Our Distinctives
While we passionately stand on Biblical, Orthodox and Historic faith tenants, we also embrace true brothers and sisters who may not hold to every tenant or strength of measure of all that we teach, so long as they are not divisive.
Herein are our positions on a number of issues, all of which are simple summaries and we welcome discussion of their nuances and strength of those convictions.
We are Protestants (rejecting the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church and their teaching of a “works” oriented salvation). The finished work of Jesus Christ cannot be improved upon by sinful men.
Reformed (soteriologically) and always reforming. We preach the 5 Sola’s of the Reformation; Scripture alone declaring Jesus Christ alone who saves us by Grace alone through Faith alone, kept forever for the Glory of God alone!
Evangelical in that we trust in the gospel of Jesus who is truly both God and Man, who vicariously became our substitutionary atonement, paid for our sins, taking my place on the cross, died and was buried and literally rose again, paying the full payment for our sin, crushing Satan forever, and defeating the last enemy death and granting eternal life to the Elect. This evangel (good news) is our best and only hope and in love for others we share that hope with all who will hear.
Transformed lives are the fruit of the evidence of a true follower of Jesus, the Son of God. He said we would love Him above all others, denying ourselves we will pick up our Cross and follow Him, in obedience for the rest of our lives. While we will not do this perfectly He will finish the persevering work of redemption that He started in us.
Our Savior quoted Genesis as historical evidence for God’s design for marriage. We know that God can and did create all that exists, and ourselves in His image. We reject the lies of evolution and unapologetically hold to a literal 6 day creation and a young earth.
We reject any/all prejudice and bias that diminishes any human being made in God’s image, Imago Dei. We rejoice that Jesus died to bring all people together, regardless of color, culture or ethnic origin and that one day all followers of Christ form every tribe and language and people and nation will worship before the throne. Finally as one race, the human race, we welcome all peoples, realizing the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Non-Charismatic, while some of our members may have this background and we welcome them we do not believe that the practice of speaking in tongues popularized today is biblical and certainly scripture is clear that not everyone needs to speak in tongues. The best evidence of a Holy Spirit led life is first the fruit of the spirit, a spirit controlled tongue (James 3) and a progressively growing life in holiness and righteousness. God certainly still heals but only at His discretion and in response to the prayer of faith, not a self-promoting preacher.
Commanded to love our wives as Christ loved the church, we understand and embrace Complementarianism in the church and home. Women are empowered to serve in many ways, although being a Pastor or Elder was designed for men.
We believe Jesus will and must keep His word, so we believe HE will literally return to this earth, although the timing and sequences are debatable. We expect our heavenly Father to keep His word, including the Abrahamic covenant and do not hold to replacement theology, expecting He will once again work through the nation of Israel in days to come. While there is room for hearty debate, our Pastor holds to a premillennial, pre-tribulational approach to the end of days.
After His Ascension, Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for those who are born again. HE has already prepared a place of eternal torment often referred to as Hell for those who reject Jesus as their Lord and Sovereign, the traitors that they are.
Sexuality is God’s gift to humanity and not to be experienced outside God’s design of 1 man and 1 woman, only after married and until death parts them. Pornography, Promiscuity, Fornication, Adultery, Homosexuality, Transgenderism, Zoophilia….are all distortions of God’s best for His people. Believing that Love never fails, strives to forgive by God’s grace and hopes for reconciliation, Divorce is permissible in the cases of Abandonment by an unbeliever, Adultery and Abuse.
FBC enjoys having godly men who lead us as Elders, neither subscribing to an exclusive Elder rule philosophy nor a democracy modeled Congregational rule. Striving to find a good balance our congregation votes on an annual budget, our Elders themselves, church discipline and any significant decisions, especially the bylaws and statement of faith. Otherwise we trust our Elders to lead us well.
Following the model of “believers baptism” we understand genuine believers may have been baptized through paedobaptism but ask all members to be immersed following their conversion and pronouncement of faith.
The Scriptures, all 66 books, are inspired, inerrant and infallible and sufficient for life and godliness and we measure all beliefs by it. It is our final rule for faith and practice. God’s people should seek their help and hope from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, taking responsibility for their sin leading to repentance.
