SUBJECT: “What Baptists Believe”

TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-32, NIV

Key Verse: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light.”  1 Peter 2:9, CEV

Introduction:

Thesis: Missionary Baptist Belief comes closet of all to the Biblical Christian life exampled by Jesus Christ!

  • After Jesus’ Resurrection in A.D. 33, three major monotheistic religions developed in the world
  • Jews, Catholics (590), AnaBaptists (1527) and Methodist (1784)
  • Anabaptist belief highlighted Baptism by immersion over infant Baptism
  • First Baptist Church in America started by Roger Williams in Rhode Island: 50,000,000 today
  • 1779 George Liele starts the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, GA
  • 1800’s the Missionary Baptist Movement began to grow. It focused on Mt 28:19 as its theme.
  • Post Civil War/Reconstruction led to us being only Missionary in name
  • District, State and National Conventions now work to do largescale mission work but local churches are positioned to operate internally as they so choose

To be Baptist is to believe the Bible but to be Missionary is to believe that we are called to work the works of Christ by spreading the gospel and ministering to those in need across the globe (i.e, Lott Carey, Betsey Stockton etc.)

To be a member of a Missionary Baptist Church is to believe that:

   
There is One GodEphesians 4:5-6, KJVThere is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
Bible is Right2 Tm 3:16-17, NLTAll scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Mankind Messed UpRomans 3:23, ESV      For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Man Can be SavedJohn 6:44, ESVNo one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Saved by GraceEphesians 2:8, NLTGod saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Heaven is RealJohn 14:2, NKJVIn My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Because we as Baptists believe the Bible we trust that God has called out of darkness into the church where our growth as Christians includes the building our faith, the fellowship with each another and the worship of our God.

  • Build Faith by Hearing the Word of God and Carrying on the Works of God
  • Fellowship with each other by embracing the family values of love, unity, respect and encouragement
  • Worship God by offering every gift, skill and talent we have to uplifting Father, Son & Holy Spirit Only

GREEK DEFINITION(S):

Phonetic Spelling: ( ek-klay-see’-ah )  V. Transliteration: Ekklesia     MEANING: To be called out

20 BEAUTIFUL BLESSINGS OF BEING IN A MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 

Lowliness – Baptist Church members put their fellow members before themselves

Meekness – Baptist Church members are kind towards one another

Longsuffering– Baptist Church members are patient with one another

Forbearing one another in love – we love because we are extended family

3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

Baptist Church members go the extra mile to be united (democratic, intake, majority rule, etc)

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. 7 But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, aWhen he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.

Baptist Church members understand the importance of Baptism

9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended [b]into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Baptist Church members understand that we are what we are and where we are only because of what Jesus did for us.

 11 And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Baptist Church members respect Spiritual Authority

12 for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: 13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

Baptist Church members work together to build each other through the Word of God &

Baptist Church members lend their unique gifts to God to build His Kingdom

14 that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 

To be Baptist is to Believe wholeheartedly in Christian Education (i.e, Sunday school, family devotion, Bible study, etc…)

15 but [c]speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; 16 from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together [d]through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.

Baptist church members seek to have God truly lead every detail of our lives  

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; 19 who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, [e]to work all uncleanness with [f]greediness. 20 But ye did not so learn Christ; 21 if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, [g]that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Baptist Church members lift each other up and love each other like family

25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, [h]speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 

Baptist Church members are always and openly honest with each other publicly and privately

26 [i]Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your [j]wrath: 

Baptist Church members forgive each other quickly in order to resist the devils desire to enter our sacred space.

27 neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need. 

29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for [k]edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.

Baptist church members praise in public but rebuke in private.

 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Baptist Church members rely completely on the Spirit of God in ourselves, other saints, other sinners and in our services.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave [l]you.

Baptist Church members believe in God, the Bible, the church and each other!

ILLUSTRATION:                                                           

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