"What religion are you?" "What is your denomination?"
These questions are commonplace when one finds out you attend church, or especially when one finds out you're a pastor. The questions are fair ones. There are oodles of different kinds of churches, and scads of denominations. Often the denominational label is inadequate to describe a particular church. The most important question really comes down to, "What kind of church are we?"
When I ask about a church, I want to know what they believe and how they worship. I am not so much interested in formal descriptions or affiliations, as I am theological identity and convictions. Theologically we are a Reformed Baptist Church. By Reformed we mean that we believe whole-heartedly in the absolute sovereignty of God. We believe in those great doctrines known as the "Doctrines of Grace." By Reformed we mean that we hold to a Reformed Confession, The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Doctrine is important; it must be Biblical and it must be clearly articulated. This is what the Confession does for us. It gives articulation to the great doctrines of the Bible within a historic framework. We moderns need to remember that we didn't invent Christianity; we stand on the shoulders of our forefathers. Our Confession is a God-centered, Christ-centered, Biblically saturated document which serves as our standard of unity and a teaching tool.
Reformed doctrine (an unfortunate term for Bible Doctrine, in my opinion) is also summarized in some Latin slogans. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), this means the Bible alone is our authority for faith and practice. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), this means that grace and grace alone is the cause of our salvation. The works of men, including their supposed acts of the will, are excluded. Sola Fide (Faith Alone), this means that faith is the sole instrument of our being made right with God. Faith is the gift of God and the instrument of our salvation. Solus Christus (Christ alone), this is the central theme of our doctrine- Christ and Him crucified! Christ is our prophet, priest and king; Christ is our sufficiency, our righteousness, our all-in-all (1 Cor. 1:30). Finally, Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory), this is the great umbrella that covers our entire existence. It is God's glory which matters above all else. His Word is for His glory. His grace is for His glory. Our faith is unto His glory. Christ is the outshining of His glory! Absolute sovereignty, the doctrines of grace, the "Solas" of the Reformation: these truths are the heart and soul of our Confession.
But what about this "Baptist" thing? We are not Lutherans. We are not Presbyterians. We are, by conviction, Baptists. "Hey, wait a minute, I told my Mama I would never become a Baptist." Well, don't worry. All we mean by Baptist is we only baptize those who have made credible professions of faith, and we believe in the independence of the local church. Many other brethren, who love the Lord as much as we do, baptize their children. We think that is unscriptural.2 Next, we believe that each church should be governed by Biblically qualified and Spirit-called Elders, who lead the congregation directly under the headship of Jesus Christ. These two great doctrines, believer's baptism and local church autonomy under the headship of Christ, have marked Baptists for centuries.
We are in process of building relationships with other like-minded churches. There are Reformed associations, but to be quite frank, we aren't too interested in formal associations. We are trying to live out the Bible under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and what we are interested in are building relationships which build up local bodies and advance God's kingdom. I am not saying that associations cannot do that, but I am saying that is not where we are at right now. Some of these relationships are growing quite nicely. It is through the bonds forged in inter-church relationships that we have accountability and mutual edification. You see, although we believe in the autonomy of the local church, we do not believe in isolationism.
So what kind of church are we? The bottom line is that we are a church which is committed to the supremacy of the Word of God over all of life, the centrality of Jesus Christ in all of life, and the worship of God as our great purpose. Out of this grows our concern for evangelism and missions, fellowship and edification. I have no reservations saying we are a Reformed Baptist Church, but my favorite description is that we are a God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated church. Charles Spurgeon put it nicely, "I would propose that the subject of the Ministry in this house (i.e., church), as long as this platform shall stand, and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshipers, shall be the person of Jesus Christ. I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist; I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, 'It is Jesus Christ."
2 For more on this, pick up Greg Welty's A Critical Evaluation of Infant Baptism. It is also available on our bookshelf, and request the tape "Semper Reformanda: Infant Baptism" preached Oct. 31, 1999