CANDIDATE QUESTIONAIRE
1. What is your religious affiliation?
I believe that every local church should be an autonomous body of believers that have assembled themselves together for the purpose of reaching this world for Christ and being equipped for the work of the ministry. I am Baptist by conviction and am fundamental in position, holding to the faith and doctrine once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
2. Why do you feel you are called of God to preach?
God equips every believer for a position well-fitted for their use and His glory, and I believe God has spiritually gifted me to the position of Pastor-Teacher (Ephesians 4:11-12). My call has been agreed to and confirmed by ordained Baptist preachers and evidenced by God’s use of me as a servant in the ministry since my salvation in June of 1995. 1 year after my salvation, while attending youth conference, I responded to God's call into full-time Christian service. Met with the guest preacher for prayer after the service. Followed up with my Youth Pastor and began preparing for future ministry and serving in the church.
3. Have you been examined and ordained as a Baptist Pastor, if so, when?
Yes, I was examined and gave appropriate answer before the ordination counsel at Grace Baptist Church of Early, TX.
on April 29th of 2005. The pastor and ordaining counsel laid hands on me and ordained me into ministry as a Baptist Pastor.
4. Why do you desire to be a pastor?
As we delight ourselves in the Lord He will give us the desires that we are supposed to have (Psalm 37:4), and those desires will be in accordance with His gifting of us spiritually. The office of a bishop is a good work to desire, and I know that God has cultivated in me the heart of a pastor. I have a burning passion to teach people to have a love for the Word of God and to help people grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The words used to define the office of a pastor give us insight into his role and obligation to the church. He is the shepherd, bishop, overseer, and elder. His job is to protect and nourish the flock of God. His duty is to lead in administration and management. He is to provide biblical counsel and spiritual leadership. As a pastor watches over the souls of the church’s members he dutifully prays and studies the Word of God. These two activities will adequately equip him to meet the specific needs of the people in the place God has called him to pastor.
The pastor is to be the servant leader of the local church. He is the agent by whom God provides the vision and direction that He wants a particular church to have. The pastor is obligated to first follow Christ and then to compel his congregation to follow him as he follows Christ. The pastor works to teach the whole counsel of God’s word so that the people of God can be equipped for the work of the ministry. A pastor is not a surrogate for a vital spiritual life that the members are supposed to have themselves; he is merely a model and example to the believers in word and deed. I believe that I meet and or exceed any of the required qualifications the Bible expresses for the office of pastor. My strengths are the fruit of walking in the Spirit and understanding the importance of personal sanctification. Humility, honesty, integrity, and steadfastness of character are crucial for the pastor. My greatest desire is to be faithful in my relationship with God, my wife, my children, and my church.
6. Have you ever been involuntarily terminated from a position in the ministry?
I have never been terminated from a position in the ministry. Each change or move in the ministry
has been as the Lord directed, and with the support of my wife, family, pastor, and church family.
7. Will you take advantage of every opportunity to further prepare yourself to do the work of God?
Absolutely, I believe a call to preach is a call to prepare. The Pastor who will effectively lead a people will be a man that acutely understands that he himself needs to continue his growth and maturation, much the same way Paul did. “Follow me as I follow Christ”…a continual pressing forward for the mark of Christ.
8. What are your preferred preaching method (topical, textual, expository) and why do you choose it?
I love shepherding one of God's churches and compassionately watching for the souls of God's people. The sheepfold of the local New Testament church is where I want to be faithfully serving until Jesus comes or calls me home. I know the Lord has called me and put me into the ministry, and I count it the highest calling and honor. To have the privilege of ministering as the under-shepherd is the most wonderful thing. The highlight of my week is standing in the pulpit God has given me charge over and boldly proclaiming "Thus saith the Lord" without apology.
For the past 14 years God has allowed me to build a ministry where the Bible preaching and teaching is the pinnacle of everything that we are and do as a church. I live every day with a passion to share the truth of God's Word, as Paul said, not shunning to declare the whole counsel of God's Word. The Bible is an extremely powerful book and has answers and practical applications for any situation you might be facing, and it is my constant desire to help people apply Bible truths to their everyday life. I am primarily an expository preacher and most often preach series and verse-by-verse through the Bible. As an added note, I believe a church is only as strong as its families are strong, and its families are only as strong as its marriages are strong, thus I regularly preach about the home and often find the application to marriage and family no matter the text we are studying. I also believe in the importance of strong male leadership in a church and have spent the past 14 years teaching and equipping the men of our church to stand up and take the lead in their homes and in the work of the ministry.
9. Is your wife in full accord with your call to be a pastor?
Yes, she has faithfully trusted God’s direction for our life by submitting to God’s call for me personally.
She knows God has called her to be my wife and that means that she is married to a pastor.
10. Have you or your wife ever been divorced?
No. (One man, One woman, for One Life)
11. What are your beliefs concerning the relationship of the husband and wife?
The marriage relationship is designed to picture Christ’s relationship with the church and is set for one man and one woman till death do them part. Ephesians 5 gives us a beautiful description of a mutual relationship of submission and love. I believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman for one lifetime. Instituted by God in the Garden of Eden and called very good. I believe divorced and remarried, or divorced persons may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon.
12. Describe your wife’s abilities, interests, and activities in your church.
She is first and foremost my wife and the mother of our children; and in those two duties she is second to none. She is a godly example of a woman that has given herself in body, soul, and spirit to her husband. She embodies the principles of Proverbs 31 and serves well her husband and children. Her service in the church is as she is called and spiritually gifted to serve. In regards to the ministry, she is not the assistant pastor or Mrs. pastor as some would want to call the pastor's wife. She is a member in particular that God has placed in the church no different than any other member of the church. She has a vibrant walk with God and faithfully trusts God’s direction for our life by submitting to God’s call and leading for me personally. She knows God has called her to be my wife and that means that she is married to a God called pastor.
