You are invited to participate in one of the many ministries at Grace Bible Church. The Bible teaches that God has gifted each and every Christian with at least one spiritual gift with which to serve others (I Corinthians 12:7). Listed here are the many services provided through Grace Bible Church to help God’s people fulfill God’s will for their lives in serving God.

After you have completed Newcomer’s Class pray where you can become involved in the ministry. After your public declaration before the congregation of Grace, we need you to contact the Ministry Coordinator you are interested in helping.

Please note if you have an interest in a ministry that does not have a coordinator, is not under our potential ministry listing or is not even listed, and you would be willing to help see it established, please contact and talk with Pastor Roderick Walker.

ADMINISTRATION

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

COUNSELING/DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY

FELLOWSHIP

WORSHIP

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Statement of Faith

(1) The Bible, in its original documents, is the inspired Word of God, the written record of His supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content and without any errors in its statements. Psalms 89:34, John 10:35, II Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 6:18, II Peter 3:16.

(2) There is one God, eternally existent, Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is manifested in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2, Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6, John 14:9, I Timothy 3:16, I John 4:7.

(3) The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God who took on flesh and dwelt on earth. He was sinlessly perfect and gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice by shedding His blood and dying on the tree. He then came back from the dead. This was to pay for all sins (past, present and future) for all who believe. (Acts 13:38-41, II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:2-28 and 10:10-14, I Peter 2:24, I John 3:5.)

(4) God is absolutely sovereign and in His sovereignty gave man a free will to accept or reject the salvation that He has provided. It is God’s will that all would be saved and that none would perish. God permits man’s destiny to depend upon man’s choice. John 6:64-65, Acts 10:34, Romans 9:30-32, I Corinthians 1:21, Ephesians 1:5-14, II Thessalonians 2:13, I Timothy 2:4, I Peter 1:2, II Peter 3:9.

(5) Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, and lost, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for salvation of man. The moment a person receives Christ as Savior, immediately, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer who is sealed until the day of redemption. Luke 24:49, John 7:39, Romans 3:23, I Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:13, Titus 3:5.

(6) Man is saved by undeserved mercy through faith and nothing of man enters into his salvation. It is a free gift. Man's efforts, regardless of how good or well intended, before or after salvation, have nothing to do with it. Salvation is by the finished work of Christ and nothing can be added to it. Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 2: 13, Titus 3:5.

(7) The Church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and is composed of all true believers. By the Holy Spirit we are all baptized into one body of Christ. Water baptism is not essential for salvation but it is a testimony to the world that a person has trusted Christ as their Savior. Water baptism is to be done by immersion to exemplify the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Acts 1:8, Acts 2: 14, Acts 8:38, Acts 10:47, I Corinthians 2:14, I Corinthians 6: 19-20, Ephesians 4:5.

(8) Every child of God possesses eternal life and being justified by faith, sanctified by God, sealed with the Holy Spirit, is safe and secure for all eternity. He cannot lose his salvation. However, a Christian can, through sin, lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony, and rewards and incur the Fathers chastisement. Our relationship with God is eternal, being established by the new birth. Fellowship, however, is dependent upon obedience. I Corinthians 3:11-17, I Corinthians 5:1-5, I Corinthians 11:30-32, Hebrews 12:5-11.

(9) A true child of God has two births: one of the flesh, the other of the Spirit, giving man a carnal nature and a Spirit nature. The flesh nature is neither good nor righteous. The Spiritual man does not commit any sin. The result is warfare between the Spirit and the flesh, which continues until physical death, or the return of the Lord. The flesh nature of man does not change in any way with the new birth, but can be controlled and kept subdued by the new man. (John 3:3-7, Romans 7: 15-25, Romans 8:8, Galatians 5: 17, I Peter 1:23, I John 1:8, I John 3:9, I John 5:18.)

