INTRODUCTION

a. This is the final sermon in a series called "Your Church Home" and it is titled "Being Baptist"

b. The story is told of two small churches in a small town that because of their size decided to merge together. One a Baptist church and the other a Christian church. The biggest hurdle to cross was deciding on a name. during the discussion one old Baptist said, "I've been Baptist all my life and I'll never be a Christian"

c. That is not what I mean today

d. It is important to examine what a church believes when you look for one to make YOUR Church Home

e. Today I Feel somewhat like Marshall - I have a task that is nearly impossible to do - I hope I do better today than Marshall did yesterday

I. BAPTISTS BELIEVE

a. Sovereignty of God

1. He is - HE has revealed Himself to mankind - The revelation is understandable

2. God is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - One God

1. The Bible is inspired by God and our only guide for Faith and Practice

2. It is God-Breathed - It is True - It is Without Error

1. Salvation is God's work and not ours - It is accomplished by Grace through Faith and without any work or deed on our part - No person can earn or merit God's Forgiveness - it comes as a gift to those who Believe in His Son

1. Baptists only baptize those who have expressed personal faith in Jesus Christ - Thus no infant baptisms

2. Immersion is the method because it best represents the Baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River and it best symbolizes the scripture in Romans 6 where it says "we are buried with Him by baptism into death and raised whit Him to New Life"

1. Each person is responsible to God for their relationship with Him - We are responsible for prayer, Reading and Understanding the Bible, Doing His Will in our lives

2. We are to confess to God directly

3. We are individually free and responsible

a. Why we have no Hierarchy telling us what to do or believe

1. James Dunn - "It is our greatest strength and weakness all at the same time" Interpreted it means - "Can't nobody tell us what to believe"

2. We are an independent bunch. Each church speaks for itself and cannot be forced by any larger organization to do or believe anything

1. Comes directly out of the Priesthood of the Believer - Each individual is responsible for their own understanding and practice of faith

2. Each person must be free to decide for themselves - There are no marionettes in heaven

1. Baptist are committed to the Great Commission

2. It is for mission that we join together in Associations, regions and national denominations - because we can do more together than we can apart

a. I am committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and have declared my allegiance to Him by Believer's Baptism

1. Some of you were baptized as infants or by sprinkling - I in no way want to diminish the importance of that in your life. To be Baptist though means to be immersed. There is deep meaning in the symbol

1. This comes right out of Soul Liberty and The Priesthood of the Believer

2. We are each responsible before God to pray, read, study, and do the will of God in our lives.

3. God will not ask you what the preacher or church believed - What do you believe? - Will not be able to blame the preacher or church - You are responsible - But what Freedom - and freedom is a scary thing - because it makes us responsible

1. It is in the church that I worship and find fellowship

2. Together in church we grow and challenge one another

3. We train and teach and love and cry and laugh and pray together

4. We decide for ourselves what is important and I am reminded that I can do more in the world with other Christians than I can alone

5. I commit my Time (I am present), Talent (I use my gifts for the good of the church), Treasure (I give financially to support the ministry of my church here and around the world)

1. I work to fulfill the Great Commission to go into all the world

2. When I cannot go I give to send others into the world

3. I can though speak to people here - where I live - I can invite them to come with me to Sunday School and Worship

4. 95% of people that respond to Christ and become a Christian do so because of the invitation of a friend - not because of a great preaching or good preachers but because a friend shared with them

5. We have our Fall Renewal coming up on September 21st - It is an excellent time to invite your unchurched and non Christian friends to come with you

6. Want to be part of Missions - Why no attend the Mission Alive!! meeting on Sept 30 and become part of the FBC Mission Team

a. First must be Christian - invite Jesus to save you

b. Must declare or profess that faith publicly

1. Present yourself before the church

2. Follow Christ with Believer's Baptism

d. I have been immersed but I come from a different denomination - Come on the basis of you Christian Experience

e. Each week I stand here at the front of the church to receive all who present themselves before the church declaring their faith - I ask you to come doing that today

BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER

HYMN # 164 "I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS"