Bardstown Christian Fellowship

UPWARD

INWARD

• Growing into a closer and intimate fellowship with other believers
• Christianity is relational, we are determined to build close and lasting bonds of love between one another in our fellowship
• Members will grow closer through Community Groups during which we share experiences, learn from one another, encourage each other in love and help each other through life's trials and struggles
• We desire to spur one another on to good deeds through intentional accountability partnerships developed through our Men's and Women's groups

OUTWARD

• As our members grow deeper in love with God and closer in fellowship with other believers then we will go out to share of the love of Christ through acts of service, missions and community outreach
• We desire to grow through church planting, by being a vehicle for spiritual transformation in the Central Kentucky area through starting new churches
• We will impact our city, county, country and world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through national and international missions

What to expect?

Nuts and Bolts:

How is Bardstown Christian Fellowship Church organized?

We are Elder led.  Elders are the spiritual leaders of the church, they are men who are called by God, gifted by the Holy spirit to preach, teach and provide spiritual shepherding and affirmed by God's people as men who are to be set aside as the spiritual leaders of the church.

We also have Deacons and Deaconesses.  These are men (like Stephen) and women (like Phoebe) who are set apart by the church to provide administrative and practical support to the Elders.

Member Meetings are held every other month to affirm Elder recommendations, to welcome in new members or remove from membership those who have left the church or have stopped attending, and to review and pray about the direction of the church.

Bardstown Christian Fellowship is the founding member of the Bardstown Christian Fellowship of Churches, which is a church planting network in Central Kentucky.

Although we are an autonomous and independent church we are in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention and participate in the Nelson Baptist Association.

The Church Covenant:

By joining Bardstown Christian Fellowship Church you are entering into a covenant.  This is an agreement, similar to wedding vows, which you enter into with the other members of the church.  The Elders are charged with overseeing that the covenant is being upheld.  The following is a summary of the covenantal commitments:

I am a Christian, I have repented of sin, believed in Christ, been baptized as a believer and now joyfully enter into this covenant

1. I will faithfully participate with this church in worship and give of my time and gifts to the glory of God.  I will joyfully submit to the leadership of the Elders.
2. I will train myself and my family in the instruction of the Lord
3. I will work toward doctrinal unity by being taught according to the church statement of faith and reject false teaching, using the Bible as the final authority.
4. I will accept fellowship with all members
5. I will be slow to anger, quick to forgive, shun gossip and divisive words
6. I will seek to live a life that is above reproach
7. I will see the preservation of marriage and family
8. I will watch over other members as they watch over me
9. I will contribute cheerfully to the work of this church
10. I will be faithful in my commitment to boldly share the Gospel
11. If the Lord leads me to leave this church I will quickly unite with a similar God honoring church.

What do we believe?

(a condensed version of our Articles of Faith)

1. The Bible is God's word, and contains no error.

2. There is one true, living, personal God who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. Man has been created by God in the image of God.  He created male and female, he made them equal, but gave to each a specific role within creation which is to be embraced.  Man has sinned and upon sinning broke his relationship with God.
4. Salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ alone,- there is no other way but Jesus!
5. All true believers are the elect of God and will endure to the end.
6. The church is an autonomous local body of baptized believers.
7. Baptism and Lord's Supper are the only two ordinances which the New Testament teaches.  Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water as an act of obedience symbolizing the new life in Christ.  The Lord's Supper is an act of remembrance and anticipation as we reflect on the cross and look forward to Christ's return
8. Sunday is the Lord's day and activities on this day should include worship and spiritual devotion.
9. We await the return of Christ and the completion of the Kingdom of God
10. God in his own time will bring about the end of this world as Jesus will return visibly and personally.  The unrighteous shall be condemned to Hell while the righteous shall be resurrected in glorified bodies and dwell with the Lord forever.
11. God is the source of all blessings and all that we have we owe to him.  We are to give of our time, money, possessions and talents for His glory.  We should contribute cheerfully to God's work.
12. We believe that God has ordained marriage as being between one man and one woman who entered into a lifetime covenant with one another.