Monthly Archives: March 2022

Two Offices

Sunday Morning Sermons

Two Offices

Pastor Don Carpenter

Baptist Basics

Two offices within the church. Scripture only mentions two church offices—pastor (also referred to as elder or bishop) and deacon. These two offices are to be filled by godly men of integrity in each local church. (See Philippians 1:1; Acts 6:1–7; 1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9; 1 Peter 5:1–4.)

Let us take one final look at the illustration we introduced at the beginning of this series. Picture this scenario if you will. You wake up at three in the morning with a splitting headache. You must get relief right now. You stumble out of bead and struggle to get to the medicine cabinet. Every pulse of your heart brings an audible wave of pain radiating from the base of your skull, through your temples and settling behind your eye sockets. You must get relief and must get it now! You do not dare turn on the light for fear of more pain. Once you open the cabinet, you see shadows of perhaps a dozen different bottles and containers. It is a medicine cabinet… it has medicine… surely any bottle would be better than no medicine at all right? Wait a minute… It may be wise to know the difference between pain reliever, laxative, or a Beta Blocker for your heart. Yes it is all medicine, but you need the right one for you and for your symptoms. Even more important than taking the time to read and understand the label is that the label and the product match. If I have a bottle that says Aspirin, it would be dangerous if someone switched the aspirin with an antidepressant. Labels mean something.

This is the last of a seven week a dive into the meaning of the sign in front of our building: Evangelical Baptist Church. We have discovered that it is important to know not only that there is spiritual medicine in this church, but what kind it is. We used an acrostic to remember some basic doctrines and teachings that make up Baptist Distinctives.

B -Biblical Authority

A- Autonomy of the Local Church

P -Priesthood of all Believers

T – Two Ordinances

I – Individual Soul Liberty

S – Saved Church Membership

T – Two Offices

As we have seen through out this study, labels are important. We need to not only know what spiritual medicine we are taking, but we also must be careful to make sure that the medicine is properly labeled. Such is especially the case with this last distinctive. There is an alarming trend among Baptists to abandon their Biblical and traditional stance on church polity in favor of a Presbyterian, elder rule style. As we have discovered, we all have individual soul liberty and are to follow our conscience as we follow the word… but drop the Baptist label if you are dropping the Baptist distinctives. Some day, hopefully many many years from now, some in this congregation will have to choose the next pastor. You will need to decide if you wish to remain a Baptist church. You will need to guard against slick speaking folks who want to come in and undermine the historical and Biblical Baptist distinctives. There will be a time where you will need to go back into the archives, and blow the dust off of this sermon series to remind yourself why we stood for what we did. With that in mind, let us see what is unique about holding the Two Offices, Pastor and Deacon, position.

There Are Three Terms For The New Testament Church Leader.

Elder – Position of Rank and Responsibility

Acts 14:23 KJV

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

Titus 1:5 KJV

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Bishop – Overseer

Philippians 1:1 KJV

PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

1 Timothy 3:1–2 KJV

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

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

Pastor – Shepherd

Ephesians 4:11 KJV

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

These Three Terms are Interchangeable

 Titus 1:5–9 (KJV)

 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 

 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 

 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 

 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 

 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

 Acts 20:17 (KJV)

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

 Acts 20:28–30 (KJV)

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

 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 

 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

 1 Peter 5:1–4 (KJV)

 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 

 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 

 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 

 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Some Churches Had Multiple Pastors/Elders/ Bishops – But They All Served In a Pastoral Capacity.

Acts 20:17 KJV

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

Titus 1:5 KJV

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

James 5:14 KJV

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

These Were Elders, not Deacons.

The Deacon Is A Servant Not a Ruler

Acts 6:1–6 KJV

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 

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

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

 • Practical needs were not being met.

 • This was not the role of the Pastor/Elder/ Bishop

 • Men were chosen to meed needs and diffuse conflict, freeing the pastors to do pastoral stuff.

