The Constitution and By Law
of Gateway Ministries Baptist Church
GATEWAY MINISTRIES CHURCH
The purpose of this church is to fulfill The Great Commission
of Jesus Christ, accordin to Matthew 28:18-20. To provide an
atmosphere and place that the people of God may worship God
the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. To teach
and train the people of God for the work of the Great Commision.
A person may become a member of Gateway Baptist Church by:
1. Confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; by
following him in baptism by immersion; and desiring under the
leadership of the Holy spirit membership of said church; knowing
he has had a geniune born again experience; by the
regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, and making confession of
same.
2. A person may come by statement of faith; if the church to
which they are a member is no longer in existence.
3. A person may come by letter form another church of like faith.
CHURCH COVENANT
Having been led, as we beliece by the Spirit of God, to receive
the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and , on the profession of our
faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God,
and this assembly, most solmnly and joyfully enter into covenant
with one another as one body in Christ. We engage, therefore,
by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love;
to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, in
holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality;
to sustain its worship, ordinances, diseipline, and doctrines; to
contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry,
the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the
spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions;
to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our
kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world;
to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and
exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting,
and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of,
destructive drugs of intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to shun
pornography; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the
kingdom of our Savior.
We moreover engage to watch over one another in
brotherly love, to remember one another in prayer; to aid one
another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy
in felling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take
offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the
rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this
place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church
where we cancarry out the spirit of this covenant and the
principles of God's word.
ARTUCLES OF FAITH
I The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the
record of God's revelation of himself to man. It is a prefect
treasure of devine instruction. It has God for its author,
salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for
its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and
therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true
center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all
human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.
The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus
Christ.
Found in Ex. 24:4; Deut. 4:1-2; Josh. 8:34; Psalm 9:7-10,
119:11, 119:69, 119:105, 119:140; Isa. 34:16; Jer. 15:16,36;
Matt. 5:17-18, 22:29; Luke 21:33, 24:44-46; John 5:39,
16:13-15, 17:17; Acts 2:16, 17:11; Rom. 15:4, 16:25-26;
2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21
II God
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an
intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer,
Preserver, and ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness
and all other perfections. To him we owe the highest love,
reverence, and obedience. The eternal God reveals himself to
us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal
attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
God as father reigns with providential care over his universe,
his creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history
according to the purposes of his grace. He is all powerful, all
lovin,and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become
children of God through faith in Jesus thrist. He is fatherly
in his attitude towad all men.
Found in Gen. 1:1, 2:7; Ex. 3:2-3, 3:6, 3:14, 15:11, 20:1;
Lev. 22:2; Deut. 6:4, 6:6, 6:32; 1 Chron. 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3.
Isa. 43:3, 43:15, 64:8; Jer. 10:10, 17:13; Matt. 6:9, 7:9, 7:11,
7:19, 7:23, 7:28; Mark :9-11; John 4:24, 5:26, 14:6-13, 17:1-8;
Acts 1:7; Rom. 8:14-15; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gall. 4:6; Eph. 4:6; Col. 1:15;
1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:6, 11:9, 11:12; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7
B. God the Son
Christ is the eternal son of God. In his incarnation as Jesus
Christ he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin
Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking
upon himself the demands and necessities of human nature and
identifying himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He
honored the devine law by his personal obedience, and in his
death on he cross he made provision for the redemption of men
from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and
appeared to his disciples as the person who was with them
before his crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now
exsalted at the right hand of God where he is the one mediator
partaking of the nature of God and of man, and in whose
person is effected the the reconciliation between God and man.
