Probably the most important difference between Missionary Baptists and other Baptists is in the definition of a true church.   Missionary Baptists are uncompromising in their belief that a New Testament church is a local assembly or congregation of Scripturally baptized believers in Christ who fellowship together in love in the service of their one Master.

     Other Baptists will accept that definition of a church and then say, "But the true church is really invisible, composed of all the saved in Christ."   This is a doctrine that Missionary Baptists strongly deny.   It can nowhere be found in the scriptures, but it originated with Martin Luther in the reformation, therefore it can be called the Protestant doctrine of the church.   Many modern Baptists have adopted this idea of an invisible, universal church for the purpose of compromise and an attempt to join all churches together in ecumenical unity, one big church.

     There are those who will ask, "But why quibble over the definition of one word?   Is that so important?"

     Missionary Baptists believe that it truly is extremely important, for it has to do with the doctrine of eternal salvation itself.   Missionary Baptists believe that salvation is entirely by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning work for our sins, which salvation cannot be obtained by any other means whatsoever, not by baptism, nor by personal good works of any kind.   If, however, the true church were really invisible and composed of all the saved in Christ, then one is of necessity led to believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper as church ordinances must surely have power toward the saving of the soul.   Protestant churches in general believe and teach just that, and Baptist churches that teach the invisible church are destroying their greatest foundation doctrine, salvation by grace, and are adulterating the gospel.

     There can be no compromise.   Salvation is either all of grace without works, or it is all of works without grace.   Paul says, (Romans 11:6) "And if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace.   But if by works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.:   You absolutely cannot mix the two.

     Another false doctrine that is held by those Baptists who teach the invisible church is the doctrine that the church started at Pentecost.   This Protestant doctrine also came from the Roman Catholics, who teach that their church was started by and founded upon Peter at Pentecost.   Yet nowhere in the Bible is there any sign or even a hint that a church was started at Pentecost.   In reality the Holy Spirit, the "power from on high," came upon the church at Pentecost.   There was a great revival, a great blessing and ingathering of souls that day.   But the church had already been meeting together before that, and they had even done church business before Pentecost.

     Jesus Said, (Matthew 16:18) "And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter (meaning a small movable rock), and upon this Rock (an immovable rock) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."   There is nothing the devil would delight in more than to remove from Christ the glory of establishing and building His own church.

     Anyone who realizes and understands that the church (ekklesia in the Greek) simply means a local, visible congregation or assembly of people can easly see that Jesus already had a church while He was here on earth.   (Mark 3:18) "And He goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto Him whom He would, and they came unto Him, and He ordained twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.   (Luke 6:12-13) "And it came to pass in those days that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.   And when it was day He called unto Him His disciples, and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles."

     The number in that first assembly or church of the Lord Jesus is not given, but out of them He chose the twelve whom He ordained and called apostles.   Paul says in I Corinthians 12:28, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,--"   Most assuredly there was already a church for the apostles to be set in, a church that was meeting together with Jesus long before Pentecost.   And when Pentecost was come, according to Acts 1:14-15, this church numbered about 120, and "These all continued WITH ONE ACCORD in prayer and supplication."

     While Jesus was here on earth He led His church and instructed His church in church discipline. (Matthew 18:15-17)   He set the symbolical ordinance of the Lord's Supper in that church just before His crucifixion.   After His resurrection He commanded His church to go, make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them all that He had commanded them to do.   Here is the church's authority for administering baptism.   John the Baptist had the authority straight from God.   "There was a man SENT FROM GOD, whose name was John." (John 1:6)   When the disciples of Jesus baptized they received their authority from the Son of God, who walked with them.   (John 4:1-2) "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but His disciples)".   When the Great Commission was given, the church received authority from the Son of God with His promise to be with them to the end of the world.   So the all powerful Jesus is with His church in Spirit today to lead and to be the authority in their decisions.

     Once I heard a famous preacher read from the prayer of Jesus for His church, "That they may be one: as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us."   Weeping this preacher said, "Almost 2,000 years have now gone by, and still the prayer of our Savior has not been answered, still the church of Christ is divided."   This is the great plea and argument of those who believe the doctrine of an invisible church of all the saved.

     Missionary Baptists believe Christ never prayed but that it was answered.   We believe that His prayer in John 17:21 was answered before Pentecost came, when they were all "with one accord in prayer and supplication."   We believe His prayer is answered over and over again in Missionary Baptist Churches today.   In fact we believe that His prayer must be answered in our churches before we can properly take the Lord's Supper.   I Corinthians 11:18-20 says that if there be divisions among you, ye cannot eat the Lord's Supper.   (Marginal reading for verse 20.)   If this be so in the local church, how much more is it a mockery for people of different denominations with all kinds of false doctrines to get together and claim to take the Lord's Supper.   They may partake of something, but it is surely not the Lord's Supper.