 • These were not a board over the pastor, they served at the will of the pastor(s)

Labels mean something. Obviously, to be Baptist is not a requirement of Salvation. There are Christians with different interpretations of scriptures, and that is fine… that is between them and God. We here at Evangelical Baptist Church have embraced what we believe to be the Biblical Baptist distinctives. Hopefully you have gained a deeper appreciation and understanding for what it means to be a Baptist.

B -Biblical Authority

A- Autonomy of the Local Church

P -Priesthood of all Believers

T – Two Ordinances

I – Individual Soul Liberty

S – Saved Church Membership

T – Two Offices

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 5:42 PM March 16, 2022.

Lot The Leaner

Wednesday Evening Sermons

Lot the Leaner

Pastor Don Carpenter

Bible Boneheads / Compromise; Direction and Orientation / Genesis 13:1–13

How in the world did Lot end up in such a mess?

One word—choices.

—Something each of us has in common. Every single day… every single moment we make choices.

—What to eat. What to wear. What to say. What to do. How to act.

—You’ve made a thousand choices before you arrived here this morning!

—A choice to argue with your wife. A choice to yell at the kids. A choice to spend some time with the Lord in prayer. Choices.

The choices you make today are the ones you’re going to have to live with tomorrow.

____

Tonight we are launching a brand new series entitled “Bible Boneheads” We will be studying three different folks who were given everything they needed to serve God effectively, but, being Boneheads, they squandered all that they were given and ended up reaping terrible consequences for their actions. The men we will be studying are all believers. They all knew better. They all belonged to God. They all suffered needlessly because of the choices they made.

Most of us know the basic story of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. He came out of the Pagan land with his uncle. He learned to worship the One True God, yet he ended up in a city that was judged by the Fire of God. He lost almost everything because of the choices he made. Tonight we are going to see where it all started to go wrong.  

Lot and Abraham started together but ended up is vastly different places because they were pointed in different directions.

Abraham Was Headed Away From Sin

He Left the Bad Choices of Egypt Behind.

Genesis 13:1 KJV

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

Abraham learned his lesson, repented, and “went up” out of Egypt (13:1). When you disobey the will of God, the only right thing to do is to go back to the place where you left Him and make a new beginning (1 John 1:9). No failure is permanent in “the school of faith.” Abraham went back to his tent and altar and the life of a “pilgrim and stranger.”

A casual observer of this episode might conclude, “What happened to Abraham wasn’t all bad. Pharaoh gave Abraham a lot of wealth (Gen. 12:16; 13:2), and Sarah was given her own maid, Hagar (16:1). God forgave Abraham’s sin, and he started over again. So, what’s the big problem?”

The “big problem” is that everything Abraham received in Egypt later caused trouble. Because of their great wealth, Abraham and Lot could not live together and had to separate (13:5–6). Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant, brought division and sorrow into the home (Gen. 16). Having had a taste of Egypt (the world), Lot started measuring everything by what he saw there (13:10–11); and this led to his downfall and the ruin of his family. There are no benefits from disobedience.

The practical lesson from all of this is simply never abandon your altar. Stay in fellowship with the Lord no matter what the circumstances may be. If you have disobeyed and God is disciplining you, go back to the place where you left Him and make things right. Remember: “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings.” That is not an excuse for sin, but it is an encouragement for repentance

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient (pp. 25–26). Victor Books.

Proverbs 24:16 KJV

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

He Was Headed Back to Bethel

Genesis 13:3 KJV

And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai;

Genesis 12:7–8 KJV

And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Bethel = House of the Lord

1 Timothy 3:15 KJV

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

He Was Headed Back to the Altar – Repentance and prayer.

Genesis 13:4 KJV

Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

He Called on the Name of the LORD – Jehovah

Genesis 4:26 KJV

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:8 KJV

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

 Genesis 21:33 (KJV)

 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

Abraham Was Headed Away From Selfishness.

