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Would This Be A Good Church?

GraceSaved

By GraceSaved
in General Chats

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Jim_Alaska Grand Master

Jim_Alaska

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Would anyone mind looking at this church's website and let me know what you think?  Would you recommend it?  

 

Thanks. 

 

http://www.theridgecc.com/what-we-

 

 

One word.....NO!

 

OK, I need more than one word by way of warning. Number one is that this is not any kind of Baptist Church. They are a "Community Church". All Community Churches follow the teachings and methods of John MacArthur. They are Inter-Denominational and/or Non-Denominational. They have to be to appeal to the community as a whole.

 

Here is one erroneous quote from their website: "the first man and woman were deceived by Satan." My Bible tells me that Adam was not decieved:  1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

 

Here is another quote that shows the tenor of their ministry, (I use the word "ministry" loosely here) "You can expect to hear music consistent with today’s culture."  Isn't that just so comforting. You can hear music just like you are used to.

 

Community churches are wishy washy to say the least. They have to take snippets of doctrine from other denominations so that they can appeal to all. Needless to say, you would never catch me recommending anything other than a sound New Testament Independent Baptist Church. I am dogmatic about this to the point of being almost fanatical.

 

If there is no IFB church where you are or where you are going, find one and go there. If you cannot move, or are placed by life circumstancees in a place where there is no IFB church....start one. There just is no substitute for a sound IFB church.

 

Now aren't you glad you asked for an opinion?  :biggrin: 

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OLD fashioned preacher Mentor

OLD fashioned preacher

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Does the second church use only the Geneva Bible? It sure sounds like it.

From their statement of faith:

 

Therefore, in our church, we use exclusively the King James Bible for four reasons:

 

(1)    It is based upon superior texts of Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek;

(2)    It was translated by far superior translators than we have today;

(3)    It has used a superior translation technique compared with the versions of today, that is, it has used both verbal (or word) equivalence and formal (or form) equivalence, rather than the false dynamic equivalence of thought only; and

(4)    It has superior theology rather than theological errors in over 356 doctrinal passages, which plague the New International Version and other modern versions.  The King James Bible has been blessed of God since the completion of its translation in 1611.

 

The King James Bible, (without the Apocrypha), will be used by pastors, teachers and those in leadership in all areas of our church and Bible school without exception.

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GraceSaved Community Regular

GraceSaved

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Is this IFB?  I didn't see anywhere that it says that but I may have missed it.

 

I needed another set of eyes.  Thanks everyone for replying.  

 

I'm going to visit the Baptist church on Wed.  It appears that they even have classes for the kids which is hard to find on Wed. services.

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GraceSaved Community Regular

GraceSaved

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Jim:  Is the John MacArthur you are referring to the pastor of Grace Community Baptist Church?  He has a TV show "Grace to You?"  I hear a lot of IFB say things about him like that he teaches Lordship salvation and he is Calvanist.

 

I just ordered some books on the Holy Spirit by Spurgeon but then learned later that he is Calvanist.  I'm not well versed on Calvanism but hopefully there is something to be learned by him on other matters.  

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Jim_Alaska Grand Master

Jim_Alaska

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Jim:  Is the John MacArthur you are referring to the pastor of Grace Community Baptist Church?  He has a TV show "Grace to You?"  I hear a lot of IFB say things about him like that he teaches Lordship salvation and he is Calvanist.

 

I just ordered some books on the Holy Spirit by Spurgeon but then learned later that he is Calvanist.  I'm not well versed on Calvanism but hopefully there is something to be learned by him on other matters.  

 

 

Yes grace, this is the same man.

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GraceSaved Community Regular

GraceSaved

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Are all IFB's basically the same?  I've been to one before and attended for a year.  I never felt like I fit in.  Most of the congregation were related somehow or grew up together.  I tried to become involved and signed up to help in the children's classes when they asked for volunteers but they didn't have me do anything.  Not even sure why I was there.

 

I also felt like I wasn't getting any meat.  Especially when they separated the women from the men into their own classes.  I felt like I was in a 1950's home economics class.  They were teaching on how to keep a home.  Mostly how to decorate.

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GraceSaved Community Regular

GraceSaved

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I also don't wear dresses.  I dress modestly but not in dresses.  Can someone be straight forward with me and tell me if this is going to be a prOBlem?  No one was ever mean to me about it in the other church but some did look at my legs before my face.  It was weird.

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Salyan Grand Master

Salyan

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No! That's why they're independent. :wink  You can have IFBs with good doctrine or bad, Calvinist or not, contemporary music or not (although they shouldn't really call themselves IFB if the music gone's modern). Different congregations are going to have different 'feels' too because of the different people involved - sounds like that one was pretty cliquey. The reason I like IFB is that, overall, an IFB church is far more likely than any new evangelical or community church to actually preach the 'whole counsel of God' - the whole Bible, without making excuses for disOBedience. They are also far more likely to honor God with practicing separation from worldly practices & loves (i.e. they have standards). There are some bad ones - doctrine wise or practice wise - and there are some useless ones - like the one you mentioned that taught home economics instead of the Bible - but overall it is very worthwhile to seek them out!

I grew up in various new evangelical churches. When I was introduced to my first IFB church, I got so excited at the solid Bible teaching and good music - I didn't know churches like that even existed!! I got more meat there in a couple years of attending than most of the churches combined growing up!

 

Just had a thought about that church you visited before. It doesn't really sound like a great one as far as teaching goes anyways - but I was wondering whether you were a member? A lot of IFBs will not allow a non-member to serve in a teaching/leadership capacity. Maybe that's why they didn't utilize you for children's work. Although, if so, it would have been nice for them to let you know the reason.

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