     When Jesus prayed His prayer in John 17 He was praying for the church that He had established, an institution that is only seen as local, visible congregations and which has continued on down through the years to the present day.   He was not praying for Christendom in general, which is full of false and of counterfeit churches founded and fostered by the devil.

     In contrast to the Catholic hierarchy with its rising degrees of authority headed by a pope, the New Testament churches believe in the equality of members under one Head, Jesus Christ.   Missionary Baptists believe and practice just that.   Elders and bishops do not rule over, but serve and are subject to the church.   Peter, whom the Catholics falsely claim to have been their first pope, says, "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder,   ...Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre (money), but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." (I Peter 5:1-3)

     Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them, But it shall not be so among you; But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." (Matthew 20:25-27)   Therefore there is total equality of members in Missionary Baptist Churches.   There is no clergy separate from the laity, neither do we call pastors, "Reverend," a title used in the Bible only of God.   Preachers are all just brothers in Christ, for Jesus has commanded, "But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."

     Historically true Baptists were never a part of the Catholic church and are therefore not Protestants.   Other Baptists admit to being Protestants, which indeed they are, having departed from the Baptist doctrine on the church and accepted the Protestant or invisible church doctrine.   But Missionary Baptists have no part with such.

     Once when we had started a mission with services in a Missionary Baptist home in Oakland, Oregon, a daughter from this home was a student in high school.   One day when the teacher had told the class that all the other churches had come out of the Catholic Church, she spoke up and let the teacher know that Baptists did not, that Baptists were not Protestants.   After school that day another girl came to her and said, "Your folks must be Missionary Baptists for you believe just like my folks do."   In that way we found another Missionary Baptist family who later went into the church organized there.

     You see there is a difference between Missionary Baptists and all others.   Missionary Baptists honor the Savior above all.   They believe His prayers are always answered and His promises are always kept.   That the church He has established is in the world today, that it consists of those true and faithful Missionary Baptist churches who recognize Christ alone as their Master in all things.   They believe that Jesus abides in every true church today as He promised.   Are you a member of such a church?   Have you been baptized by a church that has divine authority?

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     We now own our own building and property!   What a wonder!   And when you add to this the growth that The Lord has given us both spiritually and numerically you just have to be amazed.   I think that I would be safe to say that we are at 70 on Sunday mornings and at this point the Sunday School is full.   We will start as soon as possible to remodel and expand to accommodate a larger Sunday School.

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     The Mattingly Family, a gospel singing group, will be at the fellowship meeting at Mountain View Baptist Church this Friday April 9th.   Following their singing and testimonies Brother Bo Smith of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Walport, OR will bring the message.   These fellowship meetings have always been a special blessing.   This can only serve to make this one even more memorable.

     If you would like to help by contributing to the Chile Relief Fund, please send a check to:
Lehigh Valley Baptist Church
4702 Colebrook Avenue
Emmaus, PA 18049

      If you have any questions, you can contact the church office at (610)965-4700 or office@lvbaptist.org.

Letters To The Editor

     We should be followers of Christ and not followers of men.   We should be Christians and not Calvinists, Lutherans, Campbellites or Ruckmenites.   If a doctrine has a man's name attached to it then it doesn't belong to Jesus.   God has His doctrine, it is His Word, the Bible.   From Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21, it is one doctrine and it does not contradict itself.   On the other hand the many doctrines of men all contradict each other.   If you take Strong's concordance and look up doctrine, it always refers to God.   Now look up doctrines, it always refers to men.   God's word is sure.   It is final.

     Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

the brown capped warbling lay sparrow
{also known as the common church bird}

     This is the most numerous of all the birds.   It is not a flamboyant exhibitionist as is many other birds which are often seen in its presence.   It has a beautiful song and its good qualities of working, giving, praying and caring make it possible for all the others to do their 'thing', though it seems to have no desire for praise or admiration, it will, at the time of the rapture be arrayed in far more glorious finery than any of the others.   Without it most churches would either fold or become social clubs.

     I said to a man that stood at the gate of the year:   "GIVE ME A LIGHT THAT I MAY SAFELY GO INTO THE UNKNOWN."   And he said to me, "GO OUT INTO THE DARKNESS AND PUT YOUR HAND INTO THE HAND OF GOD.   THAT WILL BE BETTER TO THEE THAN A LIGHT AND SAFER THAN A KNOWN WAY." ~~Selected.      May you, dear reader, be walking through this dark world with your hand in the hand of God.

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