|
"Life by the Book" is a simple phrase that communicates the authority and sufficiency of God's Word to set the direction for every aspect of life. We desire that the members of Hampton Park Baptist Church would seek to allow the Bible to govern every aspect of life. More specifically, we desire that God's Word may govern our corporate church life.
Acts 2:41-47 provides vital information from God's Word as to what a church governed by God's Word would look like. Church "life by the Book" has five characteristics.
Believing
41: “So those who received his word were baptized and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:36-40; Romans 10:13-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:1-4; Eph. 2)
Mandate: to be a regenerate membership rooted in gospel truth and growing in gospel-permeated thinking and living
We believe that nothing can take the place of the gospel in rescuing and transforming lives from being sinful rebels to holy Christ-like saints. Every facet of Christian living grows from gospel realities. A lifestyle contradictory to what the gospel teaches about God, man, rescue, and sanctification is a practical denial of it. No program, no list of standards, no group can do the supernatural work of the gospel to save to the uttermost those that put their trust in Christ. For that reason and ultimately because the gospel brings Christ glory in how it transforms people, we will make the gospel central in our preaching, counseling, and lifestyles.
Back to top
Learning
42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” (Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:14-17, 23-26; 3:10-4:5; Acts 20:28-32)
Mandate: to love, learn, and live God’s Word with confidence in its unique transforming power
We have full confidence in the sufficiency of the Word of God under the Spirit’s power as the means of regeneration and sanctification. Because the Bible is God’s Word, we believe the best way to deliver its truth is as it is presented—in context, with attention to the Divine Author’s intent (Is the message of the sermon the message of the text?). While group therapy, amusements, social activities, psychological formulas, political action, entertaining speeches (however religious in character) have their place, they cannot do what the Word applied can do. It is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, a hammer that breaks the rock, a fire, water to cleanse the heart, wheat in contrast to chaff. We want to encourage and equip families to function as the prime discipleship units in the church body—just as God has designed—with fathers and mothers fulfilling their biblical mandate to teach God’s Word and ways to their children by precept and by example. We want to encourage Bible studies in all kinds of venues for the sake of evangelism and discipleship.
Back to top
Loving
42: “And they devoted themselves to . . . the fellowship”
44-45: “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Lev. 19:9-18; Mat. 18:15-20; Mat. 22:37-40; John 13:35; 17:20-21; Acts 4:32-35; Rom. 12:3-13; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 1 Cor. 13; Gal. 5:13-15; Gal. 6:1-10; Eph. 4:1-6, 12-16, 29-32; 5:1-2; Phil. 2:1-11; Col. 3:12-15; 1 Thes. 4:9-10; 2 Thes. 3:6-15; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3, 4; Rev. 2:4)
Mandate: to grow up together in Christlike character and conduct so that we are serving one another in love
By the power of the Spirit, we desire this hallmark of the Spirit’s control to permeate all our church life, private and public, to bring about genuine spiritual unity, to prompt humble confrontation, confession, and correction, to spur evangelism and discipleship. We seek to have the mind of Christ who sacrificed Himself in humility out of love for us and to count others more significant than ourselves, to refrain from what harms our relationships to one another, to serve one another in love. Apart from this characteristic our gospel efforts will lack the credibility of divinely empowered living.
Back to top
Worshiping
42: “And they devoted themselves . . . to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
46-47a: “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God.” (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19; Psalms; Isa. 66:1-2; John 4:21-24; Rev. 5:6-14)
Mandate: to encourage and engage in zealous, reverent, Word-driven, Christ-centered, God-exalting, life-permeating worship in large and small gatherings, public and private devotion
In a self-centered world, so-called worship is often little more than catering to what makes the individual feel “worshipful.” We want to recover and maintain a worship that expresses our humble submission to and loving awe of God through humble, repentant attitudes that tremble at His Word and exult in His grace displayed in Christ’s redemption. True worship is neither mindless ecstasy nor dull repetitions. Corporate worship ought to engage all our beings—our minds, emotions, wills, actions—rendering to Him the love He deserves with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Our united worship is hypocrisy apart from the devoted submission of our individual lives to Christ. We believe in the vital necessity of corporate prayer, whether on Wednesdays or at some other time.
Back to top
Witnessing
47b: “And having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:44-49: John 20:21-23: Acts 1:8: Acts 8; Book of Acts—over 60 examples of public and private witnessing)
Mandate: For every member to be actively engaged in spreading the good news through regular contact with unsaved people
We want to recover the New Testament church culture of evangelism, in which every believer understands his role to be light in the darkness wherever he or she goes. In keeping with the farming metaphor the Scriptures use, we want to be always sowing the seed and cultivating the harvest, rather than depending on event-driven evangelism or compartmentalized witnessing. While we will still plan services or trips focused on evangelism and will structure evangelistic efforts into our church life, the work of evangelism must be a constant feature of our lives. We want all members to be sharing the gospel and discipling others through all their God-given contacts, at home or work or leisure or travel. Pastors, deacons, and mature believers must model such a lifestyle and teach others by instruction and by example.
Back to top
|
Pastoral Leadership