13. Do you have any criminal convictions that would impact your pastoral ministry?
No, I do not.
14. Do you use tobacco in any form?
Not currently or ever in my lifetime.
15. Do you partake of any type of alcoholic beverage?
Not currently or ever in my lifetime.
16. Do you have any physical, mental, or sensory handicaps which might affect your ministry?
No, I do not.
17. Explain your convictions concerning dress standards.
Our dress ought to be as becometh the saints of God. Scriptural guidelines give us the principle of distinct and modest dress (1 Timothy 2; Philippians 1:27). Ladies should look like ladies and men should look like men. Dress should be appropriate for the occasion and the activity.
18. Have you graduated from a Bible College or Institute?
Yes, Pensacola Christian College, May of 2002.
19. Would you have a problem with persons of other nationalities visiting your church?
No.
20. Do you believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of all Scriptures of the Holy Bible?
Yes, I believe the Bible was written by men divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
God is the author of the entire Bible, and it is truth without any mixture of error (Proverbs 30:5-6).
21. What is your stand on the Bible Version issue?
Ultimately the Text is the issue, and the King James Bible is the only English translation to come from the
Received and Masoretic Texts, which I believe are the pure and preserved original texts.
All others English translations come from the Eclectic or Critical text which are unfaithful to the original autographs. I do not study from or preach from any other English translation. This is a matter of faith, and not a matter of preference.
22. Do you believe the Bible to be the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice? Why?
Yes. “Thy word is truth,” and the Bible is the very Word of God, giving us the mind and heart of God Himself
on all matters of faith and practice. We can find sufficient, through commandment or principle,
the Bible and what it has to say for any subject of life.
23. Identify your position concerning the return of Jesus.
His second coming is soon and imminent. There is nothing left to hinder the return of Christ on the eternal time-table of God. The Rapture of the church could happen this very moment when “the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air”. This shall begin the seven year tribulation after which the Lord Jesus Christ will return physically to the earth to establish a literal kingdom that will last for 1,000 years.
24. Describe your position and practice of personal separation.
We are commanded to “come out from among them and be ye separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Our lives should be lived in such a way as the Gospel and Christ are glorified (Ephesians 5:3, 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17). I strive to live my life in a manner that my Lord would approve of, and that would not hinder my testimony to a lost and dying world.
25. What is your stand on music?
Music is given to us as an avenue of worshipping God (Psalms). We should sing and make melody in our hearts (Ephesians 5:19) because of who He is and what He has done for us.
Our music ought to glorify God in its lyrics and style. I am opposed to a contemporary or rock movement within Christian circles. As we enter His presence we should not do so with the song and dance
that are so familiar to the world (Exodus 32:18-19).
26. Describe your position regarding ecclesiastical separation, including ministerial associations,
councils of churches, inclusive evangelistic endeavors.
I believe that every New Testament church exists autonomously and is directly accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ. The church should not be under control of any convention or governing body other than that established within the individual church, i.e. Pastor, Deacons, Staff, etc. The beauty of the New Testament church is that God calls a man to be the under-shepherd of Jesus Christ and directly leads the congregation of believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are independent in existence and practice. Grounds of fellowship and joint activity will be decided on the basis of believing and adhering to the faith once delivered and communicated in the Scriptures. Preferences and even convictions are not necessary grounds for breaking of fellowship, but doctrine is, and doctrine will divide. I do not believe in, nor would I participate in, cross-denominational crusades or services.
27. Give a brief explanation of what a preacher is supposed to be.
“In God’s economy, there is no such thing as the delivery of this glorious message [the gospel]
without a preacher. In the elective purpose of God his will and work are made known
to us through a living personality.” – W.A. Criswell
Here are 10 characteristics of great preachers:
1) ability to identify with people, 2) a pleasing personality, 3) possess masterful preaching techniques,
4) alignment with causes that are great, 5) lives with support from family and congregation,
6) builds an image of success, 7) capable of using all of his tools well through prayer and study,
8) a prodigious reader, 9) challenges people to live up to their best,
10) appeals for souls and builds his church
28. What is your definition of ministerial success?
I have no greater joy that to hear that my children, my congregation, and the people who I have influence over walk in truth. God has given me a desire to teach people to have a love for the Word of God, and my personal success will only be measured by whether or not I have been faithful as a steward to rightly and effectively use the time and talents the Lord has given. Success is not necessarily measured in numbers, however God adds to His church daily such should be saved, and His promise is that He will build His church. As we strive to evangelize our Jerusalem and edify the people of God, we should be able to see fruit that remains to our account, and a blessing of the multiplication of caught and changed lives by the power of the Gospel. If we stay faithful to Christ, He will make us fishers of men, and it is the whole duty of man to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
29. What are two of your greatest strengths and two of your greatest weaknesses?
Two of my greatest strengths are my faithfulness and my patience.
I strive to be faithful in all that I do. I am faithful in my relationship to God, to my wife, to my children, and to my church. Faithfulness in required of stewards and everything I am and everything I have is a good and perfect gift from God.
I must be faithful in the little and large things alike. It is my desire to hear well done thou good and FAITHFUL servant. Faithfulness is the mark and model of my entire life.
Ask my wife, and she’ll tell you I’m the most patient man on the face of the planet. I have a calm and steady temperament seasoned with a good dose of optimism. My patience is proven in the face of difficulty and heartache by my willingness
to bear up under the trial, and to keep the faith. I’m not hasty in my reactions, nor hot in my temper.
Two of my greatest weaknesses are my self sufficiency and my perceived aloofness.
Prior to my salvation I thought there wasn’t anything I wasn’t strong enough or smart enough to handle and excel at.