Genesis 13:5–9 KJV

And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

Did you notice this statement: “And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land?” Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen are fighting, and then Abram and Lot disagree. The very interesting thing is that then the Canaanite probably whispered over to the Perizzite, “Look at them! Fightin’ again! When they came into this land and built an altar to the living and true God, how we looked up to Abram! When he first came here, we thought he was such a wonderful man. We knew he was honest, we knew he was truthful, but look at him now. Look at the strife they’re having!” I do not think the Perizzite and the Canaanite were very well impressed by Abram and Lot at this time.1

1 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Genesis 1-15) (electronic ed., Vol. 1, p. 180). Thomas Nelson.

James 3:13–16 KJV

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

It was bad enough that this dispute was between brethren (Gen. 13:8); but even worse, the heathen people of the land were watching and listening (13:7). When Christians have disputes, it hurts the testimony of the Lord. In my pastoral ministry, I frequently visited the unsaved relatives and friends of church members, seeking to interest them in spiritual things, only to discover that they knew about every “church fight” in town. No wonder our Lord prayed that His people might be one, that the world might believe (John 17:20–23). Christian unity is fragrant and fruitful (Ps. 133), but disunity turns that fragrance into a stench and the garden into a desert.1

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient (pp. 26–27). Victor Books.

Philippians 2:2–4 KJV

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Hebrews 12:14 KJV

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Romans 12:18 KJV

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

I wonder how many family fights have been caused by the love of money. The newspapers often publish reports about families battling in court because of an inheritance or a lottery winning. People who used to love each other and enjoy each other start attacking each other just to get money, but money cannot buy the blessings that families freely give.

Abraham may have failed the first two tests, but he passed this third test with great success. The test was not an easy one, for it involved land and wealth; but Abraham is the example of what every believer should do when there are disputes about material things.

Abraham determined to be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. The problem between Abraham and Lot was not caused by the land, the famine, their wealth (both of them were rich), or even their herdsmen (13:7). The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart. Lot’s heart was centered on wealth and worldly achievement, while Abraham wanted only to please the Lord. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:31

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient (p. 26). Victor Books.

Lot Was Headed Away From God and His People and Toward the World

Genesis 13:10–13 KJV

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Covetousness—an insatiable appetite for more things—leads to all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). In order to get more money, people will lie (Prov. 21:6), mistreat people (22:16), cheat (28:8), and even trouble their own families (15:27). “Covetousness is both the beginning and the end of the devil’s alphabet,” wrote Robert South, “the first vice in corrupt nature that moves, and the last which dies.”

Abraham had caused trouble in Egypt because he was out of place, and Lot caused trouble in Canaan because he was out of place: His heart was really in Egypt (13:10). According to 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:3, there are only three kinds of people in the world: the natural (unsaved), the carnal (saved but living for the world and the flesh), and the spiritual (devoted to God). You find all three in Genesis 13: the natural (13:13), the carnal (Lot), and the spiritual (Abraham). Lot was a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7–8) but not devoted to the Lord. He could not walk with Abraham because Abraham was the friend of God (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) and Lot was a friend of the world (James 4:4). Many church splits and family fights are caused by carnal Christians who are not walking with the Lord or with other believers.1

1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient (pp. 27–28). Victor Books.

1 John 2:15 KJV

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Proverbs 24:19 KJV

Fret not thyself because of evil men, Neither be thou envious at the wicked;

 Feathers for Arrows (Light—Detested by the Wicked) C. H. Spurgeon

 A …housemaid when scolded for the untidiness of the chambers exclaimed, “I’m sure the rooms would be clean enough if it were not for the nasty sun which is always showing the dirty corners.” Thus do men revile the gospel because it reveals their own sin. Thus all agitations for reforms in Church and State are opposed, and all manner of mischief attributed to them as if they created the evils which they bring to light. The lover of the right courts anything which may manifest the wrong, but those who love evil have never a good word for those disturbing beams of truth which show up the filthy corners of their hearts and lives.

Lot started to be interested, then tolerant, then apathetic to wickedness around him. It was much easier to ease up to Sodom as he grew more and more carnal, than it would have been to be around Abraham as he grew closer and closer to God. Lot and Abram started in the same place. But Lot was leaning in the wrong direction. Take care that you do not follow the same habit of Lot the Leaner.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 7:41 PM March 15, 2022.

