We are not the only true church, or even the only true church in town - far from it! We do not present these distinctives to say that these are the most important issues in a church or to claim that we are the only church in town who seek to practice these things. These are simply to help you understand some of the things that we emphasize strongly and which tend to stand out to those who visit.
Expository Preaching
Expository preaching means that our sermons are based on a particular text of Scripture and seek to explain the meaning of that text accurately according to the author's intent and then to apply that text faithfully to the present day context of those who hear. We expect our pastor to study the word of God diligently and to bring the fruit of that study to the congregation. Furthermore, the goal of this preaching method is to have an agenda that is constantly set by the word of God rather than the whims of the preacher. We preach sequentially through books of the Bible, covering whatever topics the Bible itself presents. Topical sermons are rare, and even these are carefully grounded in the text and context of the Bible.
Bible-Saturated Worship
We do not only expect the Bible to tell us about worship - though we certainly seek to obey its commands regarding worship! - we expect the Bible to be the means by which we practice our worship. Our public prayers are based on Scripture. Our songs are the psalms of the Bible, translated into meter. We read and preach from Scripture. And we leave aside everything else that is unnecessary for the worship of God, including musical instruments, so that by his word and his Spirit we may commune with him without distraction.
Reformed Theology
Our church's theology is taken directly from the Scriptures, but like all Christians we rely on the help of believers who have gone before us to understand the Bible accurately. In particular, we find ourselves indebted to the tradition of interpretation which was developed during the time of the Reformation, first by men like Martin Luther and John Calvin, and then later on through the Puritan tradition especially in Scotland and England. Our church's fundamental theological beliefs are outlined in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which was written in the 1640's as a culmination of the development of Reformation theology up to that point.
Intentional Accountability
We believe that God calls Christians to be accountable to one another and to the elders of the church. We take membership seriously, and if a member begins to miss church on a regular basis, he or she can expect a call from the pastor! However, this does not create an oppressive atmosphere; on the contrary, we believe that accountability is a path to freedom. Accountability is about helping, serving, and watching out for one another, even if that means a gentle rebuke.
Our commitment to accountability is most visible when we observe Communion. We serve Communion only to those who are members of our church or who have met with us to share that they are members of another Bible-believing church. We do this first to protect those who do not understand the Supper - the Lord warns against partaking in an unworthy manner. Second, this is part of a wider practice of church discipline, which in its most extreme form can lead to excommunication. The Lord forbids those who live in public and unrepentant sin, even if they profess to know him, from partaking in the fellowship of the church (1 Corinthians 5). We take this command seriously, always desiring that all the discipline which the Lord has appointed for his church will lead people to repentance from sin, trust in Christ, and the blessing of fellowship with the church.