A form of pride, I truly believed “I can”. This same kind of pride has to be constantly mortified and put off, or else
I’ll revert back to thinking I can handle this, I can figure this out, I can do this…again it’s the idea that “I can”.
I must remind myself that Christ said, “without me ye can do nothing”.
As a result of my confidence and security as an individual I’m sometime perceived as aloof or hard to approach.
People sometimes think I’m cold and exacting. For this weakness the Lord gave me my WIFE.
Whereas people may take a few hours to decide if they like me, everyone loves my wife the moment they meet her.
Some say she’s the sweetest lady they’ve ever met. Her sweetness more than makes up for my stoicism,
and usually provides the grace needed for people to soon discover that I really do care and love them.
30. What do you like best about being a Pastor? What do you like least?
I absolutely love that God has gifted and called me to be a Pastor. I believe there’s no higher calling on the face of the planet. If I could do anything else, I wouldn’t do anything else, because I serve at the pleasure of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I love holding forth the words of life and declaring the whole counsel of God. I love preaching line upon line and precept upon precept. I love seeing the fruit of faithful people receiving the word preached and mixing it with faith. I love the souls that are saved by the preaching of the gospel. I love seeing marriages and families that are reconciled by the preaching of the truth. I love the wayward that is restored by the preaching of repentance. I love that God’s word doesn’t return unto Him void. What a privilege to stand before the people and cry aloud and spare not. The pulpit ministry is the best part of the ministry.
I like least the broken heart that comes from pouring your life into someone for so long, caring more for their soul than they care themselves, praying and agonizing over their need, believing to see the goodness of God in the land of the living for them, only to have that person forsake God and the truth, knowing that they will become another castaway, casualty, and crown of Satan. The devil is real and he is really good at seeking whom he may devour, and I like least going after the wandering sheep only to find a pile of bones where the Thief has finished his feast of killing, stealing, and destroying everything I’ve given my life to produce in the life of that person. The ministry is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes even the pastor’s heart gets broken.
31. What are the conditions of salvation?
Salvation is wholly of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is offered freely to all by way of the Gospel of Christ, and nothing prevents any sinner from being saved other than his own depravity
and willful rejection of the Gospel truth. Faith can be exercised after hearing and believing
(Romans 10:9-17) the truth of the Gospel.
32. Describe your position on the security of the believer.
The Bible teaches that once a person receives eternal life he is secure forever. Eternal life begins when we believe, not when we die (John 5:24) Man cannot change what God has accomplished for time and eternity (John 10:28-29). Our salvation is secure and settled because of what Christ has done, not on what we must do. If our salvation could be lost or altered, then that salvation would not be biblical.
33. What do you believe about what some call “the baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
Receiving the Holy Spirit as a permanent resident is affected at the time of salvation as opposed to being filled with the Holy Spirit as we surrender control of our lives to the Spirit’s control. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit as Christians. To the extent that we mortify the works of the flesh we will enjoy the presence and power of the Spirit in our lives. The filling of the Spirit is an activity that constantly needs to be sought and cultivated in the life of the believer as we strive to be and live more like Christ.
Charismatics hold a subjective view of Scripture making man’s experience the rule for faith; emphasis is placed on what you think and feel rather than the unchanging Word of God. Most charismatics leave room for further and/or new revelations rather than accepting that the Bible is complete and finished; we do have a canon of Scripture. Charismatics falsely teach that the sign miracles found in the Bible are for all people and for all of time.
“The sign miracles (tongues, healings, raising of the dead, etc.) only appeared when God was speaking to His people through accredited messengers, declaring His gracious purpose. Their abundant display in the Apostolic New Testament Church is the mark of the richness of the apostolic age in revelation: and when this revelation period closed, the period of miracle-working had passed by also, as a mere matter of course.” –B.B. Warfield.
Charismatics also falsely teach a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit. They believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes when you receive God’s full presence and power which is accompanied by a sign-gift/miracle. Scripturally, baptism of the Holy Spirit is God’s action of placing the believer in Jesus Christ which is accomplished through the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
34. What is your position on predestination and the election of man?
“The purpose of the Bible’s teaching on election and predestination is to lead pardoned sinners to worship God for the grace they have experienced. They come to see that salvation is all of God and not at all of themselves. Election and predestination are always to salvation and its blessings-- never to judgment. It is true that no one believes on the Savior unless God the Holy Spirit convicts him, but it is also true that those who do not trust Christ choose not to believe. God never refuses to save anyone who wants salvation.” –Paul Little. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”, accepting Christ as their personal savior. In God’s omniscience and foreknowledge He has chosen, or elected, us before the foundation of the world and has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
35. Explain the Doctrine of Justification.
The sinner who by faith accepts Christ’s atonement is thereby justified through faith. The sinner now enjoys the righteousness of Christ imputed on his account. Forgiveness of sins is realized, and the promise of eternal life is enjoyed. Upon justification we are accepted in the beloved and restored to a right standing with a holy and just God.
36. Explain the Doctrine of Sanctification.
The process by which God works in us to conform us to the image of Christ. A work that is begun the day we accepted Christ and will be fully completed in us the day we see Christ face to face. Sanctification is progressively accomplished in the life of the believer as he surrenders to Christ and partakes of His holiness. As we draw night to God, willfully allowing him to remove the dross in our lives we will better reflect the image of Christ is our lives.
37. What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
It is the good news that is preached, believed, and wherein all who accept stand; it is the death, burial, bodily resurrection, and visual proof of Christ’s resurrection, and this all according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
38. What mode of baptism do you believe in? Will teach? Will practice?
Christian Baptism is by immersion in water of a believer. Done in the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. It should show publicly a saving faith and identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. A baptismal candidate expresses a desire to live for Christ. Baptism is the first step of obedience after salvation. Baptism is required for privileges of church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper.