(10) There will be a resurrection of the saved and of the lost; of the saved unto eternal life and of the lost unto eternal conscious punishment. These two resurrections are separated by at least 1,000 years. (Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:41, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 20:1-5)

(11) We believe in the personal, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 26:17-21 & 27:1, Luke 21:36, I Thessalonians 5:9-11, II Thessalonians 2:1-8, Titus 2:13, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 4:4)

(12) Satan is a real person, the author of sin and he and his angels shall be eternally punished. (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:15 & 17, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10)

(13) God can heal, but physical healing is not guaranteed at the time of salvation. God heals miraculously today when it is His perfect will to do so. At times it is God’s will for sickness not to be removed.(II Corinthians 12:8-10, James 5:4-16)

(14) The gift of tongues (languages) was a manifestation of the Spirit’s power solely for the demonstration of God’s wisdom, purpose and power in the establishment of the early church and always was in a language that was in use. Grace Bible Church believes that tongues fulfilled its purpose in the first century, like the miracles of Jesus, is not the normative today for the New Testament church. (Acts 2:16-18, I Corinthians 14:22, Acts 2:4-11)

NOTE: CLARIFICATION ON GRACE BIBLE CHURCH’S POSITION ON TONGUES: GRACE BIBLE CHURCH IS NOT A TONGUE-SPEAKING CHURCH. WE DO NOT FOSTER, TEACH OR ENCOURAGE AN ATMOSPHERE FOR THE TONGUE MOVEMENT. IF ANYONE IS OF THE TONGUE PERSUASION AND DESIRES TO UNITE WITH GBC, HE OR SHE IS WELCOME TO GO THROUGH OUR NEWCOMER’S CLASSES OR EVEN STUDY WITH US. OUR POSITION IS CLEAR THAT TONGUES ARE NOT NEEDED OR NECESSARY FOR US TO BE SAVED OR NECESSARY FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE DO NOT TARRY FOR, SEEK AFTER OR ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SPEAK. THOSE WHO ADVOCATE AND HOLD THE POSITION OF I CORINTHIANS, TONGUES SPOKEN IN AN “UNKNOWN LANGUAGE” A LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT UNDERSTOOD, SHOULD BE GOVERNED AND REGULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCRIPTURE. (I CORINTHIANS 14: 13-16, 26-29, 33, 40).

(15) The true child of God is not under the law but under grace—saved by grace and kept by grace; not by works. (Romans 6:14, Romans 11:6)

(16) Repent (metaneo) means a change of mind. Repentance in salvation means a change of mind from any idea of religion that man may have and to accept God’s way of salvation. Repentance does not in any sense include demand for a change of conduct before or after salvation. (Matthew 21:32, Acts 20:21, II Corinthians 7:8-10) One of the counterfeits Satan is using today is the misuse of the word “repent.” To insist upon repentance that in any sense includes a demand for a change of conduct either toward God or man is to add an element of works or human merit to faith. Penance is payment for sin. Penitence is sorrow for sin. Works add something of self in turning from sin. But repent “metaneo” means a change of mind. Nowhere does Scripture use the phrase “repent of sin” to be saved.

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Plan of Salvation

It is every Christian’s privilege and duty to make clear God’s plan of salvation wherever and in whatever vocation he or she may be. (Mark 16: 15, I Thessalonians 2:4)

(1) The general plan of salvation in God’s Word is a brief outline that is believed and practiced by the Grace Bible Church is as follows:

a) Establish the fact that all men are sinners. (Isaiah 64:6, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23, James 2:10)

b) Establish the fact that the penalty of sin is death. (Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23)

c) Establish the fact that you must be perfect to enter heaven. (Habakkuk 1:13, Revelation 21:27)

d) Establish the fact that man can do nothing to obtain this perfection. (Romans 4:5, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9)

e) Show how God provided a sin-bearer and imputes to man His righteousness. (Isaiah 53:6, II Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 3:9, I Peter 3: 18)

f) Establish the fact that man needs only belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior for salvation. (John 1:12, John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9)

g) Establish the fact that man can be certain of this salvation now and that his salvation cannot be lost because eternal life is eternal. (John 6:37 & 39, John 10:28, Hebrews 10:10-14, I Peter 1:5)

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Church Covenant

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of our Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. We engage, therefore, by the aide of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness and comfort, to promote its prosperity and spirituality to sustain its worship ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to give it a sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to Biblically educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful to our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drink as a beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aide each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage, that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

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Ordinances

(1) Baptism, the immersion of the believer only once in water signifying the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the believer’s complete identification with Him in the same; we believe that this baptism, or the willingness to receive it where physically unable, is the prerequisite to the privileges of membership in the local church. (Acts 8:36-39, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, 5; Acts 2:41)

(2) The Lord’s Supper, a feast of remembrance for believers only, the bread and wine symbolizing the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination; the elements never become the body and blood of Christ, and are to be viewed as symbols only. Acts 2:42, I Corinthians 11:23-28.

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