Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

The Foundation of the Church

The foundation of the Church is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the Lord over His church, and His saving work is the foundation of the church itself.

“The deity of Jesus, His virgin birth, His vicarious atonement, His bodily resurrection and His second coming are the component parts of this foundation....The church has a sure foundation, a safe foundation, a solid foundation, an enduring foundation, and an eternal foundation.”

The Great Constitution:

The Body of Christ

Ekklesia - primary NT word for “church” - the ones called out.

Christians are called out from the world into the fellowship of the Church.

The called-out ones are visible in local congregations that are part of the body of Christ.

Paul used the figure of the human body with its many different members yet with a basic unity to illustrate the body of Christ.

The same HS is at work in all believers, and the church transcends ethnic and social differences.

Each individual member of the body is a part of the body and belongs in the body.

God has placed each member in the body according to His plan.

Christians with more obvious gifts should not look down on less gifted believers.

When one member suffers, the whole body is involved.

Members should show concern for one another.

The church is the body of Christ.

The vast majority of NT references to the church refer to local congregations…however - refer back to BF&M...

Local & Universal church

Characteristics of the Church

Autonomy

BF&M - every local congregation is invested with full authority to fulfill its ministry…As Baptists, we don’t believe in a hierarchical system above the local church because that does not exist in the NT.

There is no high priest or bishop or larger headquarters with governing authority.

Jesus’ Lordship

While individual churches are autonomous, we do affirm the lordship of Jesus Christ over His church.

We serve Jesus…Jesus rules in his church through the ministry of the word and the guidance of the HS.

He exercises his authority in the church by means of the NT principles handed down to the apostles and through them to the church.

Covenant

The concept of covenant lies at the heart of the Baptist vision of the church.

A church is not merely a voluntary association or a social organization.

Instead, it is a congregation of believers who covenant together to fulfill Christ’s ministry.

The idea of covenant has a rich heritage, for in the OT God made a series of covenants with his people.

A covenant binds church members to one another in a sacred bond of love and mutual accountability to God.

Members pledge to one another their trust, their faith, and their eagerness to work together for the glory of Christ.

The local church is a covenant community of believers who, united by a common faith and a saving experience with the Lord Jesus Christ, willingly enter a covenant together to fulfill all the responsibilities and receive all the promises God gives His people.

Baptism

Our common baptism binds us together as believers and establishes the boundary of membership in the congregation.

The Ministry of the Church

A specific blueprint for the way we organize and fulfill his great commission & great commandment.

Christian churches are obligated to obey the law of Christ and to exercise all the gifts, rights, and privileges the Lord grants believers through His Word.

Central to this assignment is the task of gospel witness to the ends of the earth…no geographical limits on the local church’s gospel responsibility.

The marks of a church include preaching the Word, observing the ordinances, disciplining its members, and ministering according to God’s word.

Worship stands at the forefront of the church’s ministry, and preaching stands at the forefront of worship.

A true gospel church places a high priority on preaching and teaching.

We hold each other accountable and seek to restore members to full fellowship when sin or a breech in fellowship divides or harms the church and its members.

The Structure of the Church

The Scriptural officers of the church are pastors and deacons.

Pastor - bishop, elder, and pastor...

Bishop: overseer - someone who oversees the work of others.

Elder - someone who possessed dignity and wisdom

Pastor - shepherd who loves and cares for the sheep.

Central to the pastor’s role is the responsibility to preach and teach.

Preach and teach the WORD OF GOD.

Deacon - officer who is to serve the church through ministry so that pastors can devote themselves to the preaching and teaching of the word.