PRINCIPLE #1 – INTEGRITY
Bottom line, is practicing what we preach and teach. It begins by admitting one very important thing: We’re sinners. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” -I John 1:9-10
PRINCIPLE #2 – THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD TO US, AND THEREFORE HAS AUTHORITY OVER US
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. -II Timothy 3:16-17
PRINCIPLE #3 – CONTINUALLY SEEK TO BE IN GOD’S WILL “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me”-Philippians 3:12 We believe in a living and active God who works in our world, and works in our lives. Thus, we strive to be the people He wants us to be and do the things He wants us to do. We strive for this through faith, hope, and love, according to the grace given us by the Holy Spirit.
PRINCIPLE #4 – HAVE FUN
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus -Philippians 3:4-7
PRINCIPLE #5 – PURSUING THE PURPOSE:
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Jesus (Matt.28:18-20)
CORE BELIEFS-
ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one as God. Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sharing in the Divine nature of God. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven´s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords. Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit shares in the Divine nature, being one with the Father and the Son. In these last days, He is the presence of God within every believer. God’s Holy Spirit is at work continually, convicting the world of sin, illuminating spiritual truth, transforming individuals, working miracles, and granting peace, comfort, and freedom -to name a few. I Corinthians 12 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1
ABOUT US
We were made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. Although we have tremendous potential for good, we are marred by a nature of disobedience toward God called the “sinful nature”. This nature of ours will often draw us toward sin and away from God, and sin separates us from God.Genesis 1:27; Romans 5:19; Romans 7:18-20; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1,2
ABOUT GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD
Salvation is a gift from God to us by means of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We can never fully overcome our sin and shortcomings by self-imporvement or good works. We all fall short of God. But God showed us His grace and mercy by sending His Son to pay for our sins and give us all a new start. You can be right with God if you will believe in Jesus and be baptized in His name. (in the general sense)
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:8
ABOUT BAPTISM
Baptism was a command not only given by Jesus, but one that was obeyed by Jesus as well. It represents the uniting of a believer with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Specifically, baptism portrays the washing away of sin, the leaving behind of our old way of life, and the beginning of a new life lived by faith in Jesus Christ. In the Scriptures, baptism was always combined with belief and repentance as part of the personal decision of someone to surrender his or her life to Christ and/or God. Therefore, we do not baptize infants or those who cannot yet make such a decision. We do not feel it is necessary. Not only is salvation based on faith, not religious observances or sacraments, but also, the Bible shows us by example in the Old Testament that God does not hold young children accountable for sin until they are able to accept or reject God for themselves. (see verses below) Infant baptism is based on the parent’s faith. In fact, it can be a very beautiful experience, but the Bible clearly links baptism with a decision of faith, and therefore we encourage baptism for those who are old enough, and able, to make a decision for Christ on his or her own. We believe the later baptism does not make the previous one meaningless, but rather, fulfills the promise made by the parents when their child was baptized. Those who strongly oppose this, are usually afraid of someone leaving what they consider to be the “official” church, but no where does the New Testament EVER promote specific church organizations. Baptism is between you and Christ. Acts 2:38, Matthew 3:14-15, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 8:12, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:4 [Numbers 14:29-31 & Deut 1:39]
ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God´s Word to all men. Human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit wrote it. Thus, it is “inspired.” It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, the truths it contains are true. The accounts of events are true. The message and meanings it contains are true. The prophecies & promises of the future are true. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5
ABOUT ETERNITY
Heaven and Hell are real places and God’s judgment will really happen. We were created to exist forever with God, but we will either exist eternally separated from God because of our sin, or we will be with God because we accepted the forgiveness and salvation God provides through Jesus Christ. God calls everyone on the planet to believe in Him, and He reaches out to those who respond to His call. None of us have an excuse.John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46
ABOUT ATTENDING CHURCH
The Bible commands us to not “forsake” or leave behind our assembling together. Attending & participating in church provides us a way to fulfill God’s commands to serve and love each other and live by the Spirit. In order to live under the control of God’s Holy Spirit, the Bible explains we must “set our minds” on what the Spirit desires. Those who live by the sinful nature, according to the Bible, have their minds set on what our sinful nature desires. Church is an important way to keep the focus of our hearts and minds on Jesus. Thus attending Church gives us the opportunity to serve, and builds us up in our faith as well. Romans 12:2, Romans 8:5, Heb 10:25, Gal 5:16, I Corinthians 12:7-12
21 comments
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April 17, 2007 at 2:45 pm
tina
You don’t attend church, you are the church. There’s nothing in the Bible that can rightly be construed as a command to attend a religious institution.
