)
Jesus Christ is to be glorified in the Church
The church should exalt Christ alone. He is worthy of all praise and preeminence in every facet of every meeting. Men no matter how gifted and ministries regardless of their accomplishments, are not to be given the praise and glory due unto God alone.)
The Church is God's house - Not Man's
As such it should be God-centered and not man-centered. The church is to be an oasis for thirsty souls seeking the grace of God through Christ, not operated according to humanistic philosophies nor guided by cultural pressures.)
Evangelism should be Biblical not mechanical
Evangelism is to be driven by a desire to see God's glory declared throughout the whole earth, to see salvation come to those who believe the gospel and to leave unbelievers without excuse. Mechanical gospel presentations, appeals based solely on emotion and the repeating a prayer cannot be allowed to become alternatives to genuine Spirit led gospel evangelism.)
Grace governs the Christian's life
The same Spirit of God that brings true saving grace also brings true teaching grace, which instructs the believer to “deny ungodliness, worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12) The absence of this grace being operational in a persons life indicates the absence of saving grace. True believers in Christ are to be directed to Christ rather than the commands and traditions of men.)
Salvation brings a radical change
The “new birth” is evidenced by a sense of sin, repentance toward God, sincere faith” toward Christ and a desire to live according to the Word of God. Christian fellowship is to be in Christian unity, servanthood, accountability and generosity. A Christian performs acts of mercy & kindness motivated by Christian love, as directed by the Spirit of God, done in a Scriptural manner and empowered by God-given abilities.)
Preaching is vital to the life of the church
The survival and growth of a church is directly linked to confident and joyful exposition of the Scriptures. Since preaching is God's appointed method for proclaiming the infinitely valuable realities of the Scripture it is to remain central in the church and is not to be replaced by other forms of communicating the gospel. The use of self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment cannot become alternatives to the gospel or its teachings.)
The Bible Sets The Pattern For The Church
Since the church belongs to God, the church is to conduct it's meetings and worship in the manner which God prescribes in His Word. Worship is to be God-focused, Scriptural, personal, joyful and authentic. Worship cannot be replaced by unbiblical man-centered emotional religious entertainment.History of the Wilderness Road
Daniel Boone and 30 woodsmen cut a trail through Virginia in route to Kentucky in 1775 that would later be called “The Wilderness Road”. It became a well-travelled trail which allowed the settlers to pass through the Shenandoah and Roanoke Valleys and through our area to what is now Bristol, Tennessee and onward to Kentucky. This great well-worn road was the main route used for settling Kentucky and the West. It is estimated that 200,000 people with wagons and livestock ventured through the Cumberland Gap from 1790 to 1840.
Little of the old Wilderness Road can be seen today, only a section here and there. This great historic road that played an intricate part of our nations history was later neglected and finally abandoned in the 1840’s. It is a pity that a road so well-marked, so well-travelled and that proved so vital and trustworthy, fell into disuse and faded into the pages of history. Few in these days know of the Wilderness Road, its location, importance or of the great multitudes that travelled on it. Now the original route is obscured under a maze of modern roads and highways headed in every direction. Such is the price of progress in American culture.
Our Christian forefathers cut a pathway of faith through the wilderness of this world. That road was well-marked, heavily travelled and vital through the centuries. The things which they believed, and for which they lived and died, have been neglected. The great historic truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have been laid aside and this has blurred the church’s main purpose. The introduction of new beliefs and practices have created a “maze of roads and highways headed in every direction”. This has left in it’s wake a multitude of people who are disillusioned, despondent, and dissatisfied, finding no rest for their souls. Such is the price of so-called progress.
Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly is not about a geographical location nor are we concerned with historic or ecumenical nostalgia. Our desire is to see a return to a living faith that has proven itself throughout the centuries. We are dedicated to the worship of Christ, pursuing spiritual maturity and depth, and offering genuine hope through the power of God’s grace.
