Your Churchmanship, Part 3

In this part of the sermon: The fifth point of counsel is introduced: upholding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers. Martin details three aspects: gender (males only for…

Martin recounts the thrilling early days (1967) of Trinity Baptist Church, when they were a small group wrestling with the Bible to understand and establish biblical church government, including the roles of elders and deacons, contrasting it with his previous lack of ecclesiology.

Hold fast your convictions and practice concerning the necessity for upholding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers, and implementing biblical directives for the function of these office bearers. Hold fast your convictions and practice concerning who gets involved, and how those men are to function within the office of elder or deacon. What a thrilling thing it was in our early days. I'm talking about 1967 to be precise. When we as a small group of people, we weren't even a constituted church. I was recognized as a teacher and leader.

7:44 - 8:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to your convictions and practice in these matters that have been hammered out from the Word of the living God concerning the standards for recognition of office bearers.

Martin shares his personal testimony of having no ecclesiology from his Salvation Army background and interdenominational colleges, highlighting the novelty and excitement of discovering biblical church structure in the early days of Trinity Baptist Church.

What's required of one to be recognized as a deacon? How does a deacon function? Those were thrilling days when someone was recognized as a deacon. When some of us, for the first time, as I mentioned in my testimony in the previous hour, I had no ecclesiology.

9:05 - 9:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin shares historical anecdotes from Trinity Baptist Church's early days, illustrating how the congregation upheld biblical standards for office bearers, even when it meant…

Martin recounts a specific instance where a man, previously an elder in another denomination, was bypassed for eldership at Trinity Baptist Church because his contentious character (a 'brawler' with his tongue) did not meet the biblical qualifications of 1 Timothy 3, demonstrating the church's commitment to biblical standards.

There was one man who in the previous denominational framework had served as an elder for years. But when we came to 1 Timothy 3, we found these words. No brawler, no striker, but gentle, not contentious.

22:31 - 22:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to your convictions and practice regarding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers and the implementing of their function in the life of the church.

Martin tells the story of Frank Nixon, a godly man who, despite his excellent character, was not recognized as an elder because he lacked the gift of teaching, but was recognized as a deacon, illustrating the church's commitment to both character and specific giftedness for office.

His nose, it was bent because there was a group of people determined to be obedient to the Bible. Then there was another precious man who had served as an elder by the name of Frank Nixon whose godly character eminently qualified him to be both an elder and a deacon. But when Frank saw and the people saw that he had no gift of aptitude to teach, he was terrified to even lead in prayer. In the prayer meeting, he was bypassed as an elder, but recognized to serve as a deacon.

23:45 - 24:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to your convictions and practice regarding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers and the implementing of their function in the life of the church.

Martin describes the early practice of monthly joint elders and deacons meetings at Trinity Baptist Church, where they diligently worked through the Bible to define and implement their respective functions, emphasizing their commitment to scriptural contours for church life.

Hold fast to your convictions and practice regarding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers and the implementing of their function in the life of the church. A little more history. In those early days, to make sure we were doing this, we had a monthly joint elders and deacons meeting. Pastor Dixon and I were recognized as elders and there were, I think, three men recognized as deacons.

24:52 - 25:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to your convictions and practice regarding biblical standards for the recognition of office bearers and the implementing of their function in the life of the church.

Martin recounts a conversation with a mentor who advised him against taking 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 literally for elder qualifications, calling them an 'ideal' rather than a practical standard. Martin's response was a commitment to go without elders if necessary rather than lower God's Word.

That's why I feel these things so deeply. I cannot forget those hours seated around a table with an open Bible, seeking to be sure that all of the contours of our life as the people of God were shaped by the Scriptures. I had one man when I discovered 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 that God had actually given us a standard for elders. I went to him.

25:37 - 26:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to your convictions and practice regarding the ministries you are to perform to one another and to the entire church in its corporate, in its corporate ministries.

Martin contrasts the common perception of Trinity Baptist Church as merely a 'preaching station' or platform for gifted preachers with its true identity as a family and body with mutual ministries, arguing against a passive view of church life.

I have said again and again, Trinity Baptist Church is not a mere preaching station. It is not a platform for Albert and Martin and others to exercise their gifts of preaching and teaching the Word of God. That's not who we are. People on the outside think, many, that that's what we are.

28:32 - 28:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Exhort one another while it is called today lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Martin uses Jesus's love, which took Him to the cross and endured the Father's wrath, as the ultimate pattern for the fervent love believers are commanded to have for one another, emphasizing its sacrificial nature.

of violations of the law of God that don't warrant rebuke and reproof or church discipline. And so you and I have this privilege of exercising fervent love after the pattern of him whose love took him all the way to a cross. Held him to that cross during those frightful hours when the heavens were shrouded in blackness. And when the fury of the wrath of God was funneled upon his head until he cried, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus said, a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. He loved us, Paul says, and gave himself up for us. Gave up h...

