The purpose of the church is for believers to gather out from the secular community to worship God together.
However, God does not accept just anything that calls itself worship. In fact, when the tabernacle and the
Aaronic priesthood was first instituted Jehovah killed two of Aaron's sons for offering improper worship.
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid
incense thereon, and offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them. And there came
forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah. (ASV Leviticus 10:1-2)
When Jesus discussed the essence of true worship with the Samaritan woman at the well, He explained
that the key way in which worship changed between the old and the new covenants is that in the new
covenant worship would be the result of the power of the Holy Spirit and of the Truth. It is interesting
that all life forms integrate information and energy. For example, cells integrate information found in
DNA and energy found in ATP. In fact, one possible definition of life is the integration of information
and energy. When the spiritual power which flows from the Holy Spirit and the Truth found in the Bible
are combined, they become integrated and create spiritual life. Worship is one important way that
spiritual power and Biblical truth integrate to form life.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth
the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (ASV John 4:23-24)
Biblical
We believe that the exposition, interpretation and application of the Bible is the primary task of the church.
The Word of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, constantly transforms us. It is like our DNA. Submission to God's
Word is the essence of worship.
And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (ASV Romans 12:2)
The Greek word translated as transformed is the same word from which we get the word metamorphosis
which describes the transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly under the control of God's Word
found in the cells of this organism in the form of DNA.
An essential part of being Biblical is rejecting all other forms of special revelation which claim to be from God.
This includes all extra-biblical texts and, especially, modern prophetic utterances and speaking in unknown tongues.
We believe that the miraculous gifts were a sign associated with the infancy of the church similar to the cute babbling
of a baby. When the New Testament cannon was completed and the last apostle died, the church entered into a state
where it had enough maturity that those gifts where no longer needed. The completed Bible is all we need to reach
complete maturity as a Christian and to wisely engage in all types of good works. Furthermore, we emphasize the
fruits of the Spirit rather than the gifts of the spirit.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which
is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child,
I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, darkly;
but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. But now abideth
faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (ASV I Corinthians 13:8-13)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (II Timothy 3:16-17)
Baptistic
We believe in local churches made up of regenerated, baptized individuals. We believe that when Jesus said
that true worshipers must worship in Spirit, He meant that true worshipers must be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
We believe that this indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation and is the defining
characteristic of every believer. The result of this indwelling by the Holy Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit.
This fruit is the multifaceted expression of love in a way that includes, joy, peace and other related qualities.
We believe that the local church is a unique organization different from all others because it is the assembly
of those who have been saved, made to be born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the visible
external testimony of this new birth is the rite of baptism. We believe that only those who profess saving faith
in Jesus Christ should be baptized and become members of the church. Therefore, the church is for believers, and
for unbelievers who are seeking to better understand the gospel. Evangelism is supposed to take place primarily
outside the church.
This makes us different from most non Baptist churches which believe that the church and the
state are two distinct authority structures which rule over the same membership. Most churches believe that being
born into a given community puts you under the authority of the local government and the local church. However,
as Baptists, we believe that the church and it's membership are different from the state and it's membership.
The subjects of a state are those who are born physically in a given location while the members of a church are
those who have been born again spiritually in that location.
Prebyterian
It may seem strange that a church can be both Baptist and Presbyterian. However, by saying that we are presbyterian
we mean that we believe that the New Testament church was led and governed by a group of mature Christians called elders.
The word for elder in Greek is presbuteros so presbyterian means elder-run. These elders shepherded and oversaw the
church. The word for shepherd in Latin is pastor and the word for an overseer is episcopos. These are terms which
describe the functions of the elder, what he does.
We believe that an important sign of maturity for a Christian is the ability to
work in a group. It is noteworthy that Jesus sent His disciples out by twos. Later the apostles worked in pairs; we
see Peter and John, Paul and Barnabas, and, later, Paul and Silas. We believe that one of the weaknesses of the modern
church is the lack of a proper leadership group to oversee and feed the church. Paul called such a state one which is
wanting, lacking or deficient.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; (ASV Titus 1:5)
Notice that Titus was to appoint elders in every city. It is extremely unlikely that Paul had planted several churches in every village in Crete since he was trying to start churches in as many places as possible. This is strong evidence that the local church was meant to have a plurality of elders. Since we are a new church, it is not possible to have several elders at the beginning, but our desire is to gradually appoint qualified men as elders.
Reformed
We believe that the church age is not a parenthesis in God's plan, but the next intended stage of the revelation
and implementation of the Kingdom of God. It is the next organic stage in the process which commenced with the
family of Abraham and then the theocratic state of Israel. We believe that the kingdom of God develops as a natural,
connected progression, not as interruptions, failures or parentheses. This means that most of the teaching of the
Old Testament is applicable to us. Jesus said:
Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto
you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things
be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
The word fulfill has the meaning of causing the maximum expression of something. It is similar to the theory
of relativity and quantum mechanics which expanded or fulfilled the physics of Newton. The new physics gave us an
new source of energy, nuclear energy. In a similar way, the new law of the New Testament is based on the new source
of spiritual energy found in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Before, believers could only access this spiritual
power externally by approaching the presence of the Holy Spirit as He manifested Himself as the Shekinah Glory above the
ark or the covenant. This presence now dwells within us and allows us to fulfill the law more exactly.
Jesus fulfilled the law in three ways. (1) First, He paid its penalty and provided us forgiveness from condemnation
for our sin. (2) Second, He empowered us to keep the law through the power of the Holy Spirit who now dwells within
us. The presence of God that was once on the ark in the temple is now in our hearts. (3) Third, He expanded the law
to the mind and to positive commands. For example, it is no longer enough to not commit physical adultery; we now
have the power to stop committing adultery in our minds and instead, we have the positive responsibility to love our wives.
The New Testament is very specific about which part of the law has become obsolete or optional. It is the part which was
associated with temple worship. As evidence of this change, the temple was completely destroyed in 70AD. This part of
the law is called the ceremonial law and has to do with sacrifices, dietary laws, and feast days. The rest of the Old Testament
teachings are still applicable either directly or by analogy.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ?s (ASV Colossians 2:16-17)
The body, meaning the substance, the solid, the permanent, is Jesus Christ. That solid object was anticipated by its shadow. It is like when someone is walking and approaches the corner of a wall. The person on the other side cannot see the person, but he can often see the shadow that precedes him. The shadow that preceded the truth that is in Christ are the sacrifices, the dietary laws, and the holy days. The purpose was to anticipate with symbols the coming of Jesus Christ and the new reality that his coming created.
Calvinistic
We believe that salvation is a paradox. Those who are saved, are saved because in a personal and deliberate way,
God chose to save that specific individual. In a corresponding way, those who are lost, are lost because they
personally and deliberately chose to reject God's offer of salvation. Therefore, in a way, when correctly understood,
the five points of Calvinism explain why some are saved, while, when correctly understood, the five points of
Arminianism, correctly understood, explain why some are lost.
He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (ASV John 1:11-13)
Notice that John says that those who rejected Him did so on their own accord but those who received Him did so, not as a result of any kind of human choice, but as the result of God's choice.
Reverent
We believe that true worship includes music and singing. This praise is an offering to God. Just like the offerings of the Old Testament,
this offering must be of the highest quality and uncontaminated by styles which are associated with corrupt worldly endeavors.
Therefore we emphasize the use of hymns and worship songs with solid doctrinal or devotional content. Notice that in the
following verse Paul says that our songs should teach and admonish:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)
Furthermore, since we believe in the priesthood of the believer, we believe, that like the priests of old, God appreciates
that we appear before him in modest, reverent attire. If we were going to appear before Congress or before an important
dignitary, we would not show up in beach wear or gardening clothes. When we go to church we are meeting with the royal
family and we should dress accordingly. God told Moses that the purpose of the priestly garment was to manifest glory
and beauty which are attributes of God's nature.
And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that
are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him,
that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. (Exodus 28:2-3)
