We believe that our teaching should come from the Bible. For the Scripture says, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to mature the child of God and prepare him for the challenges of this world. We encourage you to have a Bible, read the Bible, and bring your Bible to church. When we gather as believers we will open the Bible, study the Bible, and learn from the Bible. We acknowledge there are many helpful books written by Godly men and women, but only the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). At FBC we love God’s Word. It is our commitment to always teach the Bible.

We believe that our teaching should exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Scripture says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1,2 14). Although the story of Jesus is most clearly expressed in the early portions of the New Testament, humanity’s need for a Savior/Redeemer is expressed throughout the entire Bible (Job 19:25, Isa. 9:6; 53:1-12). We exalt the Lord Jesus Christ best when we retell His story. For the Scripture says, For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty…so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Pet. 1:16-19). We will never grow weary of sharing the good news of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as found in the Bible (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

We believe that our teaching should embrace biblical doctrine. We understand that the Bible can be misinterpreted and misapplied. For the Scripture says, our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Pet. 3:15-16) We want our members to be firmly grounded in a belief system that finds its foundation in the Scriptures. For that reason 25% of our core curriculum taught in our Adult Bible Fellowships is doctrinal. We are concerned that many in the 21st century are uncertain regarding what they believe. Even many Christians are unable to show you what they believe from the Bible. It is our desire at FBC to reverse this trend. Our desire is that every member would know when someone is twisting the Scriptures and that they would be able to interpret the Scriptures for themselves. We affirm that error is seen more clearly against a backdrop of biblical truth.

We believe that our teaching should address the practical challenges of life. We want our members to apply the Scriptures with wisdom to their daily life. The Scripture says, How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:9-11). The Bible is a tremendous resource for daily living. A full 25% of our core curriculum in our Adult Bible Fellowship hour is dedicated to using the Scriptures in the practical matters of the faith.

We believe that our teaching should bring about real growth and change in one’s personal life. For the Scripture says, Be doers of the Word, not hearers only deceiving yourself (Jam. 1:22). We affirm D.L. Moody’s words, “The Scriptures were not given for your information, but for your transformation.” We want to be Christians that are growing and changing as God conforms us to the image of His Son. (Rom. 8:28-29). We believe that this is most effectively done as the Word of God is taught and as we become not simply those who hear, but those who obey.

Maintaining Biblically Balanced Teaching

At FBC we are committed to giving our members a well-rounded understanding of the Bible. During our Morning Worship Hour we accomplish this by teaching through various books of the Bible, and drawing insights for daily living from the truths we discover.

Various seminars are added throughout the year to bring additional opportunities for applying the Scriptures in our day to day relationships.

The Adult Bible Fellowship Hour is central to this biblically-balanced instruction. Starting March 9, 2008 these classes will be divided around ages and lifecycles. The classes will begin at 9:30 and end at 10:45. The first 25 minutes will be for the expressed purpose of fellowship (sharing of needs, praises, and prayer requests). While the classes remain in the same locations in order to develop long-lasting relationships; gifted teachers move from class to class instructing for a 6 week or 12 week increment. This curriculum is intentionally divided into three areas of study:

1. biblical exposition—teaching through a book of the Bible
2. biblical doctrine—teaching foundational truths of our faith
3. biblical living—teaching how we practically apply the truth of God’s Word to daily living

During the course of a 1 year cycle you will have been instructed in 1-2 Old Testament books, 1-2 New Testament books, 2 areas of doctrine, and 2 areas of biblical living. Over the course of the entire 6 year cycle – our members will have received 84 hours in the Old Testament, 72 hours in the New Testament, 72 hours of Bible doctrine, and 72 hours of biblical living. We believe that the Adult Bible Fellowship hour is at the heart of equipping our people.