32:17 - 33:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to those convictions; they should not change because I relocate to Michigan. The convictions are rooted in the scriptures.

Martin describes a recent Friday night gathering as a beautiful expression of Trinity Church functioning as a well-coordinated body, with members serving cheerfully and leaders organizing, illustrating the practical outworking of corporate ministries.

of the saints. Here people that's just a sampling of the 30 plus one another in 36 plus one another in passages and I am saying to you as my parting words hold fast to your convictions and practice concerning these ministries you are to form to one another and also to the entire church in its corporate ministries I'm speaking of those situations that demand the involvement of the whole body functioning like a well coordinated athlete in accomplishing a common task of the church this past Friday night was one of the most beautiful expressions of that that I've seen in all my years among you. At...

37:11 - 38:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to those convictions; they should not change because I relocate to Michigan. The convictions are rooted in the scriptures.

Martin highlights the annual pastors' conference as another example of the entire church body mobilizing to serve weary and discouraged men of God, demonstrating the church's corporate ministry and its impact beyond its local assembly.

Pastor Smith leading with dignity and grace behind the scenes Pastor Carlson organizing if ever I saw Trinity Church functioning as a body it was Friday night that doesn't just happen you don't come in and say oh we're going to have an affair no no no no that was a manifestation of who you are you're not a preaching center you're a body you're a family and how beautifully you expressed that on Friday night and my parting words are hold fast both to the convictions and to the practice that enable you to function in that way year after year in the pastor's conference the whole church gets mobili...

38:40 - 40:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to those convictions; they should not change because I relocate to Michigan. The convictions are rooted in the scriptures.

Martin shares a personal story of the church bringing meals to his door for two to three evenings a week during Marilyn's battle with cancer, illustrating the church functioning as a body in mutual benevolence and burden-bearing during difficult times.

during one of the workshops I told the men that I would be relocating and I said brethren I want to know how many of you feel this pastor's conference meets needs that no other conference meets and you would like to see it continue almost all the hands shot up spontaneously I then said I'm making a pledge that when I make out my yearly calendar those dates in October will have first priority you have a ministry as a body it's not my conference without you there'd be no such conference the retreats how can I ever forget when for two years three evenings a week meals were brought to my door duri...

40:08 - 41:36 Read in full sermon

The point: If you find its ministry refreshing to your soul and its people a delight to your heart, then what keeps you from getting married? Make the commitments of heart and of will so that when the going gets rough I can't opt o…

Martin uses the analogy of a 'common law relationship' to describe individuals who enjoy the church's ministry and people but refuse to make formal commitments of membership, challenging them to consider the biblical expectation of commitment.

two final words of application we've got some of you sitting here who are living in a common law relationship did you know that you know what a common law relationship is when a man and a woman agree to live together as husband and wife but take no marriage vows make no commitments any given day he can say well there sweetie it's been nice living with you enjoying you as a wife but I'm out of here any given day she can say the same that's what a common law relationship is people living as husband and wife but no commitments I'm speaking to some of you you have a common law relationship to this...

43:02 - 44:30 Read in full sermon

The point: If you find its ministry refreshing to your soul and its people a delight to your heart, then what keeps you from getting married? Make the commitments of heart and of will so that when the going gets rough I can't opt o…

Martin addresses potential counter-examples to church membership (the thief on the cross, the Ethiopian eunuch) but dismisses them as exceptions or lacking full information, reinforcing the general biblical pattern of Christians being part of Christ's church.

if the Bible anywhere recognizes as a Christian the person who's not committed to Christ's church I'm just throwing out your challenge go to your Bible don't go out of here mad and tell your preacher if you don't belong to Trinity Church I didn't say that don't react emotionally listen to what I'm saying go to your Bible with this question does the Bible recognize anywhere a person as a Christian who's not a part of Christ's church well what about the thief on the cross yes he is an exception what about the Ethiopian eunuch well we don't know what happened when he got home anymore you've run o...

44:30 - 46:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast that which you have until he comes, lest the lampstand be removed.

Martin references the churches in Asia Minor, to whom the words 'hold fast' were originally spoken, noting that they no longer exist, serving as a solemn warning of the consequences of not holding fast to biblical truth and the potential removal of a church's lampstand.

why not he's been set before you from this pulpit times without number we've tried to lift him up in his loveliness in his compassion for sinners in his sincerity sincere offers of himself and of his salvation we've tried to terrify and frighten you with the biblical language of judgment and hell and I make no apologies for that for the scripture says who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come get into Christ then come into his church and into this happy fellowship of those who love him and want to flee from him and want to flee from him and want to flee from him and want to flee from h...

47:28 - 48:56 Read in full sermon