Introduction It has been some time since we considered the Baptist Catechism and the Scriptural truths it states and orders simply and memorably. We ended with the sixth question that set the stage for questions 7-86. Q. 6. What are…
Bible Belt Ministry Our church assembles in a rural area on the outskirts of a military base—Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Our community is in the Bible belt, where Christianity is practiced nominally by numerous professing believers. Many have come to…
Introduction Not long ago, I signed to write and publish a discipleship curriculum with H&E publishing titled Confessing Sound Words: A Discipleship Curriculum Through the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. The basis of this curriculum is the Second London…
Single Elder-led Congregationalism The last governmental structure worthy of consideration is single elder-led congregationalism. This view denies the bishop hierarchal structure espoused in Episcopalianism. It likewise denies the interdependent connectional structure espoused in Presbyterianism. Like plural elder-led congregationalism, single elder-led…
Opposing Views to Plural Elder Led Congregationalism The second prominent opposing view to plural elder-led congregationalism worth considering is Presbyterianism. Christians in the Presbyterian tradition hold to a system of church government in which elected elders/presbyters from churches represent churches…
Opposing Views to Plural Elder Led Congregationalism The first major opposing view to plural elder-led congregationalism that we will consider is Episcopalianism. There are different groups that hold to different theological convictions that use this form of church governance. The…
Plural Elder Led Congregationalism We have given consideration to who an elder is and what an elder does. But now we must consider how an elder cooperates with a congregation. The Bible’s discussion of church leadership always assumes a congregational…
The Plurality of Eldership The ninth mark of Mark Dever’s book, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, is “Biblical Church Leadership.” He writes the following concerning the matter: The Bible clearly models a plurality of elders in each local church.[1]…
John Gill is the most accomplished Baptist theologian of all time.[1] When comparing this titan of the Christian faith with other prominent Baptist figures from church history, one will soon discover that Gill is sui generis . As a pastor…
There is a statement made by those who would draft the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith that I find to be a great encouragement. It is a small comment made in the preface of this fine document, which states,…