FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in our ministry. We understand that anytime someone is looking for a church home there will be questions. We have taken the time to answer some frequently asked questions below. If the information provided does not answer all of your questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or via email.

This church is a Baptist church because of Bible conviction and practice. We believe and practice the traditional and historical Bible teachings of the Baptist faith. As Baptist we believe the following: The Bible is our sole authority. We believe in the autonomy or self governing of the church. No man needs an intercessor or priest to approach God on their behalf. Every believer can come boldly to God through Jesus Christ. There are two ordinances of the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Each person is individually responsible for his decision to accept Christ. Every individual is given a free will by God and must either accept Him or reject Him. We believe in the separation of church and state. We believe in two offices of the church: pastor and deacon. It is our belief that the membership of the church is to be a saved membership.

Ultimately, Christ is the head of the church. The pastor is the “overseer” and “shepherd.” The pastor prayerfully seeks God’s direction in the leading of the church. The pastor is assisted by and meets regularly with the deacons who are a group of men selected from among and affirmed by the church.

We are a church with traditional values. We believe the Bible is relevant and is the foundation upon which our church is built. We sing traditional hymns and contemporary songs which contain not only Bible doctrine but also cultivate an atmosphere for the magnification of Jesus Christ through the preaching of the Word of God. We believe our services are to be Scriptural putting the focus on the magnification of God and not on man.

People often choose a church based on the appearance of the building, the friendliness of the people, or the programs that are offered. As important as these qualities are, other qualities surpass them all . . . First and foremost, the church you choose should hold to the fundamentals of the Christian faith: the inspiration and authority of the Bible and Jesus’ virgin birth, eternal deity, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, and literal return. Bible-teaching churches of all varieties hold these primary beliefs as essential truths.

Baptists are distinguished from other Christian groups by specific Biblical distinctives. The name “Baptist” identifies people who hold those distinctives. These Baptist distinctives relate to questions of vital interest today. For example, does absolute truth exist, or are all belief systems relative? Who controls the program, property, finances, staffing, and doctrinal position of a local church? How does being a representative of God on earth affect the believer’s marriage, work, or relationship to government and society? Does God dispense His grace through religious rituals? Should a free society “legislate righteousness”? Is it right to “judge” anything about another person? Is there a Biblical model for church leadership? What is the proper relationship between church and state?

These distinctives may be remembered by associating them with the letters that form the word “BAPTISTS.”
 
Biblical Authority: The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture’s inherent authority. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
 
Autonomy of the Local Church: The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church’s beliefs or practices. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a “member” of any other body. Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23
 
Priesthood of the Believer:“Priest” is defined as “one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God.” Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God’s Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God–whether we are a preacher or not.1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9, 10
 
Two Ordinances: The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord’s Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins. Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
 
Individual Soul Liberty: Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself. Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:9
Saved, Baptized Church Membership: Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 4:3
 
Two Offices: The Bible mandates only two offices in the church–pastor and deacon. The three terms–”pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop,” or “overseer”–all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor and deacon exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside or over the local church.1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-38; Philippians 1:1
Separation of Church and State: God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. The government’s purposes are outlined in Romans 13:1-7 and the church’s purposes in Matthew 28:19 and 20. Neither should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. Christians in a free society can properly influence government toward righteousness, which is not the same as a denomination or group of churches controlling the government. Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 5:17-29
It is the church’s distinctive beliefs that set it apart from all others. Baptists in general hold to some convictions that make them different from all other groups. We hold to the Baptist distinctives because these distinctives are historically Biblical. They are relevant to the issues facing contemporary society and the church.
© berean baptist church | 2020 | All Rights Reserved
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