Questions and Answers
Over the years, I have been asked many questions about Jesus Christ and the Bible.
I don't have all the answers.
My understanding of the scriptures and the guidence that I provide come from God through prayer.
I can recommend no better source and I can provide no better advice.
Here are a few of the common questions and my responses.Question: What is your belief about the doctrine of election? Answer: We certainly believe in election as a church, although not in a Calvinistic view. While we do hold that God, in His foreknowledge, KNOWS everyone that will ever be saved, we also hold that He does NOT predestinate or fix persons to one eternal standing or another. We believe as long as breath is in a person, they have the potential to be saved and find redemption. We stress the Biblical teaching of foreknowledge vs. the teaching of predestination. We do believe that we are predestined to be conformed into His image, etc, but not predestined to find or not find salvation. Question: Is it unscriptural to organize a mission without a delegation or representatives from the mother church? Answer: The Missionary Baptists of like faith and order to Bethel do practice the extension of "arms of authority". A church may "extend an arm" to a mission work, thus allowing the mission to receive members, etc under the authority of and into the membership of the sponsoring church. Once the mission is organized into a church, that arm is retracted and the mission stands on its own as Church XYZ. However, the first church that I pastored in Missouri had a group of 15 to 20 that began to meet in another town for proximity purposes. They just met as brethren and did not baptize or observe the Lord's Supper. After about a year, they organized into a church with a presbytery (a council of ordained men from sister churches) and they began an independent body, elected a pastor, held a business meeting, etc. Today, that church is doing very well and has built a new church building and have been seeing good growth. Now, which is best? I don't know as there are pros and cons to each. Most in this area would recommend an extended arm to a mission work. However, I personally do not think that it is necessary, although perhaps advisable. As far as the question you asked about receiving a sponsoring letter vs. an in person request, I believe that that is just personal preference. However, if one is making a request of a church, I feel that one should do as that church desires as one is asking them for an "arm of authority" etc. Question: Concerning your church, what do you practice and observe? Baptism, Lord's supper, etc.? Answer:
Baptism: We hold to the practice of immersion as taught in the original Greek New Testament. We believe that 4 conditions must be present for a baptism to be scriptural. One, a proper authority: This is a scripturally founded, Jesus owned, Holy Spirit directed New Testament teachings the rudiments of Christ. Second, a proper Candidate: This a person who has had an experiemental, heart-felt experience of salvation which, they are satisfied, will take them to heaven. Third, a proper Mode: This is water sufficient for immersion. I was baptized in a river in Missouri by my father. I have baptized in rivers, creeks, lakes, and baptisteries. Lastly, you need a proper administrator: This is an ordained minister of like faith and order. He is simply be the "immersing agent" acting on before of the the baptizing church. We hold that any deficiently or absence of ANY of these four conditions would disqualify the validity of the baptism.
The Lord's Supper: We observe this second ordinance of the church on an irregular basis at Bethel but try to observe such about twice per year. We use wine and unleavened bread as the outward symbols associated with the breaking of Christ's body for our sins and the spilling of His blood. Our church does use wine. Every other church I have pastored previously has used grape juice. I do not feel that it is important as it serves as a symbol of something else much omore important. We do practice closed communion which means that we do not invite other Christians or non-believers to partake in this ordinance with us. It is observed by members of Bethel MBC only. We do so because we believe it to be the best interpretation of the New Testament teachings regarding the ordinance. Question: Answer:
