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9MarksChurch Finder

9Marks Church Finder

Church Affirmations

Every church listed in the Church Finder is asked to affirm the following statements, signed and dated by one of its pastors or elders.

Marking “affirm” means that the statement reflects the convictions and shapes the intended practice of the church and its pastors. It does not mean the church has arrived at perfection or full health, nor does it mean that every single member would affirm the principle. God is patient with his people, and churches grow slowly toward health and holiness.

Section 1

The Gospel

The gospel is the joyous declaration that God is redeeming a people for himself through Christ, calling everyone everywhere to repent and believe. Each of us has sinned against God—breaking his law, rebelling against his rule—and the penalty for our sin is death and condemnation. But in his love, God sent his Son Jesus to live the perfect, obedient life we could not live and to die on the cross in our place. On the third day Christ rose bodily from the grave and now reigns in heaven, offering forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life in God's presence to all who repent and trust in him alone.

  1. Every person has sinned against God, incurring the just penalty of death and condemnation, and no one can save themselves.
  2. God the Father sent his Son Jesus to live the perfect life we could not live, die on the cross in our place, and rise bodily from the grave on the third day.
  3. God now offers forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life to all who repent and trust in Christ alone.

Section 2

Biblical Conversion & God's Purposes in Grace

Biblical conversion centers on turning from ourselves to Christ and is demonstrated by an ongoing life of repentance and faith in him as the only and all-sufficient Savior. Repentance and faith are sacred duties and inseparable graces, created in our souls by the electing and regenerating work of God, who eternally chose some people for everlasting life. God's election is perfectly consistent with human freedom and includes every means necessary to accomplish his purpose. Far from discouraging human responsibility, election calls it forth in full, while also assuring us that our lives are not ruled by chance or by evil schemes, but only by God's goodness. Such knowledge excludes boasting, cultivates humility, promotes love, fosters prayer, encourages evangelism, grounds assurance, and strengthens trust that God will keep his people to the end.

  1. Biblical conversion is turning from ourselves to Christ, and is demonstrated by an ongoing life of repentance and faith in him as the only and all-sufficient Savior.
  2. Repentance and faith are sacred duties and inseparable graces, created in our souls by the electing and regenerating work of God, who chooses some to be saved.
  3. God's election is perfectly consistent with human freedom and responsibility, includes every means necessary to accomplish his saving purpose, and far from discouraging human responsibility, calls it forth in full.

Section 3

Expositional Preaching

God gives life through his written Word, the Bible. Therefore, the main diet of weekly teaching in the local church must consist of the live exposition of God's Word to God's people—that is, the main preaching event in the life of the church should each week consist of reading, explaining, and applying a portion of the Bible.

  1. God gives spiritual life through his written Word, the Bible.
  2. The main preaching event of the local church each week should consist of reading, explaining, and applying a portion of the Bible.

Section 4

Biblical Church Membership and Discipline

The Bible requires Christians to be engaged in a formal, mutually-recognized relationship of accountability and responsibility with a local church typically called church membership. Further, it is incumbent upon local churches to be clear about precisely who are members of their bodies, and to both shepherd and disciple those members in the faith of the Lord Jesus. Church discipline includes the correction of sin. Such correction begins privately and sometimes culminates in excommunication, or removal from the Lord's Table and church membership.

  1. The Bible requires every Christian to be engaged in a formal, mutually recognized relationship of accountability and responsibility with a local church, and local churches are obligated to maintain clarity about who their members are.
  2. Church discipline includes the correction of sin, beginning privately and sometimes culminating in excommunication, which is removal from the Lord's Table and church membership.
  3. Biblical church governance is grounded in the Word of God, which teaches that Christ is the church's head, that elders (or pastors) are qualified men who shepherd the church, and that deacons are to serve the church and promote its unity.

Section 5

Biblical Church Governance

Biblical church governance begins with the Word of God, which teaches that Christ alone is the church's king and head. Churches following the New Testament pattern are led by a plurality of elders. Elders, or pastors, are qualified men given by Christ to shepherd the church. Deacons serve the church and promote its unity.

  1. Christ alone is the king and head of the church, and his Word governs its life and practice.
  2. The New Testament pattern of church leadership consists of a plurality of qualified male elders (or pastors) who shepherd the congregation, and deacons who serve the church and promote its unity.

Section 6

Biblical Worship

God alone has the right to determine how his people will worship him. Thus, public worship services should include only those elements which are commanded by God in Scripture, whether by precept or by right and proper inference from the example of the New Testament church. Specifically, churches should preach the Bible, pray the Bible, read the Bible, sing the Bible, and display the message of the Bible in the ordinances, showing that the Scriptures are sufficient to nourish and sustain the people of God.

  1. God alone has the right to determine how his people worship him, and public worship should include only those elements commanded in Scripture—whether by direct precept or by right and proper inference from the practice of the New Testament church.
  2. The Scriptures are sufficient to nourish and sustain the people of God, and churches should therefore preach, pray, read, and sing the Bible, and display its message in the ordinances.

Section 7

Church-Centered Missions & Evangelism

The Lord has given good, specific, and sufficient instruction to his church in his Word about how the churches should carry out the Great Commission through evangelism and missions. While individuals lead in each, both evangelism and missions should involve the life of the congregation in disciple making and planting more churches. Faithfulness requires churches to adhere as closely as possible to Scripture’s instructions, regardless of what people think of their effectiveness or relevance. Ecclesiological and missiological practices should not be favored “because it works” or “because it produces results” apart from biblical instruction.

  1. Scripture gives sufficient instruction for how the local church should be organized and carry out its mission, and faithfulness requires adhering to those instructions regardless of perceived effectiveness or cultural relevance.
  2. Evangelism and missions, though led by individuals, should work to involve the life of the congregation.
  3. Ecclesiological and missiological practices should not be adopted solely because they work or produce results, apart from biblical warrant.

Signed by Every Listed Church

A pastor or elder of each church signs and dates these affirmations as part of the listing process. Churches may also note nuances or comments on individual statements, which the 9Marks team reviews before a listing is approved.