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 rebelled 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. 3:24; Rom. 2:15), 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.
A Plurality of Pastoral Leadership
The Bible teaches that each local
church should be led by a plurality of godly, qualified men called elders. Paul
lays out the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy
3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
Passages that evidence a plurality of elders in one local church include Acts 14:23, Acts 20:17, 1 Timothy
4:14, 1 Timothy 5:17, and James 5:14.
God gifts churches with elders to feed God’s sheep God’s word (Jn. 21:15-17),
guide the sheep (1 Tim. 4:16; 1 Pet. 5:3, Heb. 13:7),
and protect the sheep from attackers (Acts 20:27-29; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; Tit. 1:9),
while protecting both themselves and the church through the wisdom of their
plurality (Prov. 11:14;24:6).
The bottom line? Biblical church leadership is important because without it,
God’s people are like sheep without shepherds.
B
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 shouldlive? 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 ecumenism that joins multiple faiths and denominations together for
fellowship by overlooking false doctrine.
Corporate Worship
Everything we do should be a form of worship to God
(1 Cor. 10:31). Specifically in corporate worship: prayer, bible reading,
singing, and preaching are all considered worship and should all be focused on
the truth of God’s Word. A result will be that God’s people will please and
enjoy God in sincerity (Psa. 37:4; Matt. 15:8; John 4:24).
Music
Music must be centered on pleasing God before it pleases
man. The goal of music must not be to appeal to the carnal nature of depraved
man. The goal is to teach truth and to praise God (Psa. 150; Eph. 5:17;
Col. 3:16). Therefore, music must be consistent with that goal in style,
quality, mood, tone, and lyrics (1Cor. 14:7). We are not restricted to one
musical style. Since musical style is determined by the culture in which we
live, it must be examined and carefully tested in light of principles in God’s
Word. A Christian’s music should be different from the world’s music in that it
should be joyful (Psa. 98:4), truthful ( Col 3:16 ) and that it
should cause the unbelieving to see a difference in those who sing it (Psa.
40:2).
Charismatic Movement
The modern charismatic movement which
focuses its ministries on the distortion of the supernatural sign gifts of the
early church (2 Cor. 12:5-11) is in gross error because of their
misunderstanding of scripture at best or because of demonic deception at worst.
However, there are many sincere brethren who are in this movement. Scripture
specifically mentions that tongues will cease (I Cor 13:8) of themselves.
Therefore, we teach that there is no longer a need for sign gifts
since the canon of scripture is complete.
Spiritual Gifts
The spiritual gifts as described in Romans 12:6-8
are given by the Holy Spirit to individual Christians at conversion. These
gifts are developed in and recognized by the local church as a Christian begins
growing in the Lord. The miraculous gifts that were recognized as the gifts and
signs of the Apostles (I Cor. 12) are no longer in use and cannot be claimed by
anyone in the church today. The gifts of tongues, miracles, and healings ceased
after the death of the Apostles (I Cor 13:8). God can still heal today, but we
should not seek a healer, rather we should follow the prescription as given to
us in James 5:14-15. We do not deny, however, that God can and may at times
sovereignly bestow one of these gifts for isolated use in special
circumstances. Christians should not seek to obtain these gifts, but should
rather seek the gift of prophecy (proclaiming God’s Word – 1Cor. 14:1).
Baptist Distinctives
Biblical authority (Matthew 24:35; 1
Peter 1:23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Autonomy of the local church (Matt. 18:15–17; 1 Cor. 6:1-3)
Priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5-9; 1 Timothy 5)
Two ordinances (believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper) (Acts 2:41–47;
1 Cor. 11:23-32)
Individual soul liberty (Romans 14:5–12)
Separation of Church and State (Matthew 22:15–22)
Two offices of the church (pastors and deacons) (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus
1–2)
Saved Church Membership (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians
1:18)