Of the Church

Articles of Faith: Of the Church

We believe that a Baptist church is a congregation of associated by a of faith and of the Gospel, said church being understood to be the citadel and propagator of the ; observing the of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its of ordination are whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.

We believe that men and women are in position before God but that God has ordained spiritual functions of men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to hold leadership positions () in the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible of and ordination for pastor by the church.

We believe the true mission of the church is found in the : first, to make disciples; second, to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct s He has commanded. We do not believe in the of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of , free from the interference of any of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only is Christ through the ; that it is scriptural for true churches to with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the of the measure and method of its cooperation; on matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

Leviticus 27:31

And if a man will at all redeem ought of his , he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

Malachi 3:10

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the , and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Matthew 28:19-20

19. Go ye therefore, and all nations, them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20. Teaching them to all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 2:41-42

41. Then they that gladly received his word were : and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' and , and in breaking of bread, and in .

Acts 6:5-6

5. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

6. Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had , they laid their hands on them.

Acts 14:23

And when they had them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Acts 15:22-23

22. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the , to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

23. And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

Acts 20:17-28

17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the of the church.

18. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

19. Serving the Lord with all , and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

20. And how I kept back nothing that was unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

21. Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22. And now, behold, I go in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and abide me.

24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

25. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the , shall see my face no more.

26. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am from the blood of all men.

27. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the of God.

28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you , to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13

11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

12. For what have I to do to them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore from among yourselves that wicked person.

1 Corinthians 6:1-3

1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the , and not before the saints?

2. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the ?

3. Know ye not that we shall judge ? how much more things that pertain to this life?

1 Corinthians 11:2

2. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the , as I delivered them to you.

1 Corinthians 12:4, 8-11

4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the .

8. For to one is given by the Spirit the ; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the by the same Spirit;

10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another ; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame , dividing to every man severally as he will.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2

1. Now concerning the for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2. Upon the let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Ephesians 1:22-23

22. And hath put under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23. Which is his , the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 4:11

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, ; and some, pastors and teachers;

Ephesians 5:23-24

23. For the husband is the of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24. Therefore as the church is unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the : who is the beginning, the ; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

1 Timothy 3:1-13

1. This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a .

2. A bishop then must be , the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of ; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4. One that ruleth well his own , having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the ?)

6. Not a , lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7. Moreover he must have a of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8. Likewise must the be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9. Holding the mystery of the faith in a .

10. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found .

11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, in all things.

12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, their children and their own houses well.

13. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a , and in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Of the Church

Gap-fill exercise