39. What do you believe are the Biblical ordinances to be practiced by the New Testament church?
Baptism by immersion for those who have exercised saving faith in Jesus and the Lord’s Supper for those who desire continued fellowship and remembrance with Christ’s bodily sacrifice as born again believers.
40. What is a local New Testament church?
A congregation of baptized believers united together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel for the purpose of serving Christ and edifying the body. A New Testament church observes the two ordinances of the church and operates in obedience to His Word, the Bible. It is an assembly whose members in particular have been gifted and placed by the Holy Spirit, and whose officers are Bishop (pastor) and Deacon. It is the agency by which Christ intends to be glorified in and expressed to a lost and dying world.
41. What is your view of denominationalism?
The proliferation of denominations has come as a result of man’s attempt to formalize and standardize a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. A denomination should never become the guide and dictator of our religious expression, nor should it become the law that settles our beliefs. However, I am a Baptist by choice and conviction. The Baptist doctrine and religious practice hold true and faithful to that which the 1st century church practiced and delivered to all new converts. Should the day come that Baptists cease to be faithful and true to that form of religious practice started with the foundation of the New Testament church, I would leave off being a Baptist and be nothing more than a Biblicist.
42. Explain the difference between receiving the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Receiving the Holy Spirit as a permanent resident is affected at the time of salvation as opposed to being filled with the Holy Spirit as we surrender control of our lives to the Spirit’s control. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit as Christians. To the extent that we mortify the works of the flesh we will enjoy the presence and power of the Spirit in our lives. The filling of the Spirit is an activity that constantly needs to be sought and cultivated in the life of the believer as we strive to be and live more like Christ.
43. Define genuine worship.
Worship is to be given to God alone--to the Creator and not the created. Worship is to be done according to the will of God and in a manner prescribed in the Bible. Forms of worship can include prayer with thanksgiving, preaching and/or reading of the Scriptures, diligent hearing of the Word of God, singing with grace in the heart, giving of gifts and sacrificial offerings ,etc. God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth. To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination by the beauty of God; to open up the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God. One day in seven is set aside specially for the worship of God. Since the resurrection of Christ, the Sabbath is recognized on the first day of the week and is called the Lord’s Day.
44. What do you believe concerning the Doctrine of Heaven?
Jesus promised His children when He left this earth that someday He would return and take them to the place He has prepared for them (John 14). Heaven will be a place of eternal rest and joy for the saved person. Heaven cannot be fully described in detail, because no human words can do it justice (2 Corinthians 12:4). These things will be in heaven: beauty and priceless wealth, people and angels, river of life, tree of life, Lamb’s book of life, and God’s presence. These things will not be in heaven: sorrow, death, boredom, thirst, limits, temple, sun or moon, fear, night, sin, impurity, ill health, and the curse.
45. What do you believe concerning the Doctrine of Hell?
Hell is a constant reminder that God is holy and just. The unsaved person will go to Hell because he chooses to reject God’s offer of salvation. Hell is a very real and physical place made for the devil and his angels; it is the sad truth however that numbers of humanity will be present there too. Hell will be a place of physical (Rev 20:10; Luke 16:24), mental (Luke 16:25-26), and spiritual torment (separation from God- Matthew 27:46).
46. What is your philosophy on Missions?
The responsibility of missions falls to the local church and the individual both. William Hopewell said “Spreading the Gospel is the primary business of God in the world today and the church is to be 100% mobilized in the task.” The church should be giving missions the same prayerful attention as it does any other part of its ministry. The church should be actively involved in financially supporting missions. The church is the reservoir for new missionary candidates: missionaries are called and sent out of the local church. I teach Faith Promise Missions Giving which is that every willing person prayerfully sets an amount
they will trust God to enable them to give each week, for one year, for world-wide missions. This is money over and above our tithe and is a commitment that we make to the Lord as we trust Him in faith to supply the funds. I love Faith Promise missions because it’s systematic, it’s successful, it’s unselfish, it enjoys God’s enablement, and it’s in accord with the Spirit of the New Testament (2 Corinthians 9:7).
47. What is your philosophy on the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is God’s blueprint for building His church and it is four-fold in its approach. From Matthew 28:19-20 we see that every Christian is supposed to 1) Go: we should develop methods for finding people and meeting people. 2) Tell: tell those people we find and meet how to be saved by first determining their spiritual condition and addressing that with Scripture. 3) Baptize: lead all new converts to follow the Lord in obedience by making a public profession of faith and getting baptized. 4) Teach: begin to disciple the new converts in what the Lord expects out of their new spiritual life (basically Read the Bible, Pray, Be Faithful, Give, and Witness). The Great Commission is the personal responsibility of every single believer. It is not the “preacher’s job” to win people to Christ; it’s the believer’s job to win people to Christ. Each person will have the opportunity to meet and influence someone that nobody else will be able to influence. Jesus simply commanded us to follow Him and He would make us fishers of men. So if we are not doing well in the area of soul-winning it’s because we are not doing well in the area of following Christ.
48. 1.What are your beliefs about visitation, both to outside community and the church membership?
I believe we are to go into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come to the house of God.
I believe we should be out seeking the lost, carrying and preaching the gospel to every creature.
I believe in a systematic and committed approach to getting the gospel to every soul in our Jerusalem.
Regular and frequent times of church wide soulwinning and canvassing efforts are still appropriate for today.
Going door-to-door and house-to-house is a model that can be followed for the community and the church membership.
I believe a pastor should be in the home of the church members to further minister to their individual and family needs.
I believe a church should welcome the visit and investment of their pastor’s time and care
as he strives to be diligent to know the state of the flock.
1. What is your religious affiliation?
I believe that every local church should be an autonomous body of believers that have assembled themselves together for the purpose of reaching this world for Christ and being equipped for the work of the ministry. I am Baptist by conviction and am fundamental in position, holding to the faith and doctrine once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
2. Why do you feel you are called of God to preach?
God equips every believer for a position well-fitted for their use and His glory, and I believe God has spiritually gifted me to the position of Pastor-Teacher (Ephesians 4:11-12). My call has been agreed to and confirmed by ordained Baptist preachers and evidenced by God’s use of me as a servant in the ministry since my salvation in June of 1995. 1 year after my salvation, while attending youth conference, I responded to God's call into full-time Christian service. Met with the guest preacher for prayer after the service. Followed up with my Youth Pastor and began preparing for future ministry and serving in the church.
3. Have you been examined and ordained as a Baptist Pastor, if so, when?
Yes, I was examined and gave appropriate answer before the ordination counsel at Grace Baptist Church of Early, TX.
on April 29th of 2005. The pastor and ordaining counsel laid hands on me and ordained me into ministry as a Baptist Pastor.
4. Why do you desire to be a pastor?
As we delight ourselves in the Lord He will give us the desires that we are supposed to have (Psalm 37:4), and those desires will be in accordance with His gifting of us spiritually. The office of a bishop is a good work to desire, and I know that God has cultivated in me the heart of a pastor. I have a burning passion to teach people to have a love for the Word of God and to help people grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 5. What do you believe about the qualifications for the office of pastor as outlined in I and II Timothy and Titus?
The words used to define the office of a pastor give us insight into his role and obligation to the church. He is the shepherd, bishop, overseer, and elder. His job is to protect and nourish the flock of God. His duty is to lead in administration and management. He is to provide biblical counsel and spiritual leadership. As a pastor watches over the souls of the church’s members he dutifully prays and studies the Word of God. These two activities will adequately equip him to meet the specific needs of the people in the place God has called him to pastor.
The pastor is to be the servant leader of the local church. He is the agent by whom God provides the vision and direction that He wants a particular church to have. The pastor is obligated to first follow Christ and then to compel his congregation to follow him as he follows Christ. The pastor works to teach the whole counsel of God’s word so that the people of God can be equipped for the work of the ministry. A pastor is not a surrogate for a vital spiritual life that the members are supposed to have themselves; he is merely a model and example to the believers in word and deed. I believe that I meet and or exceed any of the required qualifications the Bible expresses for the office of pastor. My strengths are the fruit of walking in the Spirit and understanding the importance of personal sanctification. Humility, honesty, integrity, and steadfastness of character are crucial for the pastor. My greatest desire is to be faithful in my relationship with God, my wife, my children, and my church.
6. Have you ever been involuntarily terminated from a position in the ministry?
I have never been terminated from a position in the ministry. Each change or move in the ministry
has been as the Lord directed, and with the support of my wife, family, pastor, and church family.
7. Will you take advantage of every opportunity to further prepare yourself to do the work of God?
Absolutely, I believe a call to preach is a call to prepare. The Pastor who will effectively lead a people will be a man that acutely understands that he himself needs to continue his growth and maturation, much the same way Paul did. “Follow me as I follow Christ”…a continual pressing forward for the mark of Christ.
8. What are your preferred preaching method (topical, textual, expository) and why do you choose it?
I love shepherding one of God's churches and compassionately watching for the souls of God's people. The sheepfold of the local New Testament church is where I want to be faithfully serving until Jesus comes or calls me home. I know the Lord has called me and put me into the ministry, and I count it the highest calling and honor. To have the privilege of ministering as the under-shepherd is the most wonderful thing. The highlight of my week is standing in the pulpit God has given me charge over and boldly proclaiming "Thus saith the Lord" without apology.
For the past 14 years God has allowed me to build a ministry where the Bible preaching and teaching is the pinnacle of everything that we are and do as a church. I live every day with a passion to share the truth of God's Word, as Paul said, not shunning to declare the whole counsel of God's Word. The Bible is an extremely powerful book and has answers and practical applications for any situation you might be facing, and it is my constant desire to help people apply Bible truths to their everyday life. I am primarily an expository preacher and most often preach series and verse-by-verse through the Bible. As an added note, I believe a church is only as strong as its families are strong, and its families are only as strong as its marriages are strong, thus I regularly preach about the home and often find the application to marriage and family no matter the text we are studying. I also believe in the importance of strong male leadership in a church and have spent the past 14 years teaching and equipping the men of our church to stand up and take the lead in their homes and in the work of the ministry.
9. Is your wife in full accord with your call to be a pastor?
Yes, she has faithfully trusted God’s direction for our life by submitting to God’s call for me personally.
She knows God has called her to be my wife and that means that she is married to a pastor.
10. Have you or your wife ever been divorced?
No. (One man, One woman, for One Life)
11. What are your beliefs concerning the relationship of the husband and wife?
The marriage relationship is designed to picture Christ’s relationship with the church and is set for one man and one woman till death do them part. Ephesians 5 gives us a beautiful description of a mutual relationship of submission and love. I believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman for one lifetime. Instituted by God in the Garden of Eden and called very good. I believe divorced and remarried, or divorced persons may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon.
12. Describe your wife’s abilities, interests, and activities in your church.
She is first and foremost my wife and the mother of our children; and in those two duties she is second to none. She is a godly example of a woman that has given herself in body, soul, and spirit to her husband. She embodies the principles of Proverbs 31 and serves well her husband and children. Her service in the church is as she is called and spiritually gifted to serve. In regards to the ministry, she is not the assistant pastor or Mrs. pastor as some would want to call the pastor's wife. She is a member in particular that God has placed in the church no different than any other member of the church. She has a vibrant walk with God and faithfully trusts God’s direction for our life by submitting to God’s call and leading for me personally. She knows God has called her to be my wife and that means that she is married to a God called pastor.