April 17, 2007 at 4:16 pm
thecrazypastor
Actually, the Bible doesn’t say I am the church. The word itself literally means “assembly, community, congregation of Christian believers on earth or heaven or both” For instance, the Bible in Acts 2:47 says the Lord “added to the church daily, those who were being saved.” He didn’t add churches, but people to the church. So I attend church, but you are right, it’s not a religious institution, it is simply a group of Christian believers. Of which, I personally am merely a part.
That’s why I was careful to write the Bible says “not to forsake or leave behind our assembling together.” That’s not referring to attending a particular religious institution but refers to participating with other Christians when they gather together for worship, fellowship, preaching, teaching, etc…
What I wrote about attending a particular church was just the point that attending a Church “provides us a way to fulfill God’s commands to serve and love each other and live by the Spirit,” and “attending Church gives us the opportunity to serve, and builds us up in our faith as well.” Not meaning that you have to belong to a religious institution, but that being a part of a group of believers gives us the opportunity to live out our faith. We can’t serve others unless we take the time to associate with others.
Plus, attending a church is also a great way to keep our hearts and minds focused on God. Obviously, there are other ways to do this as well, but in the book of Acts, the Christians gathered together daily, served one another, broke bread in their homes, and devoted themselves to the teaching of the Word of God from the apostles who were the leaders of the church at Jerusalem.
Jesus also wrote to churches in Revelation chapter 2 and 3, with each church having their own angel and their own rebuke and/or encouragement from Christ himself. So a group of believers in a particular area who meet together, work together and build up each other’s faith and testimony, was established by the apostles, planted and started by Paul and others in every city, and made legitimate by Jesus when he addressed churches directly.
So while there are many different forms of a “church,” THE church is the Body of believers world-wide, and “my church” is the group of believers I worship with and labor for Christ with. We are encouraged by Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake assembling together with our church, each one of us being a part of it.
April 18, 2007 at 11:01 am
tina gasperson
Hello! Well, I can’t say that you’ve changed my mind, but I do agree that attending a church provides us with multiple opportunities to love the way Jesus does. Of course, I don’t mean that all alone, I am the Church, but even still, I am the Church by dint of my membership in the Body of Christ. We are spiritually knit together even when we are not physically in each others’ presence. (I do still agree that it is good to interact with other believers, not advocating aloneness, as a clarification, just rejecting the notion that togetherness needs to be done as “attend a local institution” or even regularly scheduled meetings.) Thanks for putting so much effort into your response. -Tina
April 18, 2007 at 2:13 pm
thecrazypastor
No problem, and thanks for the response. I agree that “togetherness” doesn’t have to be through attending a local institution or even a regularly scheduled meeting. I really do agree with you when you make the point that these institutions or meetings don’t constitute THE church. More like outlets for THE Church maybe?
What I worry over (not with you, but simply in general when this subject comes up) are those who don’t participate in any group of believers on any regular basis, claiming (and often rightly so) that the church isn’t a building etc… They are right, but since we are called to serve and love one another, it is important that we emphasize our membership in the Body of Christ and the importance of being physically in each others’ presence from time to time. Not because it’s a sin or anything to skip a meeting, but because it’s important to do the work of edifying the Body, building each other up etc…
I enjoyed your blog! Good stuff!
May 24, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Keith
Hey, where are you located. I enjoy your blog.
