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Q: What is a Reformed Baptist Church?
A: The name “Reformed” refers to distinctive historical and theological roots. Such great biblical truths as sola fide (justification by faith alone), sola gratia (salvation by God’s grace alone), sola scriptura (the Bible alone is the basis for faith and practice), solus Christus (salvation through Christ alone), and soli Deo gloria (the fact that God alone is to receive glory in the salvation of sinners) are all noted hallmarks of the Reformed faith. The Reformed faith is concerned with God’s glory in the church, in society, in the family and in the holiness of the believer’s life. Reformed Churches have a high and God-centered view of worship, regulated by the Word of God alone. The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith embraced by Reformed Baptist churches takes its place among, and is deeply rooted in, historic Reformation documents.
The name “Baptist” summarizes the biblical truths concerning both the subjects and the mode of baptism. The fact that baptism is for disciples only is the clear and indisputable teaching of the Word of God. The subjects of baptism are not to be discovered in Genesis but in the Gospels and in the Epistles. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Covenant. Every biblical command to baptize and every biblical example of baptism, as well as every doctrinal statement regarding the symbolic nature of baptism, proves that it is for disciples only. The Bible is equally clear concerning the mode of baptism. Baptism is properly and biblically administered by immersion in water. The name “Baptist” is also meant to convey that only those who are converted and baptized have a right to membership in Christ’s church. This is often referred to as a regenerate church membership. A careful reading of the NT epistles shows that the Apostles assumed that all the members of Christ’s church were saints, faithful brethren, and cleansed by Christ. Sadly, many Baptist churches today are more concerned with having a “decisioned membership” rather than a regenerate membership.
Reformed Baptists are distinguished by their conviction regarding the sufficiency and authority of the Word of God. While all true Christians believe in the inspiration and infallibility of the Word of God, all do not seek to regulate the life of the church in every area by the Word of God. There is a common belief, whether it is clearly stated or not, that the Bible is not a sufficient guide to tell you “how to do church.” This is behind much of what we see in the modern church growth movement. In these days, the cry of all Christ-followers needs to be that of the prophet Isaiah: “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”
Reformed Baptists have a conviction that the Bible and the Bible alone defines what a church is and the offices of the church. The Bible speaks of two offices (elders and deacons), their qualifications and their function. The Bible is a sufficient guide regarding what worship is and how it is to be given, as well as who can be a church member and what is required of those members. The Bible is also sufficient to instruct about what the church ought to do, how to cooperate with other churches, how to send out missionaries, train men for the ministry and a host of other things related to God’s will for His people.
Reformed Baptists are distinguished by their conviction that preaching is foundational to the life of the church. Therefore, Reformed Baptists reject the trends of the day toward shallow teaching and the giving of the services of worship over to testimonies, movies, drama, dance, or singing. The Word of God is to be central in the worship of God.
Reformed Baptists are distinguished by the conviction that salvation radically alters the life of the convert. Today, the mistaken idea is that if one prays a certain formula prayer then they are saved. When Paul describes the conversion of the Ephesians he uses the greatest antonyms in the human language: “you were darkness but now you are light in the Lord.” And in 2 Corinthians 6:14 Paul asks the rhetorical question: “What fellowship has light with darkness?”
Reformed Baptists have a conviction that the Law of God, as expressed in the Ten Commandments, is regulative in the life of the New Covenant believer. The present age is a lawless age of Christianity, which makes no demands on its converts. God’s way of holiness has not changed. Jesus told His disciples that the way in which they would demonstrate that they truly loved Him was by obeying His commandments.
Reformed Baptists are distinguished by a conviction regarding male leadership in the church. This age has witnessed the feminization of Christianity. God created two sexes and gave to each a different, corresponding role. While the sexes are equal in Creation, the Fall and Redemption, God has nonetheless ordained that leadership in the home, the state and the church is to be male. Those whose minds have been unduly influenced by modern culture find Reformed Baptist worship, leadership and family structure to be jarring. When the Bible speaks of husbands and fathers leading the home it is not culturally outdated. When the Bible speaks of men leading in prayer, teaching, preaching and serving as elders and deacons, Christians must bow with submissive and dutiful hearts. Culture must not carry the day in the church of Jesus Christ!
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Q: What is a Family-Integrated Church?
