Pastor’s Note:
It is almost done!
We have been talking about painting the church for nearly ten
years, and now it is almost done. Praise
God! Again, I want to thank
you for making this a reality. I
pray that this will enhance our witness in our community.
Congregational Meetings
We are continuing our discussions of the proposed constitution.
We will be having two congregational meetings to provide time to
answer any questions you may have, and to get your input.
So, please come and share your insights with others from our
fellowship. The first
meeting will be on August 17, immediately following the monthly
Officers’ Meeting. The
second congregational meeting will be on September 21, immediately
following the monthly Officers’ Meeting.
Both meetings will be held in the auditorium.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Please Pray
As we prepare for these meetings, I would ask that each of us commit
to praying for the Lord to guide us for His glory in this endeavor. A task this important should be bathed in prayer.
Let us ask that God would make His will known in the process.
Doctrinal Statement
Important to any church is the foundational doctrines by which the
church will be identified. Though
we are a non-denominational church, there is a definite theological
slant that identifies who we are, and directs what we do.
Our proposed doctrinal statement is influenced by
many doctrines that were rediscovered and articulated during the
Reformation period of the 16th & 17th
centuries. They were
rediscovered in the sense that after the original apostles died, the
church (as an organization) became more focused on organizational
principles ( a hierarchy) than on doctrine.
Doctrine was soon overlooked at the expense of a highly
structured organization that exercised great influence over its
parishioners.
The leaders of the Reformation (Huss, Luther,
Calvin, and others) rescued the Body of Christ from this over-emphasis
on the form/organization/hierarchy of the church body.
The leaders and their followers put God-exalting doctrine back at
the center of the ministry of the church.
They taught that it was the Word of God that gives us our
understanding of the church, and the saving work of Christ.
So, in this sense we would say we are reformed in
our theology (influenced by the Reformation), and at the same time
baptistic in our church polity (structure/order).
I give this brief historical perspective to point
out that we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.
It is my desire, that as they influenced their world for Christ,
so to will we. If you are
interested in doing more reading on this, then let me know and I will
get you a list of resources for you to check.
Thank You
I appreciate the privilege of serving as your pastor/teacher.
I am thankful to God for your continued faithfulness to Him in
your support, prayers, giving, and participation in the ministry of
Bigelow.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank
