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From Pastor Phil Seely
A little history and who we
are...
We are a Bible believing church. By that we mean that all thoughts and
actions are ultimately judged by one book, the Bible. THE final authority
in all matters of faith and practice is the Book that God authored, and
preserved perfectly pure in spite of His use of human instruments. Our
services are primarily in English and therefore we appeal to the
Authorised Version of 1611 as the only authoritative English translation.
In our French services, we use the Ostervald Bible which is also free of
the modern corruptions that men have imposed on God's words. Some may hold
another Bible versions to be superior; that is their right. Since the
various versions read very differently, they cannot all be right. We have
settled on the ones listed above.
We are a Baptist church. Historically, Baptist churches have been
distinguished by the following eight things: 1. The Bible is the sole
authority which regulates all beliefs and practices; 2. Each local church
is self-governing before God. True Baptist churches do not accept a
denominational government beyond the pastor, members and the Holy Spirit;
3. There is no special "priest class" which is any more holy than a common
believer; 4. There are only two ordinances (called sacraments by some),
those being baptism by immersion and communion; 5. Each individual has the
right to determine what they believe for themselves, in the light of the
clear teaching of scripture; 6. Local church membership is restricted to
those who have a credible testimony of Bible salvation; 7. The Bible
mandates two offices in the church - pastor and deacon; 8. The Church and
the Government are to maintain distinct operations. While one may
influence the other, neither is to control the other's sphere of
influence. In view of these biblical beliefs, we have chosen to take on
the mantle of "Baptist" to distinguish us from cults and non-biblical
religions.
We are a church because that is what the Bible says Jesus Christ died for.
We are a church despite all the negative connotations that people impose
on the term, in order to avoid accountability. We are a church because the
term means "a called-out assembly." A church is unique in the world
because it's thoughts and actions are regulated by the words of God. The
church is bound together by love for one another as Christ has loved us.
Backgrounds, culture and personalities all take a back seat to the
standards of behaviour that are described as "Christian" in the Bible.
Four years ago, God called a man and his wife to come to Moncton and start
a Bible believing, Baptist church. Pastor Seely and his wife met early on
with a small group of people who were no longer attending church, but
seemed to share the same values. Following a few short evening sessions,
it was determined that there was enough in common for this group to form
the basis of a new local church. Services were commenced in one family's
recreation room, and not long afterward the first convert left the Mormon
church to begin a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible.
Since that time whole families have come to know the Lord as their
Saviour. In time, the church has grown from just three families to an
average attendance of over fifty people. We have taken care not to build
our church on the backs of other established works in the city. As an
independent Baptist church we reach out to those who are without a church,
to those who are seeking a more realistic environment to raise their
children, and to those who have no satisfactory relationship with the God
who created them. We invite you to visit with us at any of our regular
services. We challenge you to sit through three consecutive services and
not be positively affected by the ministry of God's words. We look forward
to seeing you!
God has given us 7 acres of property that we now own debt free! This
property is located off of Wheeler Boulevard between Mapleton Road and the
Moncton Hospital. You may have noticed our sign on the southern boundary
of Wheeler Boulevard, right near the new Hyundai dealership. This property
represents the future of our church. A church is not a building, it is
children and families, young married couples, professionals, technicians
and tradespeople. God has also graced us with several members of more
advanced age who represent the wisdom of experience and endurance.
Together we are seeking to give people a sense of belonging, a purpose for
living and real answers to life's perplexing problems. Christianity is the
single most rewarding and enjoyable lifestyle on the face of the earth;
most critics have never truly experienced it. Before you dismiss the
opportunity to find a real, life-changing source of joy - come for a visit
and stick around for the future.
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