As a Reformed Baptist church Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly is distinguished by 5 distinctive truths it is our conviction that:

The Word of God is inspired, infallible, sufficient and authoritative in matters of faith and practice. We believe the Bible defines not only what we should believe, but that it also describes what constitutes a local church. It gives us the qualifications and functions of it’s membership and officers, outlines how its meetings are to be held, and how it’s worship should be conducted.

The church exists for the glory of God. We believe that the Bible teaches us that the church exists for the glory of God. The worship of God and the Word of God are central to the life of the church. At Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly we believe that the church is God’s house and not man’s. We do not believe it is to be a dull, grim, unfeeling, or insensitive place. The place where we meet should be an oasis to those who are thirsty for the grace of God.

Preaching is foundational to the life of the church. We believe that God is pleased to bring the message of salvation to those who do not know Christ and to exhort, challenge, and build up his believers by the preaching of the Word. Therefore, we believe it is inappropriate to replace preaching & teaching services with other activities not found in the Bible. The Word of God is to be central in the worship of God.

Salvation radically alters the life of those who believe on Christ. We believe that according to the Bible the “new birth” is brought about by the Holy Spirit and is attested to by a changed life. The evidences of this new birth are seen in varying degrees in different people, however they all have one thing in common - a love for the Lord Jesus Christ and for others that was previously unknown.

The rule of life for the Christian is the Law of Christ written in their heart. God has promised that He would write His laws in the hearts of those who have truly believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and with this writing He also promised to give us a disposition of mind that would suited to keep that inward law. The motivation and ability to obey God’s laws springs from the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who, by His death, satisfied the holy wrath of God that was against us due to our sins. It is by the enablement of the Holy Spirit that we obey, in loving gratitude for Christ’s righteousness which has been imputed to us, and not to establish our own righteousness before God. We obey with the confidence “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,” Rom.8:1-4, and that we should be a people “zealous of good works,” Titus 2:14).

If these truths have echoed in your heart as biblical, it is our desire that you will seek out a safe place for the feeding and nurturing of your never dying soul.

We believe according to the Word of God and our confession of faith (see below) that only “those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects for this ordinance”. This extract from our confession of faith further explains our position.

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be to the person baptized a sign of fellowship with Christ in his death and resurrection, of being grafted into him,¹ of remission of sins,² and of giving up oneself to God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.³

(1) Rom 6:3-5; Col 2:12; Gal 3:27
(2) Mar 1:4; Act 22:16
(3) Rom 6:4

Those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects for this ordinance.¹

(1) Mat 3:1-12; Mar 1:4-6; Luk 3:3-6; Mat 28:19-20; Mar 16:15-16; Joh 4:1-2; 1Co 1:13-17; Act 2:37-41; 8:12-13,36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 11:16; 15:9; 16:14-15,31-34; 18:8; 19:3-5; 22:16; Rom 6:3-4; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12; 1Pe 3:21; Jer 31:31-34; Phi 3:3; Joh 1:12-13; Mat 21:43

The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, in which the person is to be baptised¹ in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.²

(1) Mat 3:11; Act 8:36,38; 22:16
(2) Mat 28:18-20

Immersion, or dipping the person in water, is essential for the proper administration of this ordinance.¹

(1) 2Ki 5:14; Psa 69:2; Isa 21:4; Mar 1:5,8-9; Joh 3:23; Act 8:38; Rom 6:4; Col 2:12; Mar 7:3-4; 10:38-39; Luk 12:50; 1Co 10:1-2; Mat 3:11; Act 1:5,8; 2:1-4,17

Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly takes the position of full subscription to the the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Full subscription would include biblical doctrines as:

(1) The cessation of the sign or revelatory gifts,

(2) The regulative principle of worship,

(3) The five points of Calvinism,

(4) The five sola’s of the Reformation,

(5) Covenant theology (baptistic),

(6) Believers baptism by immersion,

(7) The Christian Sabbath.

There are at least 7 practical reasons that a church should use a written confession of faith.

1. It is an expression of pre-commitment to orthodox historic biblical Christianity.
2. It is a guide in times of doctrinal uncertainty or controversy.
3. It is a declaration of what is to be expected in the preaching and teaching ministry of the church.
4. It promotes the unity of the church by giving a body of core beliefs
5. It is an outline of comprehensive systematic Bible study
6. It is a standard of doctrinal soundness in selection of teachers and elders.
7. It is instructive in church order and discipline

We believe the Second London Baptist Confession to be the best expression of our faith, in 1855 Charles Haddon Spurgeon had the 1689 Baptist Confession reprinted and a copy was given to his church members, here is his preface to this confession.