May 24, 2007 at 10:59 pm
thecrazypastor
Thanks Keith! God has called me to Mountain View, Missouri! I’ll be there in June 2007, at Mountain View Christian Church. (non-denominational)
June 6, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Amy
Hello, Pastor Brian. I read your Core Beliefs and I thank you for having them posted. I try to be careful when asking the opinion of a complete stranger a question. After reading your Core Beliefs I know we think alike and belong to the same Savior, Jesus Christ. Well here is my question. Do you believe in Modern Day Prophets? I have a family member who had an encounter with MDP and what they said did not coincide with what she believes. I found what they said to be false. She is a born again believer as well, but the so called prophets spoke hurtful words to her. What is your take on Modern Day Prophets.
June 10, 2007 at 11:26 pm
thecrazypastor
Hey Amy! Sorry I took so long to reply on this one. The prophets from the Old Testament had to be 100% correct or else they were considered false prophets and God usually punished false prophets with death. I think that bears some consideration when speaking of Modern Day Prophets.
I do believe God can and occasionally does give the gift of prophecy and/or a prophetic word or vision to people from time to time. I also know that such a “prophecy,” whatever it may be, MUST be consistent with the words God has already spoken in the Bible, and they must be proven to be true or else they are simply not from God. You can’t be right 95% of the time and be a prophet of God. It has to be 100%. It’s a very dangerous thing to claim to speak words directly from God’s mouth, and I believe God will judge those who claim to be prophets, but are not.
I think you did a very good thing by investigating this so-called prophet, and by sticking by your friend in all of this. As we live in the last days, there are many deceptions and false teachings that will arise, and it is important to do as the Bible says and “test the spirits.”
I’m afraid people are so hungry for something real, they fake it and tell themselves they are prophets or healers, etc… when they aren’t. When God does something, there’s no mistaking it. It seems like some Christians try to force the issue and end up deceiving themselves. The most frustrating thing in my opinion is this: There’s so much fake stuff or so much stuff that doesn’t come from God, and so many people being taken advantage of that the world doesn’t know what to believe anymore.
June 14, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Tracy
We have some family members (they are chirstians) who have stated that they have had a curse put on them by someone in voodoo that was actually in leadership at their church they attend. I know pretty wild huh? This person that put the curse on them actually taught a spiritual warfare class! How can this go unnoticed? I am under the conviction that Christians cannot have curses put on them. But what scriptural basis can I use in helping them understand this? Can you please help me to help them?
Thanks a lot! God bless you!
Tracy
June 16, 2007 at 12:26 am
thecrazypastor
Wow. What kind of Christian-type church has a voodoo practicing leader-type person?? (for the record, I do know there are different kinds of voodoo… usually it’s more or less like the native American religions, but sometimes you have the black-magic kind) But still… wow. Good question by the way, but… wow.
Okay, anyway, Christians may have someone attempt to put a curse on them, but a curse is merely an attempt to get the evil spirits to attack someone, or get “fate” to start causing bad things to happen, etc…
Otherwise it’s just a mark or a statement. There has to be some spiritual power to enforce it, for it to actually be, you know… a curse.
For instance, God said in Malachi 2:2 He would send a curse on Israel, and in Malachi 4:6 threatened the earth with a curse. Well the curse would mean nothing unless God either allows something bad to happen, or brought judgment Himself. The Bible also said Jesus was cursed when He died for our sins, and that anyone who didn’t follow the law perfectly was under a curse. Galatians 3:13
So if you’re a Christian, being under a curse isn’t really a new idea. But these curses come from God and His words.
A voodoo curse comes from a person, and is enforced by demons. 1John 4:4 says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Meaning the Holy Spirit that is in you is greater than Satan. Plus, the passage in the Bible that talks about spiritual warfare also gives us the prescription to winning it:
Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
So for a Christian, while spiritual forces of evil are real, they aren’t stronger or able to defeat us.
