DISTINCTIVES
Key Values
These key values are the essential DNA that will direct the replanting process and characterize the new church:
Fundamentally Evangelistic
After the core team is formed, the new church will endeavor to grow primarily by engaging the community through evangelism rather than drawing off members from other churches.
A Core Team
The backbone of the replanted church will be recruited from network churches. These individuals, who understand the vision for replanting and desire to participate in helping launch this new work, will become the initial members of the replanted church.
A Clear Purpose
The replant will be promoted by highlighting biblical principles, the state of lostness of the surrounding community, and the need for a strong, faithful, healthy church.
The Baptist Faith and Message 2000
The replant and its leaders will be robustly committed to sound doctrine. At a minimum, they will have beliefs and practices that align with the BF&M 2000.
Cooperation
The church will cooperate with the Flint River Baptist Associational Network, the Georgia Baptist Convention, and Southern Baptist Convention.
Commitment to Ongoing Planting/Replanting
The new church will endeavor to plant or replant other churches in the region (rather than adding multiple services or constructing larger buildings).
Elder-Led Congregationalism
The new church will be led by a plurality of biblically qualified men who will lead, oversee, teach, and shepherd it as its elders/pastors. The church will be congregational, with final decision-making authority on significant matters residing with the members. Deacons will be servants who minister to the flock and support the work of the elders.
Live Expositional Preaching
Preaching will be text-driven (or expositional) and presented by an in-person pastor (No video-based preaching).
Scripture-Centered Public Worship
The church will follow the regulative principle in its worship gatherings (sing, pray, read, preach, see the word).
Church-Centered Missions at Home and Abroad.
The church will be outward-focused and place a high value on God's global purpose. The church will also highly value the role of the local church in all mission efforts as both the means and the end of missions.
Prioritizing Disciple-making and Leadership Development
The church will fundamentally be committed to making disciples who make disciples. The church will develop future leaders through disciple-making.
Historic Baptist Ecclesiology (Including Meaningful Membership and Church Discipline)
The church will practice Baptist ecclesiology by recognizing the local church as an assembly of those who profess their faith and identify with Christ by water baptism and enter into covenant together to be a church. The church will practice regenerate church membership and corrective church discipline.
One Unified Assembly
The church will recognize that a single assembly is the typical biblical model.
Multi-ethnic/cultural Leadership and Membership
To reflect both a biblical vision of God’s people and the surrounding community, the church will endeavor to foster multi-ethnic/cultural leadership amongst the elders, plant team, and members of the church
Beliefs
The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 will serve as the doctrinal confession of the replanting process and the new church that will result. This commitment to sound doctrine ensures that the replant pastor, core team, and the new church will operate within a strong theological framework.