"I in them, and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me."

- John 17:23 ESV

About Community Baptist Church:
Our Foundations

Underlying the entirety of our ministry are foundational biblical truths. They are the superstructure upon which our entire ministry is built. In effect they can be called the biblical non-negotiables that define our church family. Some would say they are core, defining values that we are seeking to embrace in a comprehensive manner. There are 7 irreducible biblical truths that serve as the foundation of the "Community experience."

1. A High View of God

To some it would appear obvious that church is about God but in many of our evangelical circles today it is no longer quite that obvious. In a day where "user friendly" churches are in style the spiritual consumer is central. The "consumer" is polled to determine what it is that he would like to hear or "felt needs" are identified so as to craft ministry to cater to such needs. Who today "polls" God and His Word to determine what it is that He has said? When we say that we are committed to a high view of God, we are saying that biblical needs are important and our ministry is to be shaped by the person of God. Ministry begins with the character and person of God. Our ministry is to be Christo-centric not man centered. Christ is the object of worship and devotion.

2. A High View of God's Word

If we have a high view and high regard for God it will naturally follow that we will have a high view of what He says. How can we say that we highly regard a person and at the same time have no regard for what that person said? The Bible is the inerrant, all sufficient, Word of God. Therefore we teach the Word of God as He wrote it, verse by verse. It is the source of all truth and spiritual growth. The substance of our teaching is expository teaching of God's Word where the truth of the Bible is exposed and personally applied.

3. A High View of Sound Doctrine

In logical progression, if we have high regard for God and His Word we will naturally have the same perspective on what His Word teaches on all subjects. Sound doctrine is what the Bible teaches on subjects like the nature of God, the nature of the Holy Spirit, the nature of man, and all other matters of faith and practice. In essence the Word of God should form all of our beliefs and convictions by what it teaches on any given subject.

4. A High View of Personal Holiness

The next foundation in the progression naturally follows as well. If there is a high regard for the nature of God's Word then it follows that there must be an alignment of our lives to what it teaches. Personal holiness is the pursuit of lives that are increasingly surrendered to the authority of God. Christ desires that His Bride, the church, is a pure and obedient fellowship. In mutual ministry and accountability the church is to reflect the holy character of Christ as revealed in His Word.

5. A High View of Leadership

To guide and shepherd the family of God along the path of what is stated previously there is a need for godly, biblical discerning leadership. It is essential that the church is led by elders who know the Word, live the Word, and pray the Word into the lifeblood of the church. Such men must be servant leaders who, being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, will influence the church to grow into a reflection of Christ.

6. A High View of Mission

Ministry is about mission, the Great Commission, of reaching people for Christ and building them into mature disciples. A church must be clearly centered upon why Christ has left her on earth. The focus of ministry is not about programs but purpose. Programming and all other organizational elements are only means to the end of embracing Christ and fulfilling His mandate. Unfortunately the ministry of a local church can disintegrate into an ingrown organization that seeks only to preserve and perpetuate the institution at the expense of the mission.

7. A High View of the Family

In a day when gender issues are being debated and the biblical foundations of the family are under attack, we must embrace a biblically high regard for God's pattern for the family. God designed the family to consist of clear roles on the part of the husband and wife, the father and the mother, the parent and the child. In our society egalitarianism reigns supreme in defining family roles. Gender is viewed as neutral. It is a non-negotiable foundation that the family does not need to be redefined but that God "got it right" the first time.

About Community Baptist Church: Our Foundations