13. Do you have any criminal convictions that would impact your pastoral ministry?
No, I do not.
14. Do you use tobacco in any form?
Not currently or ever in my lifetime.
15. Do you partake of any type of alcoholic beverage?
Not currently or ever in my lifetime.
16. Do you have any physical, mental, or sensory handicaps which might affect your ministry?
No, I do not.
17. Explain your convictions concerning dress standards.
Our dress ought to be as becometh the saints of God. Scriptural guidelines give us the principle of distinct and modest dress (1 Timothy 2; Philippians 1:27). Ladies should look like ladies and men should look like men. Dress should be appropriate for the occasion and the activity.
18. Have you graduated from a Bible College or Institute?
Yes, Pensacola Christian College, May of 2002.
19. Would you have a problem with persons of other nationalities visiting your church?
No.
20. Do you believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of all Scriptures of the Holy Bible?
Yes, I believe the Bible was written by men divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
God is the author of the entire Bible, and it is truth without any mixture of error (Proverbs 30:5-6).
21. What is your stand on the Bible Version issue?
Ultimately the Text is the issue, and the King James Bible is the only English translation to come from the
Received and Masoretic Texts, which I believe are the pure and preserved original texts.
All others English translations come from the Eclectic or Critical text which are unfaithful to the original autographs. I do not study from or preach from any other English translation. This is a matter of faith, and not a matter of preference.
22. Do you believe the Bible to be the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice? Why?
Yes. “Thy word is truth,” and the Bible is the very Word of God, giving us the mind and heart of God Himself
on all matters of faith and practice. We can find sufficient, through commandment or principle,
the Bible and what it has to say for any subject of life.
23. Identify your position concerning the return of Jesus.
His second coming is soon and imminent. There is nothing left to hinder the return of Christ on the eternal time-table of God. The Rapture of the church could happen this very moment when “the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air”. This shall begin the seven year tribulation after which the Lord Jesus Christ will return physically to the earth to establish a literal kingdom that will last for 1,000 years.
24. Describe your position and practice of personal separation.
We are commanded to “come out from among them and be ye separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Our lives should be lived in such a way as the Gospel and Christ are glorified (Ephesians 5:3, 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17). I strive to live my life in a manner that my Lord would approve of, and that would not hinder my testimony to a lost and dying world.
25. What is your stand on music?
Music is given to us as an avenue of worshipping God (Psalms). We should sing and make melody in our hearts (Ephesians 5:19) because of who He is and what He has done for us.
Our music ought to glorify God in its lyrics and style. I am opposed to a contemporary or rock movement within Christian circles. As we enter His presence we should not do so with the song and dance
that are so familiar to the world (Exodus 32:18-19).
26. Describe your position regarding ecclesiastical separation, including ministerial associations,
councils of churches, inclusive evangelistic endeavors.
I believe that every New Testament church exists autonomously and is directly accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ. The church should not be under control of any convention or governing body other than that established within the individual church, i.e. Pastor, Deacons, Staff, etc. The beauty of the New Testament church is that God calls a man to be the under-shepherd of Jesus Christ and directly leads the congregation of believers through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are independent in existence and practice. Grounds of fellowship and joint activity will be decided on the basis of believing and adhering to the faith once delivered and communicated in the Scriptures. Preferences and even convictions are not necessary grounds for breaking of fellowship, but doctrine is, and doctrine will divide. I do not believe in, nor would I participate in, cross-denominational crusades or services.
27. Give a brief explanation of what a preacher is supposed to be.
“In God’s economy, there is no such thing as the delivery of this glorious message [the gospel]
without a preacher. In the elective purpose of God his will and work are made known
to us through a living personality.” – W.A. Criswell
Here are 10 characteristics of great preachers:
1) ability to identify with people, 2) a pleasing personality, 3) possess masterful preaching techniques,
4) alignment with causes that are great, 5) lives with support from family and congregation,
6) builds an image of success, 7) capable of using all of his tools well through prayer and study,
8) a prodigious reader, 9) challenges people to live up to their best,
10) appeals for souls and builds his church
28. What is your definition of ministerial success?
I have no greater joy that to hear that my children, my congregation, and the people who I have influence over walk in truth. God has given me a desire to teach people to have a love for the Word of God, and my personal success will only be measured by whether or not I have been faithful as a steward to rightly and effectively use the time and talents the Lord has given. Success is not necessarily measured in numbers, however God adds to His church daily such should be saved, and His promise is that He will build His church. As we strive to evangelize our Jerusalem and edify the people of God, we should be able to see fruit that remains to our account, and a blessing of the multiplication of caught and changed lives by the power of the Gospel. If we stay faithful to Christ, He will make us fishers of men, and it is the whole duty of man to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
29. What are two of your greatest strengths and two of your greatest weaknesses?
Two of my greatest strengths are my faithfulness and my patience.
I strive to be faithful in all that I do. I am faithful in my relationship to God, to my wife, to my children, and to my church. Faithfulness in required of stewards and everything I am and everything I have is a good and perfect gift from God.
I must be faithful in the little and large things alike. It is my desire to hear well done thou good and FAITHFUL servant. Faithfulness is the mark and model of my entire life.
Ask my wife, and she’ll tell you I’m the most patient man on the face of the planet. I have a calm and steady temperament seasoned with a good dose of optimism. My patience is proven in the face of difficulty and heartache by my willingness
to bear up under the trial, and to keep the faith. I’m not hasty in my reactions, nor hot in my temper.
Two of my greatest weaknesses are my self sufficiency and my perceived aloofness.
