Tabernaclebaptistchurch of Rendon

Volume

TabernacleBaptistChurch of rendon

New Members Packet

Welcome to TabernacleBaptistChurch!

Version031212

Orientation

Table of Contents

Orientation

Welcome New Member!

Mission Statement

So, let's starting answering some of your questions!

How does it all work?

Progressive Teaching

Class Structure

Putting it into Practice

What's Going On Now!

Classes and Conferences

Project Managed Events

Weekly and Monthly Activities

How do I get involved?

Qualifications for Leadership Ministries

Articles of Faith

Article 1 - Scriptures

Article 2 - the Deity of Christ

Article 3 - Atonement

Article 4 - Resurrection

Article 5 - Christ, Our Mediator

Article 6 - The Second Coming

Article 7 - Creation

Article 8 - The Depravity of Man

Article 9 - Salvation

Article 10 - Eternal Security

Article 11 - The Holy Spirit

Article 12 - The Church

Article 13 - Baptism & the Lord's Supper

Article 14 - Giving

Article 15 - The Devil, Satan

Article 16 - Heaven and Hell

Article 17 - Missions

Article 18 - Divine Healing

Article 19 – Human Sexuality

Article 20 – The Sanctity of Marriage

Orientation

Chapter

Welcome New Member!

I would rather fail in an endeavor that will eventually win, than win in an endeavor that will ultimately lose!

We are so honored that you have come to be a part of our services at TBC. We know that there are many churches within minutes of your home. If you are looking for a place to serve, we appreciate you considering TBC as your church home!

We are an IndependentBaptistChurch. We have friendly and loyal members, thriving ministries for every age group, a strong financial picture, and a continued focus on spiritual development. This is facilitated by an energetic, dedicated team of volunteers and staff ready to assist in furthering a believer’s spiritual walk with Christ.

We want TBC to be the place where families can grow closer to Christ and each other. Every activity and event at TBC is designed to be Christ honoring, heart changing and life enriching. We believe that through our worship, Bible study/Discipleship and activities believers learn to love the God of the Word, grow in their knowledge of the Word, and have a "safe" environment to practice the Word.

Choosing to join with a new church can be stressful!There are comfortable surroundings, loving relationships and familiar routines that are hard to leave. Now there are new facilities, strange people and customs that are foreign to what you are used to experiencing.

While we are a fundamentalBaptistChurch, we focus on beingfundamental about the right things.We do not compromise the truth of the Word of God for traditions, and seek to closely differentiate between the two. We honor our traditions, but we are not bound by them. We want to constantly break up the "routine" so as not to get too relaxed or idle in our service to Christ. Since change is an integral part of the believer's life; if we're not changing, we're not growing.

Change to the status quo is always happening at TBC. To continue to grow spiritually, we encourage exploration outside of our spiritual "comfort zones".

Here are some other things about TBC you may have noticed:

Our worship combines contemporary and traditional genres of Christian music designed to glorify God. Our musicians provide a melodic foundation on which the church can worship, and therefore, are not "performing".
Our various bible study classes provide a progressive study in scriptures. Adult classes include a new believer's, topical and book-by-book study. We purposely try to foster a broad age group in our classes that bring life experiences to the learning process.
Our setting is casual in dress. But if you feel more comfortable in a jacket and tie, please come ahead. A person's search for spiritual growth should not be hindered by a dress code. We expect members to simply dress in a way that will complement a positive Christian testimony. If you wouldn't wear it in front of Jesus, don't wear it! When God is allowed "inside" a person, the "outside" takes care of itself!

We've developed a saying that goes, “If your not here, you’ll miss IT!” God uses the lessons, messages and fellowship within the church body to foster spiritual change. As we minister to each other our lives change. From our Sunday services to our Wednesday night bible studies, God is changing lives in exciting ways at TBC.

Below you'll find our church Mission Statement. We use this vision statement to guide us in our projects and activities. It's all about Jesus!

Mission Statement

Provide a highly energetic, God-honoring atmosphere where the individual can come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. From this experience develop a growing, loving, faithful relationship with Him

Our church will foster spiritual development through exciting worship, practical fellowship, relevant discipleship and personal growth opportunities (exercising of an individual's God-given gifts), using biblical, ethical, practical and relevant methods.

Matt 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

More information can be found on our website

So, let's starting answering some of your questions!

How do I become a member at TBC?There are a few ways of joining TBC.

Scriptural Baptism: upon accepting Christ as your Savior, you follow the Lord in scriptural baptism (immersion), facilitated by the proper authority in the Church (Pastor or his designee).
Promise of Letter: we'll get the address information of the previous Baptist church where you were a member and request your letter.
Statement of Faith: this is an option if the BaptistChurch of which you were a member is no longer in existence. Since we can't write for your letter, we accept your testimony that you had been baptized in a BaptistChurch

In all cases, those choosing to become members, need to read and agree to the church’s Articles of Faith.

