Section 1 - Final

So, unless there are any advances we are going for this:

The Bible is the inspired word of God and the 66 books in it are the final and sufficient authority on all matters of faith and practice.

Section 1 - The Bible

Summary Sentence:
We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and as such is our final authority on all matters of faith and practice.

Link to BCoF section 1

Is this brief enough?

Should there be something in there about the 66 books?

Something about scripture interpreting scripture?

Something about the Holy Spirit?

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith

In an attempt to create a brief summary of the 1689 Baptist confession of Faith I'm going to post some suggestions for a summary sentence for each of the 32 sections of the confession. The hope is that as people read this they will make some useful comments that will help us to come up with a useful short edition of the confession that can be used as an introduction to what Baptists believe.

Tools that may prove useful:
The confession itself
A comparison between the 1689 BCoF and the Westminster CoF

Teesocs

I've been working on two new websites for the Teesocs (Teesside School of Christian Studies)

www.teesocs.org
and
http://teesocs.wikidot.com/

Check them out

I think that God is amazing. Surely not surprising coming from a minister you might say, but it suddenly struck me the other day how awesome he is at ordering events in his own perfect way. We might have our plans but he over rules them and puts things in place that are much better than we ever imagined. Certainly at church at the moment, while things may not be entirely easy, they are much more challenging and gripping than if I had worked out a programme and then put it in place.

Ian asked a good question at the Bible Study last night: "If we are already one because we are connected to Jesus then how can he pray for us to be one in John 17?"
Carson says: “Although the unity envisaged in this chapter is not institutional, this purpose clause at the end of v. 21 shows beyond possibility of doubt that the unity is meant to be observable. It is not achieved by hunting enthusiastically for the lowest common theological denominator, but by common adherence to the apostolic gospel, by love that is joyfully self-sacrificing, by undaunted commitment to the shared goals of the mission with which Jesus' followers have been charged, by self- conscious dependence on God himself for life and fruitfulness. It is a unity necessarily present, at least in nuce, amongst genuine believers; it is a unity that must be brought to perfection (v. 23).”

We heard yesterday that the offer on the property in Westbourne Road has been accepted. Wahoo! We can hardly believe it. I know there is a long way to go and nothing is certain until we exchange contracts yet we are still grateful to be so much further forward.