Prior to my salvation I thought there wasn’t anything I wasn’t strong enough or smart enough to handle and excel at.
A form of pride, I truly believed “I can”. This same kind of pride has to be constantly mortified and put off, or else
I’ll revert back to thinking I can handle this, I can figure this out, I can do this…again it’s the idea that “I can”.
I must remind myself that Christ said, “without me ye can do nothing”.
As a result of my confidence and security as an individual I’m sometime perceived as aloof or hard to approach.
People sometimes think I’m cold and exacting. For this weakness the Lord gave me my WIFE.
Whereas people may take a few hours to decide if they like me, everyone loves my wife the moment they meet her.
Some say she’s the sweetest lady they’ve ever met. Her sweetness more than makes up for my stoicism,
and usually provides the grace needed for people to soon discover that I really do care and love them.
30. What do you like best about being a Pastor? What do you like least?
I absolutely love that God has gifted and called me to be a Pastor. I believe there’s no higher calling on the face of the planet. If I could do anything else, I wouldn’t do anything else, because I serve at the pleasure of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I love holding forth the words of life and declaring the whole counsel of God. I love preaching line upon line and precept upon precept. I love seeing the fruit of faithful people receiving the word preached and mixing it with faith. I love the souls that are saved by the preaching of the gospel. I love seeing marriages and families that are reconciled by the preaching of the truth. I love the wayward that is restored by the preaching of repentance. I love that God’s word doesn’t return unto Him void. What a privilege to stand before the people and cry aloud and spare not. The pulpit ministry is the best part of the ministry.
I like least the broken heart that comes from pouring your life into someone for so long, caring more for their soul than they care themselves, praying and agonizing over their need, believing to see the goodness of God in the land of the living for them, only to have that person forsake God and the truth, knowing that they will become another castaway, casualty, and crown of Satan. The devil is real and he is really good at seeking whom he may devour, and I like least going after the wandering sheep only to find a pile of bones where the Thief has finished his feast of killing, stealing, and destroying everything I’ve given my life to produce in the life of that person. The ministry is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes even the pastor’s heart gets broken.
31. What are the conditions of salvation?
Salvation is wholly of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is offered freely to all by way of the Gospel of Christ, and nothing prevents any sinner from being saved other than his own depravity
and willful rejection of the Gospel truth. Faith can be exercised after hearing and believing
(Romans 10:9-17) the truth of the Gospel.
32. Describe your position on the security of the believer.
The Bible teaches that once a person receives eternal life he is secure forever. Eternal life begins when we believe, not when we die (John 5:24) Man cannot change what God has accomplished for time and eternity (John 10:28-29). Our salvation is secure and settled because of what Christ has done, not on what we must do. If our salvation could be lost or altered, then that salvation would not be biblical.
33. What do you believe about what some call “the baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
Receiving the Holy Spirit as a permanent resident is affected at the time of salvation as opposed to being filled with the Holy Spirit as we surrender control of our lives to the Spirit’s control. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit as Christians. To the extent that we mortify the works of the flesh we will enjoy the presence and power of the Spirit in our lives. The filling of the Spirit is an activity that constantly needs to be sought and cultivated in the life of the believer as we strive to be and live more like Christ.
Charismatics hold a subjective view of Scripture making man’s experience the rule for faith; emphasis is placed on what you think and feel rather than the unchanging Word of God. Most charismatics leave room for further and/or new revelations rather than accepting that the Bible is complete and finished; we do have a canon of Scripture. Charismatics falsely teach that the sign miracles found in the Bible are for all people and for all of time.
“The sign miracles (tongues, healings, raising of the dead, etc.) only appeared when God was speaking to His people through accredited messengers, declaring His gracious purpose. Their abundant display in the Apostolic New Testament Church is the mark of the richness of the apostolic age in revelation: and when this revelation period closed, the period of miracle-working had passed by also, as a mere matter of course.” –B.B. Warfield.
Charismatics also falsely teach a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit. They believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes when you receive God’s full presence and power which is accompanied by a sign-gift/miracle. Scripturally, baptism of the Holy Spirit is God’s action of placing the believer in Jesus Christ which is accomplished through the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
34. What is your position on predestination and the election of man?
“The purpose of the Bible’s teaching on election and predestination is to lead pardoned sinners to worship God for the grace they have experienced. They come to see that salvation is all of God and not at all of themselves. Election and predestination are always to salvation and its blessings-- never to judgment. It is true that no one believes on the Savior unless God the Holy Spirit convicts him, but it is also true that those who do not trust Christ choose not to believe. God never refuses to save anyone who wants salvation.” –Paul Little. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”, accepting Christ as their personal savior. In God’s omniscience and foreknowledge He has chosen, or elected, us before the foundation of the world and has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
35. Explain the Doctrine of Justification.
The sinner who by faith accepts Christ’s atonement is thereby justified through faith. The sinner now enjoys the righteousness of Christ imputed on his account. Forgiveness of sins is realized, and the promise of eternal life is enjoyed. Upon justification we are accepted in the beloved and restored to a right standing with a holy and just God.
36. Explain the Doctrine of Sanctification.
The process by which God works in us to conform us to the image of Christ. A work that is begun the day we accepted Christ and will be fully completed in us the day we see Christ face to face. Sanctification is progressively accomplished in the life of the believer as he surrenders to Christ and partakes of His holiness. As we draw night to God, willfully allowing him to remove the dross in our lives we will better reflect the image of Christ is our lives.
37. What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
It is the good news that is preached, believed, and wherein all who accept stand; it is the death, burial, bodily resurrection, and visual proof of Christ’s resurrection, and this all according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
38. What mode of baptism do you believe in? Will teach? Will practice?
Christian Baptism is by immersion in water of a believer. Done in the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. It should show publicly a saving faith and identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. A baptismal candidate expresses a desire to live for Christ. Baptism is the first step of obedience after salvation. Baptism is required for privileges of church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper.