He will return in power and in glory to judge the world and to
consummate his redemptive mission. He now dwells in all
believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Found in Gen. 18:1; Psalm 2:7, 110:1; Isa. 7:14, 7:53;
Matt. 1:18-23, 3:17, 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 16:16, 16:19, 16:27,
28:1-6; Mark 1:1, 1:3, 1:11; Luke 1:35, 1:4, 1:41, 22:70, 24:46;
John 1:1-18, 1:29, 10:30, 10:38, 11:25-27, 12:44-50, 14:7-11,
16:15-16, 16:28, 17:1-5, 17:21-22, 20:1-20, 20:28; Acts 1:9,
2:22-24, 7:55-56, 9:4-5, 9:20; Rom. 1:3-4, 3:23-26, 5:6-21,
8:1-3, 8:34, 10:4; 1 Cor. 1:30, 2:2, 8:6, 15:1-8, 15:24-28;
2 Cor. 5:19-21, Gal. 4:4-5, Eph. 1:20, 3:11, 4:7-10, Phil. 2:5-11;
Col. 1:13-22, 2:9; 1 Thess. 4:14-18; 1 Tim. 2:5-6, 3:16;
Titus 2:13-14, Heb. 1:1-3, 4:14-15, 7:14-28, 9:12-15, 9:24-28,
12:2, 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25, 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9, 3:2, 4:14-15,
5:9; 2 John 7:9; Rev. 1:13-16, 5:9-14, 12:10-11, 13:8, 19:16
C. God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men of
old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination he enables
men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He calls men to
the Saviour, and effects regeneration. He cultivates Christian
character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts
by which they serve God through his church. He seals the
believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the
Christian is the assurance of God to bring the believer in to
the fulness of the stature of Christ. He enlighens and
empowers the breliever and the church in worship, evangelism,
and service.
Found in Gen. 1:2; Judg. 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalm 51:11,
139:7; Isa. 61:1-3, Joel 2:28-32; Matt. 1:18, 3:16, 4:1,
12:38-32, 28:19; Mark 110:12; Luke 1:35, 4:1, 4:18-19, 11:13,
12:12, 24:49; John 4:24, 14:16-17, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14;
Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 2 :38, 4:31, 5:3, 6:3, 7:55, 8:17, 8:39, 10:44,
13:2, 15:28, 16:6, 19:1-6; Rom. 8:9-11, 8:14-16, 8:26-27;
1 Cor. 2:10-14, 3:16, 12:3-11; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30,
5:18; 1 Thess. 5:19; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 9:8, 9:14; 2 Peter 1:21;
1 John 4:13, 5:6-7; Rev. 1:10, 22:17
III Man
Man was created by the special act of God, in his own image,
and is the crowning work of his creation. In the begining man
was innocent of sin and was endowed by his creator with
freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God
and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation
of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from
his original innocence; whereby his posterity inherited nature
and an environment inclined toward sin, and as soon as they
are capable of moral action become transgressors and are
under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into
his holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative
purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is
evident in that God created man in his own image, and in
that Christ died for man; therefore every man possesses
dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Found in Gen. 1:26-30, 2:5, 2:7, 2:18-22, 3:9-6; Psalm 1:1,
8:3-6, 32:1-5, 51:5; Isa. 6:5, Jer. 17:5; Matt. 16:26;
Acts 17:26-31; Rom. 1:19-32, 3:10-18,3:23, 5:6, 5:12, 5:19,
6:6, 7:14-25, 8:14-18, 8:29; 1 Cor. 1:19-32, 1:15-19, 1:21-22,
Eph. 2:1-22; Col. 1:21-22; 3:9-11
IV Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is
offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior, who by his own blood obtained eternal redempttion
for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes
regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
A: Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's
grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ
Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit
through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in
repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of
grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God.
Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ andcommitment of the
entire personality to him as Lord and Saviour. Justification
brings the believar into a relationship of peace and favor with
God.
B: Sanctification is the experience, beginning in
regeneration, by which the believer is set apart of God's
purposes, an is enabled to progress toward moral and
spiritual perfection through the presence and power of the
Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue
throughout the regenerate person's life.
C: Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the
fimal blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.
Found in Gen. 3:15; Ex. 3:14-17, 6:2-8; Matt. 1:21,
4:17, 16:21-26, 27:22, 28:6; Luke 1:68-69, 2:28-32;
John 1:11-14, 1:29, 3:3-21, 3:36, 5:24, 10:9, 10:28-29,
15:1-16, 17:17; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 15:11, 16:30-31, 17:30-31,
20:32; Rom. 1:16-18, 2:4, 3:24-25, 4:3, 5:8-10, 6:1-23,
8:1-18, 8:29-39, 10:9-10, 10:13, 13:11-14; 1 Cor. 1:18, 1:30,
6:19-20, 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:17-20; Gal. 2:20, 3:13, 5:22-25,
6:15; Eph. 1:7, 2:8-22, 4:11-16; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 1:9-22,
3:1; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Tim. 1:12; Titus 2:11-14;
Heb. 2:1-3, 5:8-9, 9:24-28, 11:1-12, 11:8, 11:14;
James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23, 1 John 1:6-2:11;
Rev. 3:20, 21:1-22:5
V The Church
A New Testament church of he Lord Jesus Christ is a local
body of baptized believeres who are associated by covenant
in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the
ordinances of Christ, committed to his teachings, exercising
the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his
word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the
earth.