Anchored to Hope in a Stormy World

Uncategorized

The storms of life’s heartaches sometimes seem overwhelming. God’s Word offers hope that transcends the grave! Join us each Sunday at 11 am as we discover life changing truths to which we can anchor our souls! Will we see you in church this Sunday?

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

Sunday Evening Sermons

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

Pastor Don Carpenter

A Beautiful Mess / 1 Corinthians 4:1–5

 David Brainerd said this to Jonathan Edwards: “I do not go to heaven to be advanced but to give honor to God. It is no matter where I shall be stationed in heaven, whether I have a high or low seat there, but to live and please and glorify God.… My heaven is to please God and glorify Him, and give all to Him, and to be wholly devoted to His glory.1

1 Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 252). Baker Books.

Our passage this evening gives us an interesting set of principles to consider. This message is especially for those who have already been born again. You have trusted in Christ’s finished work on the cross. You are now living a life of service to the King. Today we will see that as a servant, or a minister, you are a steward of the things that Christ has given you. You will some day give an account for how you used those things. May God give us wisdom as we consider the implications of our stewardship.

God’s servants are His stewards.

1 Corinthians 4:1 KJV

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

 A. Minister = servant

  1. A born again Christian

  2. A vocational servant

 B. Steward = manager entrusted with oversight

 C. Mysteries of God = “That which is outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension” – Vine

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  1. Spiritual truth about salvation.

Romans 10:17 KJV

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

  2. Spiritual truth about consequences.

Galatians 6:7–9 KJV

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

God’s stewards must be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2–4 KJV

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

 A. Faithful = trust worthy, reliable

  1. With the truth about salvation

  2. With the truth about consequences

  3. With the truth about society

  4. With the opportunities given to influence others.

  5. With the freedom we have as American citizens to vote

  6. With the free flow of information about political issues.

 B. It is a small thing to be judged by men.

  1. Peers and friends

  2. Society

  3. Your own heart

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

 C. God will judge our stewardship

  1. Don’t be afraid of others.

  2. Don’t judge others in their stewardship.

God’s stewards will be thoroughly evaluated.

1 Corinthians 4:5 KJV

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

 A. Don’t try to do God’s job by judging others – your information and perspective is limited.

 B. God will shed light on the deeds that are done in secret whether they be good or bad.

 C. God will expose private thoughts and motives.

 D. Everyone will get the praise that they deserve from God, even if it seems to be lacking now.

1 Corinthians 3:11–15 KJV

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

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

There’s a story of two paddleboats that left Memphis about the same time, travelling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they travelled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other.

Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.

One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fuelled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.

God has entrusted us with a precious cargo in life called salvation ….. I wonder how many times we sacrifice it just so we can ‘win’ in life?

If you are a born again believer, you are Christ’s servant and, in a sense, you are His minister. You have been entrusted with truth about salvation, truth about consequences, and truth about society. Every action that you take on earth will be evaluated in light of how you used that truth. Did you tell lost people about salvation? Did you tell Christians about consequences that would come as a result of their actions? Did you effect a moral cleansing in your society? Did you vote? Did you vote Biblically? You do not have to answer to your family, your friends, or even your own heart. Some day however, you will answer to God. I pray that the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom as you consider the implications of your stewardship.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:05 PM March 10, 2022.

Saved Church Membership

Sunday Morning Sermons

Saved Church Membership

Pastor Don Carpenter

Baptist Basics

Let us revisit the illustration we introduced at the beginning of this series. Picture this scenario if you will. You wake up at three in the morning with a splitting headache. You must get relief right now. You stumble out of bead and struggle to get to the medicine cabinet. Every pulse of your heart brings an audible wave of pain radiating from the base of your skull, through your temples and settling behind your eye sockets. You must get relief and must get it now! You do not dare turn on the light for fear of more pain. Once you open the cabinet, you see shadows of perhaps a dozen different bottles and containers. It is a medicine cabinet… it has medicine… surely any bottle would be better than no medicine at all right? Wait a minute… It may be wise to know the difference between pain reliever, laxative, or a Beta Blocker for your heart. Yes it is all medicine, but you need the right one for you and for your symptoms. Even more important than taking the time to read and understand the label is that the label and the product match. If I have a bottle that says Aspirin, it would be dangerous if someone switched the aspirin with an antidepressant. Labels mean something.

