Current Issues

We believe biblical counseling is focused on discipleship. The elders should set the example in giving wise biblical counsel to those in need, but all Christians are called upon to help and encourage each other in obeying God’s Word through accurate interpretation and application of the Scriptures.  

When needed we practice church discipline for members and regular attenders because we desire:

• to obey and show love to Christ, 
• to show love to those in unrepentant sin, 
• restore people living in unrepentant sin to obedience to God’s Word, 
• to encourage a holy fear of sinning in the entire congregation, 
• to maintain purity in the church, and 
• be a God-glorifying testimony to unbelievers in the world.   

We believe the terms elders, pastors, and overseers are used interchangeably to describe those who lead the church. Elder-qualified men must be godly, mature, gifted, trained, and meet all the biblical criteria for elders. Elders are called to lead, feed, protect, manage, and oversee the church as under-shepherds of Jesus Christ. The church is required to submit to its elders. Those appointed to the office of elder must already demonstrate a high level of commitment to the local church, be gifted teachers, be discipling, be practicing hospitality, and leading the church in prayer. Elders are not merely decision-makers, but active shepherds and teachers of God’s Word. Deacons are faithful, godly men, appointed by the elders to assist the elders in shepherding the local church but are not required to be gifted teachers.  

Expository preaching uses objective Bible study principles to extract from biblical texts what the original author meant for his original audience to understand by what he wrote i.e., the interpretation of a text. The expository preacher seeks to package truth that is objectively taken from a text of  Scripture and then proclaim the truth to his listeners clearly and accurately, so God can speak to  His people. We believe sequential expository preaching through books of the Bible is, in general,  the best approach. Though other kinds of preaching have been used by God and are sometimes necessary, sequential, expository preaching through books of the Bible allows God to speak most clearly, comprehensively, and objectively to His people.  

We believe all ministry must fall under at least one of three distinct areas: 

• worshiping God in spirit and truth,
• equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, or
• evangelizing the lost

If at least one of these areas of ministry is not present, then the activity isn’t a ministry, but an attempt to do good deeds, give money, support charitable causes, feed the poor, etc. The social gospel cannot be biblical ministry if it leaves out preaching the gospel and calling sinners to repentance. The church does not exist to make sinners comfortable on their way to hell, but to love them by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to them as well as meeting physical needs. We believe the Bible makes a clear distinction between and gives different instructions to, Christians about how they are to treat “the poor,” those who want to work, but are prevented because of sickness or circumstances, and those who are lazy, indolent, idle, and sluggardly.

Any sexual thoughts and activity contrary to the Scriptures and outside of biblically defined marriage comprised of a single biological male and female is sin, e.g., fornication, adultery,  polygamy, polyandry, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, pornography, etc. The Bible says repeatedly that those who practice sexual sin will not inherit the kingdom of God, which means they cannot be Christians though they may profess otherwise. A life of unrepentant immorality reveals a person has never repented of their sin and been born again by God’s grace. Though  Christians commit sexual sins, they do not continue to live in unrepentant immorality. True believers keep confessing, repenting, turning from sexual sin to pursue holiness. Sexual intimacy is designed by God to be enjoyed in the context of marriage only. Christians are required by God to submit all their sexual passions to the Word of God and are able to do so by His all-sufficient grace.  

We believe in the redemptive, historical method of interpreting the Bible. This includes understanding a passage’s context and grammar, as well as understanding that Scripture contains progressive revelation, therefore, the New Testament explains and reveals the Old Testament. Because God’s Word says that it is sufficient, Scripture is to be utilized to explain and understand Scripture, so, those texts which are more easily understood on a matter are to be used to explain those that are more difficult. Spiritual maturity, training in how to study the Bible, our understanding of systematic theology, spiritual giftedness, and time spent in study, prayer, and meditation on the Word make a huge difference when trying to understand the meaning of the biblical text. Yet there are no “elite” interpreters of the  Bible, who alone can discover the meaning of certain texts which other believers cannot discover.  

We strive to avoid the extremes of legalism and antinomianism. Legalism appears in the Bible in several forms: 

• elevating man-made tradition to the same authority as Scripture and condemning others as sinning for not adhering to our traditions,
• trying to be saved, justified, or earn God’s favor by our workd instead of by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and
• practicing a cold, dead, orthodoxy, i.e., doing all the right things, yet mechanically and not from the heart out of love to God

We desire to avoid all forms of legalism. We also reject lawlessness or antinomianism, which is the false idea that because we are saved and sanctified by grace, we don’t need to obey God and that if we try to obey God, we are sinning, living in the flesh, or legalists. We teach that Christians must obey all of God’s Word either directly or in principle. We must walk in the Spirit, trusting in  God’s grace to obey. We believe that obeying the Bible by God’s grace, for His glory, out of love for  Christ, is not merely acceptable, but mandatory for all who call themselves Christians.

God created and defines marriage in His Word. Genesis 2:24 teaches us that marriage requires: 

• one biological man and one biologicla woman;
• the formation of a new family unit that take priority over all other relationships;
• the public declaration and willingness on the part of both the man and the woman to be married and
• physical consummation of the marriage in sexual intimacy

People or governments do not have the authority to change the biblical definition of marriage. God does not acknowledge “same-sex marriage,” “homosexual marriage,” “lesbian marriage,” etc., as marriage, but as sexual sin and perversion. 

The Bible teaches that governing authorities are established by God. Christians are repeatedly told in the New Testament to submit to and obey the governing authorities, even wicked governing authorities like those of the first-century Roman government. Civil disobedience is only acceptable when the governing authorities tell Christians that they must sin against clear biblical mandates. In that case, the Christian must obey God rather than men. Yet even in the rare instances where civil disobedience is necessary, the Christian must display the fruit of the spirit, live in humility, and be willing to suffer the consequences for disobeying the governing authorities in order to obey God. 

The concept of racism is faulty because racism implies that a person of one race is prejudiced against a person of another race. The Bible, however, teaches there is only one race, the human race, and that all people are blood relatives descended from Adam and Eve. Biblically “racism” is the sin of hating your fellow man because they look, act, speak, or have different cultural or personal preferences than you do. People hate other people for many reasons, but the core sin is  failing to obey the second great commandment “to love your neighbor as yourself.” The lie of “racism” is the evil offspring of the greater lie of Darwinian evolution. Darwin taught that the reason some people groups look different is that they are different races and that some “races” are superior to others.

We take a complementarian view of men and women in both the home and church. We believe men and women are equal in value and in salvation, but that God made men and women physically and emotionally different. God assigns to men and women different, but complementary roles in the home and church. In the home, men are called to lovingly lead their wives,  submitting to God’s instructions to them as husbands. Wives are required to submit to and support their husband’s leadership in the home as the Word of God instructs them. In the church, biblically qualified men, who are appointed to the office of elder are called to lead the church. Women are never to teach, lead, or exercise authority over men in the church.  

The Bible teaches that there is one human race, that we are all blood relatives of Adam and Eve, and that all of mankind is corrupt, depraved, and in need of salvation by grace through faith in  Jesus Christ. God created mankind to give Him glory. We glorify God by loving God and obeying His Word. Social justice, intersectionality, and critical race theory are unbiblical and worldly theoretical frameworks that can only exist where false doctrine, pride, bitterness, greed, and lack of forgiveness exist. Christians are commanded to love their neighbor, forgive those who sin against them, knowing that all men have intrinsic value because they are all created in God’s image. 

We believe people are assigned their gender by God at conception and it never changes. Neither surgeries, hormone therapy, seeking to change one’s behavior or apparel can change a person’s  God-given gender. Those who try to change their gender are confused, deceived, miserable, and sinning. Transgenderism is a lie with harmful consequences for all who engage in it. 

We believe the Bible forbids women from teaching or exercising authority over men in the church.  Women are given spiritual gifts to serve the church in many ways. They can serve children, women, and men, as long as they don’t teach or exercise authority over men in the church. Women can never hold or be appointed to the office of elder, pastor, shepherd, or overseer. 

The entire life of a Christian is to be an act of worship. Music is not worship, but one of the many ways God has given that facilitates worship. Music doesn’t worship, people worship. All acts of worship must be in accordance with the Word of God. God seeks true worshipers who worship Him in spirit, from the heart, and in truth, according to the Scriptures. It is significant that in the Pastoral  Epistles, letters written to local church leaders about how Christians are to conduct themselves in the household of God, music is never mentioned. The Old Testament has much to say about worship in the Psalms, I Chronicles, and II Chronicles. The most significant New Testament text that  addresses singing in the church is Col. 3:16, which teaches us the purpose of music and singing is to  “teach and admonish one another with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Though there are different music styles, it is the goal of SGBC to have music and singing that encourages the greatest number of people in the congregation to focus on what the Bible says about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God’s works, God’s will for our lives, God’s plan for the future, and sound doctrine. Listening to the Word of God preached is the highest and most frequently mentioned form of corporate worship in the New Testament. When the Word of God is faithfully and accurately preached, God speaks to His Church.