(Photo above is courtesy of Mike Snow, mikesnow.org)
“It seems many people today think that when it comes to religion, you can believe in any god or path to heaven. The Bible stands in the way and says, “No. There is One way to God: through Jesus Christ. God never validated Muhammad, Buddha, the Hindu gods, or anyone other than Jesus. He has validated Jesus by raising Him from the dead. Mohammad and Buddha are dead. Jesus is alive.” -Matthew Monfore
Main Issues of Our Day (Getting to the Main Points)
Essentials (We would break fellowship/not partner/not endorse those who weren’t in agreement on these issues:
- There is One God in being, and 3 persons [The Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; One God, manifested in 3 unique persons in perfect unity [coequal and coeternal without any of the 3 persons ceasing to be/exist at any moment; we reject modalism or oneness theology]
- There is One Holy Bible (all “holy” books of other faiths are not God’s Authoritative Word.)
- There is One Savior: Jesus Christ, who is the only way to know God and go to heaven.
- God created the earth in 6 Literal Days; not millions/thousands of years; God does not need evolution.
- Homosexuality is sin [so is pornography and pre-marriage sex] Marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman.
- Repentance (turning from sin; not earning salvation) is necessary to go to heaven; good works prove someone is saved
- People are Justified by Faith Alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ
- BODILY, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Literal Eternal Hell and literal eternal Heaven.
- Christ’s bodily, physical Return to set up His Eternal Kingdom
- Water Baptism is not salvific (does not save)
- Communion (bread and wine/grape juice) does not save
Non-essentials that we Believe to be Biblical but would not break fellowship over:
- We believe in Election[God has chosen who will be saved] and hold to reformed/calvinistic theology to the best of our understanding of Scriptures
- Total Depravity of Man
- Unconditional Election
- Limited Atonement (also called Actual Atonement or Particular Redemption) [listen to Feb. 29th, 2019 debate between Dr. Brown and Dr. White: aomin.org/aoblog/reformed-apologetics/the-extent-of-the-atonement-a-brotherly-biblically-based-discussion-and-disagreement-with-michael-brown-and-james-white/
- Irresistible Grace
- Perseverance of the Saints
- We are Baptist, believing baptism is for believers (not saving), and is done by immersion (full body). We don’t practice infant baptism as a sign of the covenant as certain Reformed groups do (i.e. Presbyterian).
- We are continuationist in regards to the gifts of the Holy Spirit
- We believe prophetic gifts/ dreams have not ceased to be used by God up to the present time (though they are subject to what is recorded in Scripture)
- We believe tongues (speaking in not previously known language by the speaker) continues today
- We believe God still works miraculous works in healing/ supernatural wonders.
- We are Premillennial in belief on the Return of Christ to set up His Kingdom, and particularly, we are post-tribulationist in regards to the Rapture of the Church
- We believe God has called men exclusively to be leaders of the Church as Elders/Pastors; though this does not exclude women from evangelizing or exercising a prophetic gift.
- We are Dissenters (Puritans)
Ordination– Bible and History (Letter from C. H. Spurgeon – “Prince of Preachers”)
Questions can be sent to Matthew Monfore at [email protected] or 605 890 2604