This next one sums it up nicely:
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
God says no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and it wasn’t just for those reading the prophecy, but it was the heritage of the servants of the Lord. All of us.
My response to someone trying to put a “curse” on me would be to smile and say… “My God is bigger than yours.”
And then of course, those “christians” who practice voodoo, especially leaders! need to be publicly rebuked for such a thing! But it’s laughable that a voodoo curse or any other black magic art could overcome the servants of God.
Just read the story of Moses competing with the magicians of Egypt, or the Ark of the Covenant when the Philistines captured it and tried to keep it in their temple, or any demon trying to stand up to Jesus or Peter or Paul.
Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the will of God. Matthew 10.
The story goes (surely fiction, but I like it) that Martin Luther was sleeping restlessly, afraid that men might take him away to be burned at the stake. A sound woke him and he bolted up in bed to see Satan himself standing at the foot, gazing at him.
Luther sighed, “Oh. It’s only you.”
And went back to sleep.
June 16, 2007 at 3:07 am
Amy
Hello Pastor Brian thank you so much for your reply to my email. I appreciate the time you took with it. You helped in a big way.
Sincerely Amy
June 16, 2007 at 4:56 am
thecrazypastor
Hey Amy! Thanks for kind words, and I’m very glad it helped. God bless!
June 16, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Tracy
Thanks so much Brian! I appreciate your help!
June 16, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Ray
Keep up the good work. This blog is obviously reaching out to folk with real questions. Your outline of your core beliefs and the brief bio about you have established you as someone that knows what he believes, knows why he believes it and lives out that belief. Praise the Lord.
Ray
http://www.christian-housesitters.com
June 16, 2007 at 6:56 pm
thecrazypastor
Thanks Ray. Enjoyed your website as well!
June 19, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Becky
Hello Pastor Brain, Can you tell me your thoughts on predestination. My church believes it is God choosing the eternal destiny of human beings – our salvation is a choice God made before creation of the world. We still have free will to accept His calling but if we are not choose then we are unable to be saved Romans 9:19-24. This message confused me a bit and I just wanted your thoughts.
Thanks Becky
June 19, 2007 at 9:15 pm
thecrazypastor
This comment is now a huge post! Go here.
June 20, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Becky
Brian, Thank you so much for being very thorough. We are in agreement and you have showed me many places in the Bible that clear my confussion on this subject. Again, thank you.
God Bless, Becky
July 19, 2007 at 10:51 pm
ron
hey bri,
just wanted to know how things were going. settled in? hows the family??
you got my e-mail and cell..use them.
ron
July 23, 2007 at 5:19 am
thecrazypastor
Hey mr. ron,
Things are going good, and getting a little more busy on the schedule. Sheryl starts a new job on Tuesday, and this Sunday we just had church outdoors, (a big tent meeting) and I’m at camp the rest of the week. The kids are loving the new house and being next to the grandparents. We went to see the Springfield Cardinals play baseball with Sheryl’s folks, and last week, Derek and Shelby got to swim in a river AND explore a cave -both for the first time. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but a fun one. It’s also very, VERY nice to be able to spend time with dad on a regular basis. Thanks for the note, I’ll try to holler at you guys again after camp ends this week.
October 28, 2007 at 12:05 pm
kim grice
Tina, got 5 words for you….NO MAN (OR WOMAN) IS AN ISLAND. It intrigues me that so many people have such a major problem with attending church. Perhaps the churches you have been to have left you disolusioned or angry, in which case, i don’t blame you for not wanting to get involved in one or feel obligated to attend. I guess for me, i love attending, it is as much a part of my life as my family and i love all my brothers and sisters in the lord as much as my own flesh and blood. I can always depend upon them, trust them and have an unbreakable bond with them. When Christ founded the church, it was not an institution with man made rules imposed by people who have no relationship with Him. In fact, if we read the scriptures, many times Jesus and the disciples rebuked the “organized relegious leaders” of the day who followed their rules to the letter, but had hearts full of dead mans bones. Chat to me, i would be interested to see where and why you draw your conclusions.