On Further Reflection...

Having mused on the essential origins of the church I pastor in my previous blog - I want to indulge a little more time reflecting on where we have been as a church in these past three years. In the first year that we were together (2006-2007), there was both a revival and reformation occuring at the same time. The revival was seen in the fact that God's Word simply came alive in the hearts of this small band of believers. Every time we met together God's Word was all the buzz and chatter. Men, for example, who certainly believed the Bible to be God's Word were now overjoyed with an insatiable hunger to know everything the Scriptures taught. Moreover, this hunger carried them in their families and into the workplace. They just wanted to talk the Word of God with whoever would listen.

The reformation which took place was also centered around the Word of God. Since everyone in this new congregation had come out of a church culture where God's Word did not regulate anything in either doctrine or practice - now the Scriptures were seen as the final authority in all these matters. So then, in our first year, I led studies on Sunday evenings which focused on developing a biblical doctrine of the church. And on Wednesday evenings we concentrated on the doctrine of salvation.

Regarding the doctrine of the church, we studied church government and church discipline. Both of these Bible studies were hugely important in laying down a solid foundation for how the church is to be led and how sin is to be handled. Having come out of a background where "the mob rules" and sin is given a free reign, it was deeply illuminating for everyone to learn from the Bible about being an "elder-led church" (see I Thessalonians 5:12-13; I Timothy 3:1-7; 5:17; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 5:1-5) and a church where sin is corrected and censured with the erring believer restored in love (e.g., Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1-2). In addition to these teachings, on Sunday mornings I preached a series through book of Titus which I called, "The Marks of a Healthy Church" (the title is of course not original with me).

On Wednesday evenings, as I mentioned, we studied intensely the doctrine of salvation. But our main focus here was on "the doctrines of grace" (i.e., total depravity, unconditional election, definite atonement, effectual calling, and the perseverance of the saints). This study actually lasted over a year. And during that time we also viewed three very crucial DVDs: Chosen by God & Willing to Believe by R.C. Sproul and Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism. The doctrine of salvation was now being understood with God at the center rather than man. Furthermore, salvation was being seen as what God accomplished for all those He chose to save before the foundation of the world (John 6:37; 17:2; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:3-11; II Thessalonians 2:13-14); as opposed to an offer He was making to everyone with no guarantee that man would accept it.

Needless to say, God in His gracious providence was fashioning a church that would be driven by the Truth of His Word in all things rather than the whims and fancies of carnal men. Moreover, the very unity of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church would be gathered around the Word of God - not personalities or a denomination or the traditions of men. This was the reformation God brought to us in that first year and it has served since as an unshakable foundation for our church.

We also took in that first year The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith to be our church Confession. In December of 2006, I started an exposition of this Confession which has lasted ever since on a weekly basis! This study has wonderfully forged in us all a clear confessional identity as being Evangelical, Reformed, and Baptist. In addition to this, in 2007 we joined the Southern Baptist Convention, holding to its doctrinal heritage and historical principles which actually fall in line with the 1689 Confession. And this year (in April), our church will officially join The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA). This association is made of churches which all hold to the 1689 Confession, and thus makes for us a meaningful and authentic fellowship with other like-minded churches.

Now since our church has begun, I would not want to give the impression by everything I have written so far, that we somehow think ourselves to be "perfect." Or that we have "arrived". No, the truth is, we all know ourselves to be sinners saved by God's sovereign grace alone in Jesus Christ alone. Moreover, we know too well that we are a people in the life-long process of sanctification. We may be "reformed" in our theology but we are "reforming" always according to the Word of God. We also have nothing to boast of in ourselves but only in Jesus Christ who is our Treasure, Life, and King. This is who the family of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church is in Lenox, Georgia. And as for me, their pastor, I am simply humbled and thankful that God in His good pleasure chose to make me a part of such a work for His kingdom and the spread of His gospel in South Georgia and beyond.