39. What do you believe are the Biblical ordinances to be practiced by the New Testament church?
Baptism by immersion for those who have exercised saving faith in Jesus and the Lord’s Supper for those who desire continued fellowship and remembrance with Christ’s bodily sacrifice as born again believers.
40. What is a local New Testament church?
A congregation of baptized believers united together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel for the purpose of serving Christ and edifying the body. A New Testament church observes the two ordinances of the church and operates in obedience to His Word, the Bible. It is an assembly whose members in particular have been gifted and placed by the Holy Spirit, and whose officers are Bishop (pastor) and Deacon. It is the agency by which Christ intends to be glorified in and expressed to a lost and dying world.
41. What is your view of denominationalism?
The proliferation of denominations has come as a result of man’s attempt to formalize and standardize a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. A denomination should never become the guide and dictator of our religious expression, nor should it become the law that settles our beliefs. However, I am a Baptist by choice and conviction. The Baptist doctrine and religious practice hold true and faithful to that which the 1st century church practiced and delivered to all new converts. Should the day come that Baptists cease to be faithful and true to that form of religious practice started with the foundation of the New Testament church, I would leave off being a Baptist and be nothing more than a Biblicist.
42. Explain the difference between receiving the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Receiving the Holy Spirit as a permanent resident is affected at the time of salvation as opposed to being filled with the Holy Spirit as we surrender control of our lives to the Spirit’s control. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit as Christians. To the extent that we mortify the works of the flesh we will enjoy the presence and power of the Spirit in our lives. The filling of the Spirit is an activity that constantly needs to be sought and cultivated in the life of the believer as we strive to be and live more like Christ.
43. Define genuine worship.
Worship is to be given to God alone--to the Creator and not the created. Worship is to be done according to the will of God and in a manner prescribed in the Bible. Forms of worship can include prayer with thanksgiving, preaching and/or reading of the Scriptures, diligent hearing of the Word of God, singing with grace in the heart, giving of gifts and sacrificial offerings ,etc. God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth. To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination by the beauty of God; to open up the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God. One day in seven is set aside specially for the worship of God. Since the resurrection of Christ, the Sabbath is recognized on the first day of the week and is called the Lord’s Day.
44. What do you believe concerning the Doctrine of Heaven?
Jesus promised His children when He left this earth that someday He would return and take them to the place He has prepared for them (John 14). Heaven will be a place of eternal rest and joy for the saved person. Heaven cannot be fully described in detail, because no human words can do it justice (2 Corinthians 12:4). These things will be in heaven: beauty and priceless wealth, people and angels, river of life, tree of life, Lamb’s book of life, and God’s presence. These things will not be in heaven: sorrow, death, boredom, thirst, limits, temple, sun or moon, fear, night, sin, impurity, ill health, and the curse.
45. What do you believe concerning the Doctrine of Hell?
Hell is a constant reminder that God is holy and just. The unsaved person will go to Hell because he chooses to reject God’s offer of salvation. Hell is a very real and physical place made for the devil and his angels; it is the sad truth however that numbers of humanity will be present there too. Hell will be a place of physical (Rev 20:10; Luke 16:24), mental (Luke 16:25-26), and spiritual torment (separation from God- Matthew 27:46).
46. What is your philosophy on Missions?
The responsibility of missions falls to the local church and the individual both. William Hopewell said “Spreading the Gospel is the primary business of God in the world today and the church is to be 100% mobilized in the task.” The church should be giving missions the same prayerful attention as it does any other part of its ministry. The church should be actively involved in financially supporting missions. The church is the reservoir for new missionary candidates: missionaries are called and sent out of the local church. I teach Faith Promise Missions Giving which is that every willing person prayerfully sets an amount
they will trust God to enable them to give each week, for one year, for world-wide missions. This is money over and above our tithe and is a commitment that we make to the Lord as we trust Him in faith to supply the funds. I love Faith Promise missions because it’s systematic, it’s successful, it’s unselfish, it enjoys God’s enablement, and it’s in accord with the Spirit of the New Testament (2 Corinthians 9:7).
47. What is your philosophy on the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is God’s blueprint for building His church and it is four-fold in its approach. From Matthew 28:19-20 we see that every Christian is supposed to 1) Go: we should develop methods for finding people and meeting people. 2) Tell: tell those people we find and meet how to be saved by first determining their spiritual condition and addressing that with Scripture. 3) Baptize: lead all new converts to follow the Lord in obedience by making a public profession of faith and getting baptized. 4) Teach: begin to disciple the new converts in what the Lord expects out of their new spiritual life (basically Read the Bible, Pray, Be Faithful, Give, and Witness). The Great Commission is the personal responsibility of every single believer. It is not the “preacher’s job” to win people to Christ; it’s the believer’s job to win people to Christ. Each person will have the opportunity to meet and influence someone that nobody else will be able to influence. Jesus simply commanded us to follow Him and He would make us fishers of men. So if we are not doing well in the area of soul-winning it’s because we are not doing well in the area of following Christ.
48. 1.What are your beliefs about visitation, both to outside community and the church membership?
I believe we are to go into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come to the house of God.
I believe we should be out seeking the lost, carrying and preaching the gospel to every creature.
I believe in a systematic and committed approach to getting the gospel to every soul in our Jerusalem.
Regular and frequent times of church wide soulwinning and canvassing efforts are still appropriate for today.
Going door-to-door and house-to-house is a model that can be followed for the community and the church membership.
I believe a pastor should be in the home of the church members to further minister to their individual and family needs.
I believe a church should welcome the visit and investment of their pastor’s time and care
as he strives to be diligent to know the state of the flock.
