* I preach Verse by Verse with expository and application. What does this mean? It means I don't skip the hard stuff, I explain what the scripture means, and I show you how it applies to your life. If those three things can be achieved in a sermon within thirty minutes, I have achieved what the Holy Spirit put on my heart. Why only thirty minutes? Because any longer than that, and you have lost most of your congregation to scrolling on Facebook. I'm not dumb, I see it in churches all the time ;-)
* I believe the worship team has a significant impact on whether a new family comes back after their first visit. Personally, if the music is too slow and there are too many selections, I won't come back.
* The other major part about a family returning is how welcome they felt on their first visit. If no one says hello, you can bet they will never return.
* The most significant part of whether a family returns for their second visit is if they feel the Holy Spirit in the service. We, as a church, have to invite the Holy Spirit in. This doesn't mean in a Pentecostal way, where people are falling on the floor and running around speaking tongues. This isn't Biblical according to Galatians 5. We need to have self-control and allow the Holy Spirit to move as He wills.
*I believe a pastor is to follow Titus 1:6-9 to the letter, especially regarding Alcohol. The thought that pastors believe they can drink alcohol and believe it is ok with this scripture in the Word of God is beyond me.
* I do not believe in a Board-run church. A Board-run church is a perfect place for a cowardly Pastor to hide. I believe the Pastor needs to be the president of the Board and can be voted against on matters such as choosing colors for the new carpet, what needs to be served at church picnics, who can serve the coffee at the coffee bar, but in spiritual matters, such as what I preach on, no. That is the Holy Spirit's job to direct me. Overall, the Pastor will have the final say because he will stand before the Lord in the end and account for the Body he was put in charge of, not the Church Board.
* I believe in One God in three persons. We call this the Trinity. 1 John 5:7. The word Trinity is not in the Bible, but the definition is. But then again, the word "Grandfather" isn't mentioned in the Bible, and yet we have them.
* I believe Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven, according to John 14:6.
* I believe that the Bible is the only true book in all the earth, according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
* I believe that God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity and serves as its functional head. He is an infinite, personal Spirit according to John 4:24. He has been identified as “Father” from eternity past, both to His Son according to John 3:16-17 and His chosen people according to Exodus 4:22-23. God the Father is neither male nor female, but He is referred to in Scripture with masculine pronouns. This portrays His parental closeness to His people as well as His authoritative role as God. Some passages in Scripture describe God the Father using feminine imagery because of His tender care and concern for His people, Isaiah 66:13.
God the Father is not superior or being to the Son or the Spirit; however, He does serve as the functional head of the Trinity. God the Father is the one who directs the will of both God the Son and God the Spirit, both of whom voluntarily submit to Him on a functional level to accomplish the will of God John 14:24-26.
* I believe that ALL of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still used today according to 1 Cor 13:8-10. When the Promise comes back, then they shall cease, but not before. Churches adopt the idea with no scripture reference that certain gifts have ceased because either they don't understand them or they don't want them used in their church due to the fear of misuse.
However, speaking in your prayer language, if you have one, is not to be done in the church. Your prayer language only edifies yourself, not the people around you.
If a message in tongues is given, there must be an interpretation. Believe it or not, most churches that claim to practice this are not genuine. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. These churches need to cultivate self-control, as we are taught in Galatians 5:22-23.
I don't believe a message in tongues is given every Sunday. Churches that do this cause confusion within the Body of believers. The same people who give a message in tongues every week are bringing attention to themselves.
*Baptism is not salvation. It is a public demonstration of your commitment to Jesus. Some people believe according to Mark 16:16, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved;but he who does not believe will be condemned. The scripture clearly leaves out the word "Baptized in the next part, where you will be condemned if you do not believe. Additionally, during that time, an altar call was held at the river, much like the way we conduct baptisms today. We always ask before we baptize someone,
"Do you believe that Jesus is your Lord? Do you believe He died for your sins? Do you believe Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day? Do you believe He saved you from your sins? If you believe all this, you say "Yes." Then you are baptized with complete immersion as a public showing.
In Luke 23:39-43, the thief on the cross asked to be remembered, and he was, yet he wasn't baptized. This represents the forgiveness Jesus has, and that grace is extended to those who genuinely believe. Baptism is a work, and our works do not save us.
* SO, do I believe in the Trinity? Yes. As it is depicted in 1 John 5:7.
* I believe that the five-fold ministry is still relevant today, according to Ephesians 4:11-13, which refers to the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
However, in today's terminology, we refer to the Apostles as missionaries because, in the First Century, a person could only be considered an Apostle if they had witnessed the resurrection of Jesus or had seen Jesus after the resurrection, as stated in Acts 1:21-22. The word Apostle means to "Send Out". The term Missionary was not used in the New Testament, but today, we "Send Out" Missionaries to fulfill the same purpose. To make disciples of Jesus.
Calling yourself a Prophet is not Biblical. We have to be called by God to be a Prophet according to Ephesians 4:11-16.
Today's Prophets, who are very few, are used by God to bring a message to a particular group or person. Most of the YouTube prophets we are seeing today are bringing a message of false hope, such as the return of Jesus, by giving the exact day and hour. These are not prophets of God, but instead self-proclaimed prophets or false prophets.
Being called to an Evangelist life is a very honorable and a hard calling. Again, you must be called by God, as with any of these callings.
Being a Pastor is a calling, not a career choice. Unfortunately, thousands have chosen it as a career and were never called. You can tell by the life they lead.
Having education is great and is taking responsibility for your calling, but it isn't the end result; it is the beginning. Being called to be a pastor is the first step and doesn't mean you will be one the next day. The calling usually comes many years before you become one. Pastors who brag about their education have pride issues, including self-confidence issues.
Being called to teach and having the desire to do so is also very honorable. We are not to take it lightly because, as teachers, we are held to a higher accountability according to James 3:1.
* I believe in a Pre-Trib rapture because the church is not mentioned after Chapter 4 in Revelation. Scripturally, the pretribulation view has much to commend it. For example, the church is not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:9), and believers will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9). The church of Philadelphia was promised to be kept from “the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10). Note that the promise is not preservation through the trial but deliverance from the hour, that is, from the time period of the trial. However, believing pre-, mid-, or post-trib is not a salvation issue or a hill to die on.
* I believe in eternal security according to John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14.
However, I do not believe we can do anything we want and get away with it, for the wages of sin is death according to Romans 6:23. The word "Death" here means hell. If we are truly a Child of God, then we will obey Him and practice Righteousness according to 1 John 3:7. If we claim we are a Child of God and practice sin according to Romans 1:28-32, then we deceive ourselves, and He will turn us over to a debased mind.
* I believe the Bible teaches we have to have a personal relationship with Jesus, according to Matthew 7:21-23, in order to go to Heaven.
When Jesus says, "Depart from me, I never knew you," He means He never had a relationship with you. You never spent any time with Jesus. In order to have a relationship with someone, you have to spend time with them.
Think of it this way. If I worked for a lawn grooming company and I was assigned to your home twice a week for a year and one day after church, I came into your home, sat down at the dinner table, and proceeded to eat Sunday dinner with you, you would probably have an issue with that. You know of me, but we never built a relationship together. Jesus isn't about to allow a person in His home unless there is a relationship built of trust and obedience.
* I believe we are saved by Grace and not works according to Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 3:24; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 1:16.
A gift is given, not earned. Therefore, working for your salvation is a teaching of the cults.
I am 55 years old and still a student of the Word.