A: A Family-Integrated Church is a body of believers in Jesus Christ that simply operates under the premise that the family structure alone is sufficient to provide for the activities, security, preparations, and worship of the citizens of the kingdom of Almighty God.
Family-Integrated Churches (FIC) come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. There are FICs in virtually every denominational and theological tradition, and in most sections of the country. While no two FICs are exactly alike, they do have certain distinctives in common:
Families Worship Together
If you’ve ever walked into a FIC during a worship service, perhaps the first thing that struck you was the fact that there were so many babies and small children in the service. We have grown accustomed to the presence of children in the service, and the children grow accustomed to being a part of the worship experience. No one will stop you at the door if you try to enter our service with your toddler. Families together for worship is the biblical model.
No Systematic Age Segregation
One of the biggest distinctions of a FIC is the absence of age-graded ministries. We do not have segregated youth ministry, or children’s ministry. First, these ministries are not part of the biblical church model. The Bible is clear on whose job it is to disciple children... parents. Second, these ministries can work against the biblical model. Parents who are relieved of their discipleship duties tend to become dependent on those who have taken over the job. Finally, these ministries have failed. 75-88% of teens are leaving Baptist churches as well as their evangelical family roots by the end of their freshman year in college. And as Dr. Alvin Reid has noticed, “The largest rise of youth professionals in history has been accompanied by a decline in youth evangelism effectiveness.”
Evangelism/Discipleship Through Homes
We teach parents to evangelize and disciple their children and their neighbors. We emphasize the ministry of hospitality, family worship, catechism, and family discipleship. Thus, instead of placing the burden on paid professionals to “do the work of the ministry,” we equip the saints to do it.
Education as a Key Component of Discipleship
Jesus said, “A pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). Whoever educates a child is discipling that child. We work hard to help parents see the importance of Christian education, and to help them make biblical choices as it relates to this part of their children’s discipleship.
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Q: Why does Christ’s Church of Chattanooga adhere to a confession of faith?
A: We agree with the historic position which views the various creeds and confessions as invaluable, though not infallible, summaries of the Word of God. A creed (meaning “I believe”) is inevitable. Even the anti-creedal statement, “No creed but Christ,” is a creed! The Christian creeds and confessions affirm the authority of God’s Word and provide the framework to help us rightly interpret it. All the cults profess simple “belief in the Bible,” yet they reject the creeds and confessions.
1) A confession is a useful means for the affirmation and defense of the truth.
2) A confession serves as a public standard of fellowship and discipline.
3) A confession serves as a concise standard by which to evaluate leadership.
4) Confessions contribute to a sense of historical continuity.
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Q: Won’t it be difficult to bring the family together especially with very young children?
A: Yes, it will pose new challenges to parents who are not used to being in Bible study and worship meetings with their children, particularly since we live in a society that tends to separates families for activities like this, and there is an underlying feeling that children can receive little from worship services because of their age.
We believe the long-term value will be greater than the short-term difficulty parents will experience as they learn to worship and learn together. Parents will have the privilege of training their children to hear and respond to God’s Word and to honor the other people in the meeting by their quiet and respectful behavior. We realize this may not be easy, and it will require patience. This is a process that may take some time to establish in each family. Parents will be provided with teaching and tools to help their children understand the theological concepts presented during the services, and after the services as we will encourage the heads of households to elaborate and complete the ideas presented, even to young children.
We realize that our culture does not support the idea that children can understand complex ideas at young ages and that parents are not qualified to teach. We reject this notion and believe that a rich transfer of truth can be accomplished during and after the services. We also believe that even though very young children may not understand everything that is said or done, they can understand something very valuable as they see the head of their household truly honoring and adoring God in worship and enthusiastically studying His Word.
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Q: What must I do to be saved?
A: Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We must all realize that we are sinners, separated from God, and that we need forgiveness. We are not worthy of God’s grace.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Through Jesus, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. God showed us His love by reconciling us to Himself through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life.
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Sincerely confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.
Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” There are no other religious formulas or rituals -- Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved.
If your heart's desire is to call “on the name of the Lord [and] be saved,” or if you have any questions regarding what you have just read from God's Word, please contact us so that we can answer any questions you may have and so that we may rejoice with you about what God is doing in your life!
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