This church is an autonomous body, operating through
democratic process under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In
such a congregation members are equally responsible. Its
Scriptural officers are pastors and decons.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the
body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all
the ages.
Given in Matt. 16:15-19, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,
2:47, 5:11-14, 6:3-6, 13:1-3, 14:23, 14:27, 15:1-30, 16:5,
20:28; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2, 3:16, 5:4-5, 7:17, 9:13-14;
Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:18,; 1 Tim. 3:1-15, 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4,
Rev. 2:3, 21:2-3
VI Baptism And The Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an
act of obedience symbolizing the berlievers faith in a crucified,
buried, old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life
in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final
resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is
prerequisite to the privileges of church and to the Lord's
Supper.
The Lord's supper is a symbolic act of obedience where
by members of the church, through partaking of the bread
and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the
redeemer and anticipate his seccond coming.
Given in Matt. 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11,
14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22, 22:19-20; John 3:23: Actes 2:41-42,
8:35-39, 16:30-33, 20:7; Rom. 6:3-5, 1Cor. 10:16, 10:21,
11:23-29; Col. 2:12
VII The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian
institution for regular observance. It commemorates the
resurrection and spiritual devotion, both public and private
and by refraining from worldly amussements, and resting
from secular employments, work of necessity and mercy only
being excepted.
Given in Ex. 20:8-11; Matt. 12:1-12, 28:1; Mark 2:27-28,
16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3, 33:36; John 4:21-24, 20:1, 20:19-28;
Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Col. 2:16, 3:16; Rev. 1:10
VIII The Kingdom
The kingdom of God includes both his general soverignty
over the universe and his particular kingship over men who
willfully acknowlede him as king. Particularly the kingdom is
the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful,
childlike commitment to Jewsus Christ. Christians ought to
pray and to labor that the dingsom may come and God's will
be done on earth. The full consummation of the kingdom
awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.
Given in Genn. 1:1; Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-6, Matt. 3:2,
4:8-10, 4:43, 8:1, 9:2, 12:31-32, 17:20-21, 23:42; John 3:3,
18:36; Acts 1:6-7, 17:22-31; Rom. 5:17, 8:19; 1 Cor. 15:24-28
Col. 1:13; Heb. 11:10, 11:16, 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10, 4:13;
Rev. 1:6, 1:9, 5:10, 11:15, 11:21-22
IX Last Thing
God, in his own time and in his own way, will bring the
world to it's appropriate end. According to his promises,
Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the
earth; the dead will be reaised; and Christ will judge all men
in rihgteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell,
the place of everlasting punishment. The righteousin their
resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and
will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Given in Isa. 2:4,11:9; Matt. 16:27, 18:8-9, 19:28, 24:27,
24:27, 24:30, 24:36, 24:44, 25:31-46, 26:64; Mark 8:38,
9:43-48; Luke 12:40, 12:48, 16:19-26, 17:22-37, 21:27-28;
John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11, 17:31; Rom. 14:10, 1 Cor. 4:5,
15:24-28, 15:35-58; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 3:20-21; Col. 1:5,
3:4; 1 Thess. 4:14-18, 5;1; 2 Thess. 1:7, 2:1; 1 Tim. 6:14;
2 Tim. 4:1, 4:8; Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:27-28; James 5:8;
2 Peter 3:7; 1 John 2:28, 3:2; Jude 14:1; Rev. 1:18, 3:11,
20:1, 22:13
X Evangelism and Missions
It is the duty and privilege ao every follower of Christ and
of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make
disciples of all nations. The new birth of man's spirit by God's
Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary
effort on thepart of all rests thus upon a spirtual necessity
of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly
commanded in the teachings of Christ. It is the duty of
every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ
by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with
the gospel of Chrrist.
Given in Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 19:5-6; Isa. 6:1-8; Matt. 9:37-38,
10:5-15, 13:18-30, 13:37-43, 16:19, 22:9-10, 24:14,
28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18, 24:46-53; John 14:11-12, 15:7-8,
15;16, 17:15, 20:21; Acts 1:8, 2:1, 8:26-40, 10:42-48, 13:2-3;
Rom. 10:13-15; Eph. 3:1-11; 1 Thess. 1:8; 2 Tim. 4:5;
Heb. 2:1-3, 11:39, 12:2; I Peter 2:4-10; Rev. 22:17
X Education