You may say, "Why join, can't I just come?" The short answer to that is, YES!But in order to serve in the church, as well as, be a part of the leadership teams, membership is necessary.

Is my baptism from a different denomination sufficient? We accept letters from other Baptist Churches. It is crucial that we have common, scriptural doctrines as leadersto advance our evangelism and discipleship ministries. While many denominations are very close in their doctrinal teaching, and individual churches may not follow all the doctrines of their denomination, we must establish a consistent unbiased position of the denominational differences and provide consistency membership criteria.

How can I plug into the ministries at TBC? If you are thinking of being involved in a ministry or be a leader or a ministry, ask yourself the following questions, AM I:

Born again (See Article of Faith #9)
Agree and adhere to the church’s Articles of Faith
Student of the Word of God; willing to set aside time to study the lessons
Active member of TBC (attending for > 6 months at 75% of services)
Actively tithe
Positive feedback from all necessary background checks

Many potential leaders and church workers will steer away from a ministry role because they do not feel qualified. In most cases this is not an accurate reflection of their real abilities. We believe the church is responsible for providing the foundations by which believers can exercise their gifts to serve God. We also believe that God brings believers into the church to fill ministry gaps. If God is leading you to any church it is to fill a gap in your life and for you to fill a gap in ministry! Isn't that an exciting prospect!

How do you best describe the "government" of the church? TBC is a pastor led, congregational government.

The trustees are nominated yearly and are responsible for the church administration. They have a discretional spending limit of $2,000, which allows them to manage the general maintenance of the church. The trustees cannot enter into any binding agreements without approval from the church.Once approved, the Trustees act on behalf of the church to enter into binding agreements (contracts, mortgages, etc).

Chapter

How does it all work?

We are 100% ineffective in teaching the one's that don't show up

We've mentioned a little about our worship services. Let's turn our focus on our teaching philosophy and ministries.

We recognize the need for the application of threeprinciples in teaching: 1) graduated (progressive) levels of teaching that meet the needs of the new believer and the maturing disciple; 2) class environments that cross demographic boundaries (age, marital status, etc); 3) and, opportunity to practice what's been taught

Progressive Teaching

It is easy to plug into our Bible study programs regardless of where you feel you are at in you breadth and depth of Bible knowledge. Classes begin by laying foundations and then progress in study. The classes are not designed just to lecture, but to provide a venue for open discussion.The teacher conducts the lesson and facilitates the discussion. Ask questions, present ideas and seek clarification of material! It's here that the central truth and the life applications can be found.

Class Structure

Teaching across the demographic boundaries can be more complex and less popular when a student is looking for a Bible Study program designed around specific needs such as divorce, college life, looking for a mate, career decisions, etc. The advantage to a demographically specialized course is the ability to meet with others that share specific life event issues.

The downside is the loss of interaction with people that have had the same issues and experienced the ups and down's of those decisions. TBC believesmixing demographics presents a significant learning advantage.

TBC does offer targeted classes for specific groups (Weekly Ladies Bible Study, Women of Faith Conference, Iron Man Conferences, Teen Acquire the Fire, Men’s Bible Study, Group Bible Study, etc.); but general education will be designed to cross demographic boundaries whenever possible.

Putting it into Practice

Our activities serve multiple purposes, but the primary objectives will always be evangelismand discipleship. Our activities also provide an environment to practice the principles that are taught; getting as many people to participate as possible.

For example; Friendship Sunday is meant tofosterevangelisticopportunities for our members, worship and fellowship. This creates a need to transition our facilities for multiple purposes. Ministries competing for the same resources work together to provide a smooth transition from one activity to another.

The kitchen workers are responsible for preparing and serving the food; but at the same time they are learning to adapt and appreciate each others style of "kitchen management". The Sunday school classes help transition the rooms for Children's Church and then for serving lunch.

How the interaction occurs is just as important as insuring that the transitions occur.Evangelism, discipleship and fellowship all integrated through ministry needs!

Chapter

What's Going On Now!

Oops, I'd have been there, but I didn't know

We have something going on every time you turn around; and we adding new classes, conferences and events all the time! We have ministry opportunities for those at every level of engagement.

All of our events will be assigned a Project Manager. The Project Manager will be responsible for establishing and managing the project budget, coordinating the activity, assigning tasks to members of the project team.

