THEOLOGY
 
Theology is the study of God.  At First Baptist of Madison (FBCM) our theology is best described as ''free and faithful'' Baptist theology.  The fine points may differ from Baptist to Baptist, but we have great consensus on the major articles of faith.  Here is my personal faith statement which I believe would be echoed by most if not by all the members of FBCM:

There is one true and holy God who is loving, personal, righteous, and all-powerful/knowing/wise.  This eternal God is the Creator of all that is; nothing exists apart from His will. This God has chosen to reveal Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, manifesting distinct attributes, but remaining One in nature, essence, and being.
There is one true and holy God who is loving, personal, righteous, and all-powerful/knowing/wise.  This eternal God is the Creator of all that is; nothing exists apart from His will. This God has chosen to reveal Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, manifesting distinct attributes, but remaining One in nature, essence, and being.

Human beings were created by God as the zenith of creation.    Human beings were created in the "image of God" - innocent of sin and with freedom of choice.  Human beings chose to sin against God and so brought sin into the human race.  The penalties of sin are spiritual and physical death.  Hell, eternal separation from God, is the destination of sinners.  Sinful human beings cannot remove the fact or consequences of sin from their lives and therefore cannot be saved (in union with God) except by Divine intervention.

God became human in the man Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus was born of a virgin mother in fulfillment of Hebrew scripture, in the city of Bethlehem, in the fullness of time.  Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah.  He was fully human and fully divine.  He was without sin. Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice to redeem sinners from death and hell by dying on a Roman cross.  Jesus, having defeated death, was raised (physically) from the dead.  He appeared to his followers and then ascended to the Father in heaven.  Before he ascended Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come, indwell, and fill his followers to enlighten, comfort, and empower them to share the good news. Salvation is in Christ alone.

Salvation is the condition of being in grace.  God, not willing that any should perish, calls all people to salvation.  Those who respond to the call will be saved.  Since God is the author and finisher of salvation it cannot be lost, stolen, or given away.  True believers will persevere to the end. Salvation involves regeneration (the forgiveness of sin), sanctification (the "working out salvation" in the life of the true believer), and glorification (the culmination of salvation - heaven). Heaven, eternal union with God, is the destination of the saved.

The true believers in Jesus are called the church.  The term Christian is limited to those who have repented of their sin and invited "Christ - in."  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit seals the true believer at the moment of spiritual birth in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The local church is autonomous, composed of Christians who are committed to each other by a covenant of faith and fellowship.

All members share in the priesthood of all believers and are equally responsible to one another and to God.  Church and state should be separate.  The state should offer protection and freedom to the church to pursue its spiritual ends.  The church should not resort to civil power to carry on its work.

There are two ordinances commanded by Jesus Christ to His church: (1) Baptism - physical immersion in water symbolizing the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  The believer identifies with the resurrection of Christ and emerges from the watery grave to walk in newness of life.  (2) The Lord's Supper commemorates the death of the Savior, anticipates His imminent return and symbolizes the unity or common-union of all believers.
 
The mission of the church given by Jesus is to make disciples of all people, teaching them His ways, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy The Bible was written by authors inspired by God.  It is authoritative, reliable, and trustworthy.  The Bible tells the story of God's redemption of human kind through His Son, therefore the ultimate criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.
 
PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
 
Ministry has both philosophy and objectives in addition to a theology.  While theology is ''the what'' of ministry, philosophy and objectives are “the how.''  This is important to grasp because even though many churches may share a similar theology, differing philosophies and objectives can make for strikingly different fellowships.  As pastor of FBCM I have articulated my philosophy and objectives for ministry.  They are as follows:                                            
My philosophy of ministry holds that spiritually healthy individuals and churches will accomplish God's will.  I believe that God's will for the church is the living celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is best understood and expressed through the "Great Commandment (Mark 12:28-31)" and the "Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)."  These, expressed by Jesus inform his disciples that we are to love God, love one another, and love the whole world through the spreading of the gospel.  Therefore genuine ministry must by its very nature encourage Christian people to embrace God's love so fully that they become exactly who God intends them to be.  In order to fulfill God's will for my life and ministry I stress a balanced Christian walk epitomized by the following passions:
· Love for God - The priesthood of all believers means that we have direct access to God made possible through Christ's death on the cross.   This also means that Christians are to serve as "priests" one to another as we discover together a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God.  As a Baptist I describe soul freedom as a precious gift given by God's grace in order to fulfill His will for our lives that is to love him with "all of our heart, soul, mind and strength."  
· Love for the Church - The universal church is composed of believers in Jesus Christ scattered in all places and through all ages.  In spite of doctrinal differences we are called to love and respect one another.  Individual congregations, the local church are autonomous bodies.  Church freedom means we are free as Baptists to partner with other believers to fulfill God's specific call and be a missional church, unique and set apart to fulfill a special purpose.  The pastor is not the ruler of the church, that role is reserved for God alone.  Instead the pastor is called to be a shepherd who guides the sheep.  Therefore the governing of the church is a democratic process that seeks to acknowledge diverse opinions and arrive at a congregational decision on issues that affect the life of the church.  
· Love for the Lost - We must take seriously the words of Jesus that compel us to share the good news with those who are estranged from God.  This should be done in a variety of ways including both words and deeds.  The basis for all evangelism is love for the unsaved.  One way that is expressed is through the historic Baptist commitment to religious freedom.  Separation of church and state is a good idea, with a Biblical basis, that serves to prevent religious coercion as well as interference or preferential support from the state.  Faith freely chosen is genuine faith and the American experiment demonstrates that religion thrives under a separated state and church.
· Love for Scripture - The Bible is reliable, trustworthy, and authoritative.  It reveals God's love for all humankind and the reconciliation provided through Jesus Christ.  Christians often fight needlessly over the inspiration of scripture insisting on terminology and claims the Bible doesn't make for itself.  Free and faithful Baptists assert that Bible freedom allows for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of the believer, guiding him or her toward truth both through inward conviction and through the testimony of fellow believers.   I resist the imposition of any creed and instead desire Christians to read, study, think through, and share with others their understanding of the Bible.
My ministry objective is to lead God’s people into authentic, balanced, and life-changing Christian discipleship by employing historic Baptist principles into every aspect of the church.  My goal is to help produce mature and loving believers who will by their changed lives be used by God to build His church and be a light of hope to those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.   The pastor's role is to shepherd the process to ensure that all voices are heard, considered, and that the aims and goals of the congregation are genuinely theirs.  This done the congregation will take ownership and bear the appropriate responsibility for seeing the church meets its objectives.
 
COMPATIBILITY
 
There is yet another important factor in determining the right church to join, namely compatibility.  Apart from theology and philosophy/objectives there are at least two other important factors in choosing the congregation to join.  One of is compatibility.  The compatibly test tries to answer the question ''Will it work?''  If the theology and philosophy/objectives are a good match then you already know most of the answer to that question.  There remain some practical matters such as the accessibility, culture, and spirit of the congregation that should also be considered.
· Accessibility - If church is too hard to get to then you have a significant problem to overcome.  Fortunately this is lessened to a large degree by modern forms of transportation.  Even so location must be factored in the compatibility consideration.
· Culture - One of the first things folks notice upon visiting a new church is its culture.  Are they friendly or maybe too friendly? , Do they speak my language or am I lost in translation?   Do I feel at home or like I'm on a journey to an exotic foreign land?  The answer to all of these subjective questions is of course best determined by actually visiting the church.
· Spirit - Often said this way, ''I feel God is in this place,'' spirit gives the reassurance that this is the place that God has for you.  If you sense that indescribable peace after all else has been thoughtfully weighed and prayed about then you can have confidence in your decision to join with the fellowship.
 
CALL
 
To paraphrase a sentiment expressed by a former U.S. president, ''Ask not what your God can do for you, ask what you can do for your God.''  (See last chapter of the Gospel according to John for more on this.)  Being called to a church isn't like shopping for the perfect church with all the extras we prefer.  It is being called to join the work Jesus has called us to.  In other words let yourself be called of God to the place where he can make an impact through your gifts and talents.
I believe that FBCM is a great church and has a great future.  I came here because I sensed God's call to see this church reach out to all people with the good news that God loves them and will show them the way home.  I'm looking for others who wish to join me and all the brothers and sisters at FBCM as together we seek to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord.  Are you called to join us?

''God's grace changes everything.''



Rev. Charles ''Chuck'' McGathy
Pastor
First Baptist Church of Madison, North Carolina

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