ABOUT SHEPHERD'S CALL BAPTIST CHURCH
We are an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church with a heart for seeing people come to have a personal relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ. We have chosen the name "Shepherd's Call" to stress the importance of God's call for all to be saved and come into the fold of the Church as well as the importance of God's call for the believer to go out and reach others with the Gospel. The main focus of Shepherd's Call Baptist Church is reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing His love.
We are independent so as not to have a governing body over us other than Christ and the Scriptures. All decisions are made from within the church family without any outside rule.
Upon hearing"Fundamental", many start running as if it is something extreme. "Fundamental" by definition is simply a primary rule or principle upon which something is based. In our case, the Bible is that rule and principle which we believe to be the sole authority for faith and practice as opposed to human opinion and tradition. We practice a literal, historical and grammatical interpretation of the Bible as one would expect to interpret any other historical book in its proper context.
Still, others fear being identified as "Baptist" or as any denomination. I understand wanting to simply identify as a Christian. Unfortunately, there are many "Christian" churches with varying doctrines, practices, and methods of interpreting the Scriptures. It is our desire that people know exactly what we believe as doctrine really is important. It should be noted that the Lord did not give His Church a name; rather, He gave it doctrine. It was for these doctrines that believers were labeled "Baptist". To simplify Baptist beliefs (what we also regard simply as Bible beliefs), I have included an acrostic below.
Bible as our Sole Authority -
The Bible provides sufficient information for governing the church and for the individual's walk with God. Leaders and individuals will be judged by God according to their adherence to the Scriptures not according to adherence to human authority. II Timothy 3:16-17; Joshua 1:8
Autonomy of the Local Church -
Each individual church is its own independent entity.
Priesthood of the Believer -
Every believer's body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and he is responsible to represent God in the home, in the church and in his community. He has been given the privilege through the blood of Christ to go directly to God for the forgiveness of sin; therefore, he needs no man to represent him to God as Jesus is his one and only Mediator.
Two Officers - Pastor and Deacons
Individual Soul Liberty -
This is an outstanding principal and doctrine from the Bible! Every person is answerable solely to God in how they live their lives and follow Him. No one can interpret the individual will of God for another's life. Each individual has the freedom and responsibility to search the Scriptures and determine whether or not they will follow them. The only Mediator and Judge standing between man and God is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Separation of Church and State -
This principal was introduced into the Bill of Rights as the 1st Amendment. It was influenced by Baptists who were suffering persecution. Pastor John Leland influenced the election of James Madison upon Madison's promise that he would make sure separation of church and state was included in the constitution. True Bible believers have always believed in the freedom of choice and the freedom to exercise one's beliefs.
Two ordinances -
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only two ordinances of the local church. Both are symbolic and offer no pardoning or redeeming grace.
We believe that, according to the Scriptures, the only candidates for baptism are those who have consciously made their own personal choice to trust in the work of Jesus Christ alone for their salvation and have chosen to live in obedience to him. The only Biblical method of baptism is immersion as the word "baptize" itself implies. It is the only method that correctly symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
The Lord's Supper is to be observed in order to remember the Lord's death. The purpose is to focus on our communion with Christ and with other believers and clear up any matters that may hinder our unity with Christ and His Church.
Saved and Baptized Church Membership -
In Acts 2, salvation and baptism are shown as prerequisites to being added to the church. The church of God is not simply a social gathering; it is a place of communion with God the Father and brothers and sisters in Christ for His glory and the furtherance of the Gospel.