Classes and Conferences

Bible Reading Celebration
Children’s Church
Discipleship Class
Iron Men Conference
TBC Leadership Conferences
New Believers Class
Senior’s Day Out

Sunday School (all ages)
Teen Revival
Teen's Day Out
VacationBibleSchool
Wednesday Night Bible Study and Prayer Meeting
Women of Faith

Project Managed Events

Biker Battalion rides
Children’s activities
Christmas Party
Fall Festival
M.A.D. Night
Mission Trips
October Harvest Party

Teen Activities
Teen Garage Sale
Teen Music concerts
Teen Nite-2-Ignite
Teen Revival
VacationBibleSchool and Parade
Valentine’s Party

Weekly and Monthly Activities

Friendship Sunday
M.A.D. Night

2nd Sunday Breakfast
Men/Women’s Bible Study

Chapter

How do I get involved?

Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by the passing of the years in obedience to the will of God.

So you've joined with our church and you're ready to get started in your ministry journey with Christ. We don't ask people to work for the Church, we ask them to fulfill their ministry for Christ. This is accomplished in and through the Church.

We look for F.A.A.T. people to join us in ministry. Before you get offended at the acronym, let us explain.

FAITHFUL: we look for faithful leaders. Leaders impact the lives of others. Those to which you will minister to must see that you are fully engaged and committed to Christ, obedience to his word and your ministry; you believe in what you are doing.

Faithfulness is also about your witnessing, giving, prayer and bible study. You cannot teach what you have not learned through study and practice

If you want a HOBBY, you don't want to be involved in MINISTRY at TBC.

AVAILABLE: We cannot mentor leaders that do not attend. Opportunities to get involved in the lives of people are fleeting. Like the boy Andrew found with the fishes and loaves, the key to being used by God is to be present and available.

ACCOUNTABLE: We are accountable to God and each other for the work that we do for God. We need to be willing to hold ourselves accountable to Christian standards of conduct, attendance, giving, participation and personal growth.

TEACHABLE: we're always learning and growing in our walk with Christ. We always want to be in a place where we're receptive to changing directions and new ideas. While we are mentoring others, we must be disciple’s ourselves.

We have a lot of exciting ministries going on all the time at the church. Sometimes these events overlap and frequently the same people are involved in multiple activities.

To ensure a smooth and successful activity, we utilize project managers to facilitate the activities. This allows everyone to know who the point of contact is and who the pastor can contact for information.

Qualifications for Leadership Ministries

The health of the church rests in a cohesive churchLeadership. The actions of the leader can compliment development or create stumbling blocks to those they mentor. That being said, leaders are expected to be a positive spiritual role model to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Leaders worth following!

If you are thinking of being involved in a ministry and become a leader or a ministry, ask yourself the following questions, AM I:

Born again (See Article of Faith #9)
Read and agree to the Articles of Faith
Student of the Word of God; willing to set aside time to study the lessons
Active member of TBC (attending for > 6 months at 75% of services)
Actively, faithfully tithe
Positive feedback from all necessary background checks

Chapter

Articles of Faith

If we don't stand for something, we'll fall for anything.

Beliefs are what bring people together and create divisions. It is important to understand what TBC has adopted, from scripture, as core doctrines. As the Word of God is taught, we want to insure members understand the foundational scriptures upon which we base our beliefs. It is essential that potential leaders know where the church stands in its doctrine and what is expected to be taught in the classrooms and through the pulpit.

Article 1 - Scriptures

We believe the whole Bible from Genesis1:1 through Revelation 22:21 to be the verbally inspired and infallible Word of God.

The Bible does not contain the word of God. IT IS the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe that God’s word is preserved for us today in the Authorized King James Version (1611).

Article 2 - the Deity of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was the virgin born Son of God and He was God manifested in the flesh (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-2; 1Timothy 3:16).

Article 3 - Atonement

We believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins according to the scriptures. The just for the unjust that He might bring us to God (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 3:18).

Article 4 - Resurrection

We believe that Jesus Christ arose from the grave literally, bodily the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4).

Article 5 - Christ, Our Mediator

We believe that Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven following His resurrection and is seated at the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us. Jesus alone being the Great High Priest and that we need not the intercession of man (Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 7:25).

Article 6 - The Second Coming

We believe in the Pre-Millennial return of Jesus Christ.

The first event shall be the Rapture when He returns for His Bride (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
The second event will be seven years later when He returns to set up His Kingdom upon this earth (Revelation 21).

Article 7 - Creation

We believe in the Genesis account of creation that all things were made by God and without Him was not anything made (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; John 1:3).

We believe that man was created by God from the dust of the ground in the image of God and God breathed into man the breath of life and man became a living soul (Genesis 1:7; Genesis 1:26) .

Article 8 - The Depravity of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence and by his own will transgressed God’s commandment bringing death to all mankind. All men are sinners and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). There is none good no not one (Romans 3:12).

Article 9 - Salvation

We believe that in order to be saved man must be born again (John 3:3). Salvation is the free gift of God – not of works or any ritual of man (Ephesians 2:8-9). Man must follow the Scriptures teaching of the simple plan of salvation to be saved.