“WHAT IS A SOVEREIGN GRACE CHURCH?”
IT IS A CHURCH In Which GRACE REIGNS OVER AND
DOMINATES EVERYTHING.
I
am not an authority on preaching, pastoring, or anything connected with this
the highest of all callings and the noblest of all works; but I am not a
novice. I have been doing this work for a long time. One of the things I have
observed over the years is this: Wherever
the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ is believed and
faithfully preached, grace dominates everything. We must not rashly judge
or condemn any man or his ministry. Where people profess to believe and preach
the gospel of God’s grace, let us be as lenient and charitable as possible in
our judgments and statements concerning them. Having said that, I assure you
that wherever grace reigns it radically alters these five things.
1. THE MESSENGER
A pastor or preacher who has
been saved by the grace of God, who knows, believes, and preaches the gospel of
God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ, does not dilly dally in the pulpit,
playing with men’s souls. He does not waste his time defending theological
positions, promoting programs, inspiring self-righteous morality, or working up
frenzied fits of emotionalism. The man who has seen and experienced the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ is both humbled and emboldened; and the
burden of his soul is that those who hear him know, trust, love, and follow the
Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:1-5).
2. THE MOTIVE
The pastor and church
convinced of and committed to the gospel are no longer motivated by numbers,
appearance, and success. They no longer crave recognition. Instead, they are
motivated by and crave the glory of God (I Kings 18:36).
3. THE MESSAGE
The message of God’s
servants and of God’s church is crystal clear. There can be absolutely no
question about what God has sent them to declare. “We preach Christ crucified.” “Christ is all.” The gospel of
salvation by God’s free and sovereign grace through the merits of Christ’s
substitutionary obedience is the revelation of the whole counsel of God. This
is not an occasional theme, but the constant theme of ministry in God’s house.
The Word of God is not preached except as the gospel is preached (I Pet. 1:25).
Any preacher who believes the gospel preaches it incessantly. Any church that
believes the gospel demands that it be preached incessantly.
4. THE METHODS
Where grace is believed the
methods of Arminian, freewill, works religion are abandoned. The church ceases
to be a social club and becomes a preaching center, a house of worship, and a
banqueting hall for hungry souls. Gospel churches are built on gospel
preaching, by the almighty operations of God the Holy Spirit. Where grace
reigns, gimmicks die (Isa. 55:11).
5. THE MUSIC
Where the gospel is believed
and preached the music reflects the doctrine of grace. In the house of God
there is no place for man-centered music, music that focuses on human works,
emotion, and rhythm. Gospel music focuses on the praise of the triune God for
his glorious persons, his gracious provisions, his good providence, and his
great promises (Eph. 5:19-20).
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #647
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net