For the distinctives of our national association of Independent autonomous churches, to whom we presently belong see:
EFCA Distinctives
Herein are our positions on a number of issues, all of which are simple summaries and we welcome discussion of their nuances and strength of those convictions.
We are Protestants (rejecting the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church and their teaching of a “works” oriented salvation). The finished work of Jesus Christ cannot be improved upon by sinful men.
Reformed (soteriologically) and always reforming. We preach the 5 Sola’s of the Reformation; Scripture alone declaring Jesus Christ alone who saves us by Grace alone through Faith alone, kept forever for the Glory of God alone!
Evangelical in that we trust in the gospel of Jesus who is truly both God and Man, who vicariously became our substitutionary atonement, paid for our sins, taking my place on the cross, died and was buried and literally rose again, paying the full payment for our sin, crushing Satan forever, and defeating the last enemy death and granting eternal life to the Elect. This evangel (good news) is our best and only hope and in love for others we share that hope with all who will hear.
Transformed lives are the fruit of the evidence of a true follower of Jesus, the Son of God. He said we would love Him above all others, denying ourselves we will pick up our Cross and follow Him, in obedience for the rest of our lives. While we will not do this perfectly He will finish the persevering work of redemption that He started in us.
Our Savior quoted Genesis as historical evidence for God’s design for marriage. We know that God can and did create all that exists, and ourselves in His image. We reject the lies of evolution and unapologetically hold to a literal 6 day creation and a young earth.
We reject any/all prejudice and bias that diminishes any human being made in God’s image, Imago Dei. We rejoice that Jesus died to bring all people together, regardless of color, culture or ethnic origin and that one day all followers of Christ form every tribe and language and people and nation will worship before the throne. Finally as one race, the human race, we welcome all peoples, realizing the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Non-Charismatic, while some of our members may have this background and we welcome them we do not believe that the practice of speaking in tongues popularized today is biblical and certainly scripture is clear that not everyone needs to speak in tongues. The best evidence of a Holy Spirit led life is first the fruit of the spirit, a spirit controlled tongue (James 3) and a progressively growing life in holiness and righteousness. God certainly still heals but only at His discretion and in response to the prayer of faith, not a self-promoting preacher.
Commanded to love our wives as Christ loved the church, we understand and embrace Complementarianism in the church and home. Women are empowered to serve in many ways, although being a Pastor or Elder was designed for men.
We believe Jesus will and must keep His word, so we believe HE will literally return to this earth, although the timing and sequences are debatable. We expect our heavenly Father to keep His word, including the Abrahamic covenant and do not hold to replacement theology, expecting He will once again work through the nation of Israel in days to come. While there is room for hearty debate, our Pastor holds to a premillennial, pre-tribulational approach to the end of days.
After His Ascension, Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for those who are born again. HE has already prepared a place of eternal torment often referred to as Hell for those who reject Jesus as their Lord and Sovereign, the traitors that they are.
Sexuality is God’s gift to humanity and not to be experienced outside God’s design of 1 man and 1 woman, only after married and until death parts them. Pornography, Promiscuity, Fornication, Adultery, Homosexuality, Transgenderism, Zoophilia….are all distortions of God’s best for His people. Believing that Love never fails, strives to forgive by God’s grace and hopes for reconciliation, Divorce is permissible in the cases of Abandonment by an unbeliever, Adultery and Abuse.
FBC enjoys having godly men who lead us as Elders, neither subscribing to an exclusive Elder rule philosophy nor a democracy modeled Congregational rule. Striving to find a good balance our congregation votes on an annual budget, our Elders themselves, church discipline and any significant decisions, especially the bylaws and statement of faith. Otherwise we trust our Elders to lead us well.
Following the model of “believers baptism” we understand genuine believers may have been baptized through paedobaptism but ask all members to be immersed following their conversion and pronouncement of faith.
The Scriptures, all 66 books, are inspired, inerrant and infallible and sufficient for life and godliness and we measure all beliefs by it. It is our final rule for faith and practice. God’s people should seek their help and hope from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, taking responsibility for their sin leading to repentance.
For the distinctives of our national association of Independent autonomous churches, to whom we presently belong see:
EFCA Distinctives