to follow Him. Therefore, Christ should be central in the life of every Christian so that a life of joyful obedience is the natural result.
Biblical Understanding of Membership
Membership should reflect a living commitment to a local church in attendance, giving, prayer and service; otherwise it is meaningless, worthless, and even dangerous. We should not allow people to keep their membership in our church for sentimental reasons or lack of attention. To be a member is knowingly to be traveling together as aliens and strangers in this world as we head to our heavenly home.
Biblical Church Discipline
Church discipline gives parameters to church membership. The idea seems negative to people today – “didn’t our Lord forbid judging?” But if we cannot say how a Christian should not live, how can we say how he or she should live? Each local church actually has a biblical responsibility to judge the life and teaching of its leaders, and even of its members, particularly insofar as either could compromise the church’s witness to the gospel.
Promotion of Christian Discipleship and Growth
A pervasive concern with church growth exists today – not simply with growing numbers, but with growing members. Though many Christians measure other things, the only certain observable sign of growth is a life of increasing holiness, rooted in Christian self-denial and love. These concepts are nearly extinct in the modern church. Recovering true discipleship for today would build the church and promote a clearer witness to the world.
Biblical Understanding of Unity and Separation
God's people are commanded not to have any fellowship or cooperation with those who deny the fundamental doctrines of the faith. Christians should encourage other brethren to also withdraw from apostates but if they refuse, then after the due process that is spelled out in Matthew 18, the church should withdraw fellowship from them as impenitent and disobedient. The church should strive to keep the unity of the faith with other churches, and have as much fellowship and cooperation with other congregations that differ on matters not essential to the gospel as is agreeably possible. We disagree with the spirit of ecumenicism that joins multiple faiths and denominations together for fellowship by overlooking false doctrine.
Corporate Worship – Every thing we do should be a form of worship to God (1 Cor.