On Service Organizations

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:16). It appears to be a penchant of Western culture that whenever people see a task bigger than they can perform, they start a specialized society, club, institution, or agency to carry out the task. The impulse carries over into the Lord’s work. We have three organizations clearly authorized in Scripture: the family, the government, and the local church.

What Became of Personal Separation?

1 John 2:15–17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the Iust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

What is in it for the Church?

Take heed to thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16). Rarely do you meet a person who finished his education and is sorry that he did it. But how often do you meet a person who did not complete his education and sincerely wished that he had? I sometimes hear pastors talk about how much they didn’t get in school. Some even drop these remarks from chapel platforms.

The Benefits of a Bible College Education

Selecting a college to attend is not always an easy task. For one thing, there are over 3,500 from which to choose. Then there are other factors, such as how far away it is, what it will cost, what kinds of programs it offers, would I get a quality education etc. When people begin looking for a college, they (and often their family and friends) want to know what the college has to offer. This question is an important one, and we believe that Bible colleges have some unique qualities which should be attractive to the college-bound, committed Christian.

What’s In a Name?

As new local churches are begun, there is a growing tendency to name them without a prominent denominational label, even when there may be some actual tie to a denominational fellowship or the church may be structured according to a certain denominational pattern. Even well established churches have adopted name changes in which a denominational designation has been exchanged for a more non-denominational label such as “Bible church” or “community church.” Is there any value in keeping the denominational designation in a church’s name where it has a place of prominence?

Chuck Colson and The Body Book

Chuck Colson, special assistant to President Nixon and the hatchet man for that administration, became a Christian in prison during 1973. Three years later he founded Prison Fellowship International, a global ministry to prisoners and their families. Over the past twenty years, Colson has become an influential voice in American evangelicalism. He has authored a number of significant books, beginning with his testimony in Born Again and Life Sentence. He continued with devotional and discipling books such as Loving God and Who Speaks for God?

The Doctrine of the Church and Its Identifying Marks

There is much confusion these days over what the Bible teaches about the church. Here at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary we are often asked what we believe in this area, and we are glad for the opportunity to set forth our convictions. There is much more that could be said about the church but these comments reflect our basic understanding of what the Scriptures teach. Significance We believe that the doctrine of the church is just as significant as any of the other grand teachings of Scripture.

Faith Baptist Seminary…A Distinctive Graduate School!

“Seminaries are all alike. They all prepare students for Christian ministries, so it really makes little difference where you attend seminary.” These statements represent the way some people respond to the idea of seminary training. It is true, seminaries do have many things in common and yet they are very distinct from one another. You do not choose a seminary because of location but because of its distinctives that will meet your academic and ministry goals. All seminaries are the same in that they are graduate schools, dedicated to preparing men and women for Christian ministries.

The Importance of Water Baptism

The importance of water baptism has been understood in different ways throughout church history. Some groups have taught that water baptism is the means by which God forgives sins. Others have said that water baptism is a sign and a seal of being in a covenant relationship with God. Obviously this view is much more vague than the first one and allows for differences of interpretation. Yet a third view argues that since water baptism is only a symbol of what God has already done and since water baptism has caused great division within Christendom, either water baptism should not be performed at all or it should be made optional for church membership.

Learning From the Closing of Des Moines University

On Saturday, September 30, 1989, the alumni of Des Moines University held their last reunion. This might not seem so remarkable, but for the fact that the school closed in 1929. For the last sixty Years the alumni have faithfully commemorated their school. Since now they are all in advanced age, they determined that their sixtieth reunion would be their last. The beautiful shaded campus is long gone with barely a trace. All the old buildings but one have vanished, and you need to look closely to find the one shell that remains.