Bible Missionary Church
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| Bible Missionary Church | |
| Classification | Protestant |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Radical Evangelical, Holiness |
| Separated from | Church of the Nazarene |
| Separations | Wesleyan Holiness Association Pilgrim Nazarene Church, |
| Members | N/A[1] |
Contents |
[edit] History
The Bible Missionary Church bases its teachings on the Biblical book of Acts of the Apostles when a small group of Jesus' followers were filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered for evangelism. The BMC was also strongly influenced by the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, John Wesley; Phoebe Palmer; P. F. Bresee, the founder of the Church of the Nazarene.
However, the Bible Missionary movement began with a five-week tent meeting held on September 8, 1955, in Nampa Idaho. The body included roughly 150 individuals and was led by Rev. Glenn Griffith which met at at the "Box Factory". The denomination itself was founded shortly after with a total of 126 members.[2] The church traces its roots to Methodism with direct ties to the Church of the Nazarene and Free Methodist Church. In 1957, the growing denomination began Bible Missionary Institute, a then-three year Bible college offering basic theology degrees.[3] Bible Missionary Institute was located in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1959, founder Glenn Griffith and many others severed ties with the Bible Missionary Church over what they perceived to be an overly-lenient view of divorce.[4] Although the split devastated the church and slowed its growth, the Bible Missionary Church has now grown to be the largest conservative holiness denomination in America[5] with international branches in Canada, Mexico, the Philippine islands, Guyana, Ghana, Nigeria, Japan, Nepal, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Barbados, and Venezuela.
[edit] Beliefs
The Bible Missionary Church holds a monotheistic, Trinitarian theology in the Wesleyan tradition.
The BMC teaches that believers are cleansed from inbred sin and rebellion to God by a second definite experience referred to as entire sanctification, as taught by the historic Methodist Church and the Church of the Nazarene. In conjunction with entire sanctification, the BMC teaches that believers are to live godly lives, manifesting this by compliance to an outward standard of holiness. Many of these standards are codified in the rules contained within the church manual. They believe that complete obedience to God is a joy and delight.[6]
In 1999, the Bible Missionary Church adopted a resolution against same-sex marriage, forbidding its ministers to perform the wedding ceremonies of same sex couples.[7] Unlike many other fundamentalist churches, the Bible Missionary Church allows women to fill leadership positions in church boards. Members are not allowed to marry someone of the same gender, watch television or movies, use the internet, attend sporting events, visit amusement parks, or wear jewelry.[8] The BMC believes that Biblical modesty includes distinction between genders and a covering of the torso.[9] Observance of the Christian Sabbath, Sunday, is also expected by abstaining from unnecessary work or commerce and setting the day aside for worship and service to humanity.[10]
The Bible Missionary Church holds a strong Historic premillennialism view of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but its adherents hold a variety of views on the timing of the Rapture of the Church. [11].
Despite its separatist tendencies, the Bible Missionary Church believes in aggressive evangelism[12] and in addition to its worldwide missionary efforts is currently expanding in North America with several new churches in the United States and Canada.
[edit] Church government
The church holds a general conference every four years at which major policy issues for the denomination as a whole are addressed. The most recent general conference took place in 2007. The general conference elects general officers, including two general moderators, and a general board. The general conference also governs additions and deletions to the manual (termed "memorials"). Since 1983, general conference elections are no longer decided by casting lots.[13]
In addition, the American church is composed of the following ten self-governing districts:[14]
Arkansas District (Arkansas) California-Arizona-Nevada District Intermountain District District (Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Alaska) Louisiana-South Texas District Great Lakes District (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario) Northeast District (New England, Pennsylvania, and Eastern seaboard) Northwest District (Idaho, Montana, East Oregon) North Pacific District (Washington, Oregon) Southeast District (Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida) Southwest District (Oklahoma, Texas)
Although most foreign churches come under the jurisdiction of the foreign missions committee (appointed by the general board), the churches in Mexico, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines are self-governing, organized districts of the Bible Missionary Church.
[edit] Church officers
The current general moderators are Rev. Rodger Moyer (since 1987) and Rev. Alvie Jarratt (since 1999). General Board members include Ben Dowd, editor of the Missionary Revivalist and nationally-known evangelist and others.
[edit] Educational institutions
The Bible Missionary Church's schools include Bible Missionary Institute, a 4-year unaccredited Bible college in Rock Island, Illinois, as well as a Bible college in Houston, Texas. Beulah Mountain Christian Academy in Whitley City, Kentucky, is a K-12 boarding school for at-risk children.
The denomination also maintains schools in Mexico, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Nigeria.
Although no denominational level schools are regionally accredited, many of the BMC's district leaders and pastors have advanced degrees from other universities.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ Although the most relevant information is contained in the 2007 General Conference Journal of the Bible Missionary Church, not all churches report; therefore, accurate information is not available.
- ^ Bible Missionary Union. 2005 Manual
- ^ Bible Missionary Church, Inc. 2005 Manual, "History"
- ^ Moyer, Ina: The Way It Really Was, pp 15-18
- ^ Wallace Thornton, Radical Righteousness Pub. Date: January 1998
- ^ For an introduction to this doctrine, http://www.classicholinessermons/ is invaluable.
- ^ General Conference Journal, 1999
- ^ Bible Missionary Church, Inc. 2005 Manual
- ^ http://www.minthegap.com/2004/11/23/must-women-wear-skirts/
- ^ King, Lucille: Remember the Sabbath http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/1901-2000/HDM1972.pdf
- ^ Manual of the Bible Missionary Church
- ^ The Missionary Revivalist, November 2007, page 3
- ^ Johnson, Ronald (ed.): Speak Unto My People, 40 Years and Counting
- ^ Bible Missionary Church Manual
- ^ Ross Maxey, Stories from Life, 2005 (foreword)
- The Holiness Churches: A Significant Ethical Tradition, Donald W. Dayton
- Handbook of Denominations, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, & Craig D. Atwood
[edit] External links
An Introduction to "Old-Fashioned Holiness People" [1]
