1985-1986 Academic Catalog

believer to be a personal soul winner and to do his utmost to give the gospel of Christ to the whole world. Mark 16: 15; Acts 1:8; John 17: 18; 20:2 l; II Corinthians 5:20. 13. We believe that the local Church is an organized congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant, observing the ordinances of Christ, having the offices of pastor and deacon, exercising the gift~, rights, privileges, and responsibilities given them by Hts Word, and that it has the absolute right of self-government. We believe that the Church which is His Body includes all New Testament believers. Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2; 7:17; 11:16; I Timothy 3:1-15; I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians I :22,23; 2: 14, 15; 5:23-32. 14. We believe that the Scriptural ordinances of the local church are Baptism and the Lord's Supper; that Baptism, by immersion, should be administered to believers only, as an identifying symbol of their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our death to sin and resurrection to a new walk in life, and that it is a prerequisite to local church membership; that the Lord's Supper is a commemoration of His death and should be preceded by believer's baptism and solemn self– examination. Matthew 28: 19,20; Acts 8:36-39; 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2: 12; I Corinthians 11 :23-32. We believe that the Scriptures clearly delineate principles which govern Christian conduct; that these principles include deference toward weaker brethren. Our behavior should not hin– der the faith of other believers; we should do only those things which will glorify God and which will edify both the individual and the group. While having an appropriate testimony b~fore un– believers, we should avoid close liaisons with the unbehevers. We believe that for the sake of Christian testimony and the achievement of college purposes, we must abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the nonmedical use of narcotic drugs; and not participate in dancing, the use of playing cards em– ployed in gambling, attendance at ~ovie theaters? 3:nd member– ship in secret societies. We also believe that Chnsttans have an obligation to dress appropriately, to a~1oid ~earing of ex_treme fashions and wearing of shorts in public (with the exception of participation in athletic contests), and to have sin~er~ respect for the Lord's Day. We prayerfully seek to serve Chnst m an at~os­ phere free from personal attitudes of distrust~ dishonesty, self1s~ness, damaging criticism, disrespect, unethical conduct, and Ir– reverence.