Six weeks we started a seven week a dive into the meaning of the sign in front of our building: Evangelical Baptist Church. We have discovered that it is important to know not only that there is spiritual medicine in this church, but what kind it is. We used an acrostic to remember some basic doctrines and teachings that make up Baptist Distinctives.

B -Biblical Authority

A- Autonomy of the Local Church

P -Priesthood of all Believers

T – Two Ordinances

I – Individual Soul Liberty

S – Saved Church Membership

T

Larry Crabb wrote in his book Connecting, “We have made a terrible mistake! For most of this century we have wrongly defined soul wounds as psychological disorders and delegated their treatment to trained specialists. Damaged psyches aren’t the problem. The problem is disconnected souls. What we need is connection. What we need is a healing community.”

The local church is much more than a group of folks united for the purpose of self help. According to the Scriptures, the Local church is the physical manifestation of the Body of Christ. 

This morning we are going to see what is required and expected from folks who join a local church.

Church Membership is only for Believers.

2 Corinthians 6:14–17 KJV

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Believers Join a Church After Salvation

Acts 2:41–42 KJV

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

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

 • Salvation

 • Then Baptism

 • Then Membership all in short order

Continued (???? ????????????????). Participle and finite verb, as above. The verb is from ????????, strong, stanch, and means originally to persist obstinately in. In this sense here, and in Rom. 12:12; 13:6. Hence to adhere firmly to. So in Mark 3:9, “that a small ship should wait on him;” i.e., keep near at hand. The idea of steady persistence is supplied by the Rev., steadfastly.1

1 Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 444–445). Charles Scribner’s Sons.

 • Continue in doctrine

 • Continue in fellowship

 • Continue in breaking of bread (communion)

 • Continue in prayer.

A car traveling on a super highway needs to have proper and balanced inflation in all four tires to travel safely. No one would venture to drive any distance with the left front tire inflated at 32 PSI, the right front at 28 PSI, the left rear at 36PSI, and the right rear at 10 PSI. That would be dangerous and unthinkable. As a Christian travels life’s road there are four things that he or she needs to help in safe travel – Prayer, Bible Reading and Mediation, Church Attendance, and Fellowship. If we deflate any of these we are in danger of crashing. Yet how often we will give attention to two or thee of these and neglect the others. (Acts 2:41-42)

Believers Join A Church for Accountability and Encouragement

Hebrews 10:24–25 KJV

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Matthew 18:15–17 KJV

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

1 Corinthians 5:11 KJV

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother 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.

Believers Join A Local Church To Be Under Its Authority.

Under Pastoral Leadership

Hebrews 13:17 KJV

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Commissioned as Deacons and Officers

Acts 6:3 KJV

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Commissioned as Missionaries

Acts 13:1–3 KJV

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Believers Join a Local Church As Part of God’s Design for Christ’s Body.

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 KJV

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Corinthians 12:25–27 KJV

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Ephesians 4:16 KJV

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Baptists have historically held to the purity of church membership by insisting that anyone brought into the fellowship have a credible profession of faith. This is not to create an exclusive country club but to protect the reputation and mission of the local church. This distinctive ties into other ones like the Autonomy of the Local Church. We are not linking up with some larger organization run by unsaved folks who make decisions.  

1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Once members of a local church ( as every born again believer should be) we are to function within the Body of Christ steadfastly, with accountability, and under authority because this is God’s perfect plan for every born again believer. Are you part of a Saved Church membership?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:45 PM March 10, 2022.