The Church

The Church

1 Timothy 3:15

We see two things from this passage:

There is a certain way we are to behave in the church.

The church is where God reveals His truth from.

1. Scripture speaks of both the universal and local church.

The universal church:

All of those who have been born again in every age.

Matthew 16:18

I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Paul tried

Galatians 1:13

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

We have a picture of the universal church in heaven in Revelation 7:9-10:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!

We become a member of this church by Spirit baptism.

1 Cor. 12:13

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

The local church:

A group of believers who worship the Lord in Spirit and truth.

Normally, in Scripture, the word “church” refers to a local congregation. (At Corinth, at Ephesus, at Thessalonica…)

We join the universal church by being saved. We join a local church as an act of obedience after we are saved.

2. We believe the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 3:11

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

We believe Christ rules His church through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. We cling to the Lordship of Christ over the church.

We do not have prophets instructing us.

We do not have a headquarters telling us how to interpret Scripture.

We do not pray to saints.

We do not call on angels.

Jesus will build His church through His Word and His Spirit.

3. Characteristics of the church.

Here is our statement:

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

Let’s break that down:

1. We are autonomous.

This means we govern ourselves. We have full authority over our church.

We own the buildings.

We own the property.

We determine where and when money is spent.

No outside organization has the power to make any decision for us.

Our pastors are not appointed by an outside agency.

Our pastors cannot be removed by an outside agency.

Strengths of this:

When a denomination goes astray, we are safe.

Weaknesses:

It can be more difficult for ministerial staff when it comes to salary, retirement, etc.

Let me be clear, Biblically speaking autonomy is the way a church should govern.

2. We believe in covenants.

We’re not just a club. Believers come together with an understanding of commitment. We voluntarily commit ourselves to the local church to fulfill the will of God. Covenants do not hold the same authority as Scripture. They do help us to clarify what each congregation expects of its members.

I’m going to read our covenant to you. It’s a very common covenant among Baptist churches.

Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God. to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God. and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort: to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations. We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior. We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay. We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.

If the average Baptist church followed that covenant our churches would be filled with people who are Spirit filled.

3. We are baptized.

Baptists got our name from our strong commitment to the Biblical mode of baptism. At a time when many had departed from the proper way to baptize, Baptists stood strong.

We baptize:

Only those who have exercised faith and repentance in Christ.

Only by full immersion.

If a person is physically able to be baptized but refuses they cannot be a member of our church. This helps guard our church from doctrines that contradict our beliefs.

We don’t believe baptism saves.

We don’t believe you have to be a member of the Baptist church to be saved.

We do want to protect our church and govern it the way we believe Scripture says it should be governed. We want to be sure all of our members are saved. In a moment we will discuss how our church is governed by its members. That means it’s really important all of the members of the church are saved.

4. How our church is governed.

I have mentioned already that we are autonomous. A self-governing church must still be governed. How does the Baptist church do that?

1. Ultimately, the congregation has authority in the decisions of the church. We believe in the priesthood of the believer. This means that every believer has the presence of the Holy Spirit living in them. His presence gives them the discernment to know the will of God. We believe God works through His body to determine His will for the congregation.

2. We appoint a pastor.

Three words in NT for pastor:

Pastor (Ephesians 4:11)

Elder (James 5:14)

Bishop- overseer (Phil. 1:1)

We believe these words are used interchangeably to refer to the same office. The different words describe different functions of the pastor.

Some churches have more than one pastor

Some churches call their pastors “elders” with a lead elder doing most of the preaching, teaching, leading.

Our beliefs allow for latitude concerning this.

Baptists believe that a pastor must be a man (1 Tim. 3;2). In fact, women pastors in any denomination is a relatively new thing. The pastor(s) is responsible to care for, teach, and protect the congregation. He is accountable to the congregation.

3. We elect deacons.

Deacons are to be examined by Scripture and called by the congregation.

Acts 6:3-6

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

Deacons are to assist the pastor(s) by ministering to the widows and other needs of the church. They are chosen by and accountable to the congregation.

A Baptist church is a local church. It isn’t The Baptist church. It’s “A Baptist Church.”

A Baptist church is built upon Christ and His Word.

A Baptist church is governed by born again believers who have covenanted together to worship and work for the Lord.