“This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness. Here the younger members of our church will have a body of divinity in small compass, and by means of Scriptural proofs, will be ready to give an account for the hope that is in them. Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Above all, it is “the truth of God”, against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail. Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example adorn your creed. Above all live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him, giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him, and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the Word of God which is here mapped out for you.”

I am often asked the question regarding why we use a confession of faith that is over 300 years old. A quick investigation into the history and the unique circumstance surrounding its writing is helpful in understanding the answer to this question. As a result I have written a brief time line of the events leading to the writing of the 1689 Baptist Confession. I trust that in some way this may be of benefit the reader in understanding the climate in which it was written. This caused our Baptist forefathers to write in such a manner as to show not only our similarities with other Christian denominations but to clarify doctrinal differences and it also helps us better understand why religious freedom was such an important issue in the formation of the United States Constitution.

During the 1630’s and 1640’s - Baptists & Congregationalists began to leave the Church of England, which was the established religion of the King and Parliament, due to religious persecution.

1644/46 Out of fear of this persecution seven Baptist congregations of London anonymously drew up a confession in 1644 - This confession was to prove their doctrinal soundness to the Presbyterian church and other Christian groups and to distinguish them from the Arminian baptist groups in England.

1646 - The Westminster Confession was issued by the Presbyterian Church

1642–1648, - English civil war, Between King Charles I of England the Parliamentarians otherwise called  “Roundheads”, ended in the defeat and execution of the king and the establishment of a republican commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell till his death in 1658. King Charles previous to his execution sent his son to France with his mother where he remained until 1660.

1658 The Congregationalists issued their own confession of faith called The Savoy Confession

1658-1660 - Richard Cromwell.(Oliver Cromwell’s son) assumed his father position for a very short period of time. Baptists and Congregationalists both enjoyed a measure of religious freedom under both Oliver and Richard Cromwell’s administrations.

In 1660 – King Charles II ascended to the throne and he infamous Clarendon Code was adopted in the 1660’s to crush all dissent from the official religion of the state.

The Clarendon Code (read more here) was a series of four legal statutes passed between 1661-1665 which re-established the supremacy of the Anglican Church ending any toleration for dissenting religions ( Baptist & Congregationalist).

Corporation Act (1661) - Required all municipal officials to take Anglican communion. The Act was to exclude Nonconformist (Baptist and Congregationalists) from public office.

Act of Uniformity (1662) – The Book of Common Prayer was made mandatory in religious service. Over 2000 ministers refused to comply and were forced to resign their churches.

Conventicle Act (1664) – Forbid meetings for unauthorized worship of more than 5 people who were not members of the same household. The purpose was to prevent small dissenting church groups from meeting. This was aimed directly at Baptists and Congregationalists.

Five-Mile Act (1665) - This final act of the Clarendon Code was aimed at Nonconformist ministers (Baptist & Congregational) , who were forbidden from coming within 5 miles of incorporated towns or the place of their former livings. They were also forbidden to teach in schools. This act was not rescinded until 1812.

1689 The Baptists issued a 2nd London Confession which was consciously modeled after the Westminster Confession of Faith was approved and published. It has ever since born the name of the Second London Confession, (read more here)

IN AMERICA

1742 The Philadelphia Association of Baptists formally adopted the 1689 confession with two minor changes

1743 - The First edition of the “Philadelphia Confession of Faith” was printed by Benjamin Franklin

Under the name of “The Philadelphia Confession the 1689 confession became the definitive doctrinal statement of Baptists throughout the colonial and early United States period and became known in America as “The Baptist Confession”.

1. We are totally unable to save ourselves. We can come to Christ only by the initiating and enabling grace of God.

2. Anyone who truly comes to Christ in repentance and faith He will in no wise cast out. Yet, salvation is only by God’s Divine choice and is not based on any human merit or foreseen faith.

3. The atoning work of Christ is not limited by national boundaries, ethnic origins or languages. Yet, it is applied only to that distinct and particular people whom He calls out from among every people group in the world.

4. The Spirit of God works effectively in the hearts of those whom God calls and results in genuine repentance and true saving faith in Christ. Yet, this is done without doing violence to the individual’s will by liberating them from spiritual bondage and enabling them to freely, willingly and gladly come to Christ for salvation.

5. True believers will persevere in faith unto salvation and are kept by the power of God’s grace and shall never totally nor finally fall away.