MISSIONARY INFROMATION PAGE
TO ALL MISSIONARIES WHO WISH TO PRESENT THEIR BURDEN AND MINISTRY TO THE GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH—
We love to have missionaries visiting our church sharing the call that God has laid upon their heart. We love their zeal and excitement about serving and doing mission work; we love the fellowship; we love to hear them preach; and we love to share in their ministries. We still like to see the pictures and videos about the different lands and cultures. We wish we could support them all but we know that such is impossible.
Our zeal to be a blessing to these missionaries and mission works has created somewhat of a problem for our church—We have more missionaries who want to come to our church than we have openings and finances. Because of this our church has agreed to set some limitations on the number of new missionaries we can accommodate each year as well as some restrictions related to doctrine.
RESTRICTION AS TO NUMBER—
We have agreed on the following as to the number of new missionaries:
1) Only one missionary per quarter in the Sunday worship service.
2) Only one missionary per quarter in any other service.
This does not include the missionaries that we already support who come home and give a report to supporting churches from time to time.
RESTRICTION AS TO DOCTRINE—
1. We are what is called “Five Point Calvinist.” Not all of our missionaries agree with us on every one of these five points. We do not require absolute agreement on every point of doctrine. However, if you look at us as “hyper-Calvinists,” “hardshell,” or would not have fellowship with us if you were next door then don’t call.
2. We are Baptists—We do not believe in a universal church of any type. We believe that Jesus created one kind of church and that is the local church. If you do not agree with this then don’t ask to come.
3. We are not Ruckmanites nor are we King James Only—We use the King James Bible but our position on this is stated clearly in our doctrinal statement. This is where we stand and will not take the time to either defend our position nor attack any other. I am open to any discussion on this subject to any missionary or anyone else that might have questions but this is not the place. If you consider us as heretics, as Liberals, as instruments of the Devil, then it would be better not to come.
I. CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES: We believe the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
1. By “The Holy Bible” we mean the collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written, does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.
2. By “inspiration” we mean the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
4. We also believe that the ladies should remain silent in the church as given in 1 Cor. 14, and 1 Tim. We believe this and expect visiting missionaries to honor this. This is not an issue that would determine support nor is it a test of fellowship or a factor in determining the basic soundness of a church.
Even if you have problems with what we believe we will still love you in the Lord and pray that God will bless you and your ministry. We are sorry to put up such restrictions but there is no use in us wasting your time and ours.