Preconceived Notions – opinions or beliefs formed before having full knowledge or experience, often leading to biased judgments and misunderstandings.

I’ve had them! You’ve had them! I think it’s safe to say everyone has had them!

I imagine that once we became informed, we might have felt a bit silly about the preconceived notions we had.

When my husband and I started dating, I discovered he attended a Missionary Baptist Church. YIKES!

I was raised in a General Baptist church, and I always heard that Missionary Baptists believed they were the only ones going to heaven. They also believed you couldn’t lose your salvation—“once saved, always saved” is the phrase they use! And my favorite of all, Missionary Baptists supposedly think you can live however you want and still go to heaven.

If the answers to all these questions are true, then why wouldn’t everyone want to follow the missionary Baptist faith? 

I mean, how amazing is it that you could drink strong drinks, fornicate, commit adultery, steal, kill, covet, break any and all commandments, and STILL get into heaven?

After joining Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church and understanding their beliefs, I realized why people might not be flocking to join—it’s something called church discipline. Now, you might be wondering, what is church discipline? 

What is church discipline?

At Mount Sinai, God gave Moses a detailed set of laws. These laws were meant to set the people of Israel apart as holy and establish them as a nation that followed and respected God. The laws also outlined specific penalties for violations, which included fines, exclusion from worship, physical punishment, and even death.

God’s instructions to the church are similar but apply in a different context. Unlike civil authorities, the church doesn’t have the power to enforce laws or punish offenses. Its authority is limited to disciplining within the church body. Like Israel, the church and its members are called to be set apart and follow God’s standards. Disobedience is met with gradually increasing discipline, ultimately leading to removal from fellowship.

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus outlines steps for addressing an offense between believers. First, the offended person should privately discuss the issue with the offender, explaining the problem and why it was wrong. If the offender refuses to listen or repent, the next step is to bring along one or two witnesses to address the matter together. Ideally, this leads to repentance and forgiveness, but if not, the issue should be presented to the whole church. As a final measure, if the offender remains unrepentant, they are to be treated as “a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17).

The New Testament outlines the only system for church discipline, emphasizing that offenders should not be humiliated from the pulpit, gossiped about, disowned, or shunned outside the church. The most severe action a church can take is to remove the offender from fellowship and treat them as an unbeliever. How should unbelievers be treated? While close relationships with them are discouraged (2 Corinthians 6:14; Proverbs 12:26), we are called to point them to Christ (Acts 26:18), pray for them (James 5:16), and gently correct them (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Paul’s letters to the church of Corinth give testimony to the effectiveness of church discipline. In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, Paul rebukes the church for tolerating a member living in adultery with his father’s wife. He instructs them to deliver the man “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5). The man was clearly unrepentant, openly flaunting his sinful lifestyle. Paul advised expelling him from the fellowship, and it seemingly worked. In 2 Corinthians 2:5-11, Paul encourages the church to welcome back a repentant offender, urging them to comfort him to prevent him from being “overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.”

Second Corinthians 2:8 highlights the goal of church discipline: “to reaffirm your love for [the offender].” It’s not about shaming or controlling someone, nor is it driven by anger, self-righteousness, or seeking payback. Instead, church discipline aims to guard the body of Christ from unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-7) and help those struggling with sin restore their relationship with God (Galatians 6:1).

As Christians, we should strive to avoid bringing reproach upon our family, whether it’s our blood relatives or our church family.

Please don’t get me wrong—I’m not putting anyone down or judging others hypocritically with what I’ve written here. I would never do that because I am far from perfect! Let me repeat. I AM NOT PERFECT! I am simply a sinner saved by God’s amazing grace, and I fail Him daily. My goal is to address the negative reputation the Missionary Baptist faith has received.

Let’s clear up any misconceptions about the Missionary Baptist faith. 

No, we do NOT believe we are the only ones going to heaven. However, we do pray for those who think saying a sinner’s prayer, shaking a preacher’s hand, doing good deeds, or simply accepting or receiving God or Jesus as your Savior is all it takes to be with Him in heaven.

The bible teaches in Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Also in John 31:8 Jesus explains to Nicodemus what man must do to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:1-8  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit

NO, a Christian CAN NOT lose salvation.  When you are born again (saved) you become a new creature in Christ.  The old creature is put away and no longer exist.

2 Corinthians 5:17 -18 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 Peter 1:13-19 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

God has promised eternal life to those who are born-again Christians. For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be revoked, and God would never break His promise to His children. 

No, no, no, we do not believe we can live any way we want, such as drinking intoxicating beverages, fornicating, committing adultery, stealing, killing, coveting, breaking any or all of the commandments, and still expect to go to heaven.

Here is the Church Covenant at Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church. As members, we commit to live our lives in accordance with the following Covenant:

Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

This brings us back to church discipline.

I hope there’s something here that can help you on your journey.

Be cautious of false prophets, misleading teachings, oversimplified beliefs, and practices like non-traditional or non-biblical baptisms, which can sometimes be present in large, modern, non-denominational churches.

A non-denominational church is any church that operates independently and isn’t part of a larger denomination. These churches often embrace a wide range of beliefs and prefer to guide their ministry and teachings locally without external interference or control.

Often, when members decide to leave a biblical, denominational, or non-traditional church, it’s because they no longer want to adhere to the strict doctrines of that church. They may be tired of hearing about how they’re living in sin or breaking God’s Commandments.

People often avoid hearing the harsh reality of hell. They don’t want their children to know about the eternal fire they might face if they aren’t saved and reborn through God’s amazing grace, fearing it will frighten them.

They want church and life to be simple, choosing to live on their own terms rather than following the way God calls us to live.

Therefore, they decide to leave the secure foundations of a true doctrinal, biblical church and turn to a more traditional modern church, aligning themselves with worldly ways and a more contemporary lifestyle. Alternatively, they might establish their own church, creating their own doctrines and laws.

There’s something remarkable about churches that have stood strong for centuries. Their members have remained faithful to God’s law, biblical principles, sound doctrine, and the Ten Commandments. They’ve upheld church traditions and old-fashioned values, fervently passing these beliefs and practices down through generations.

MAN’S LAW WILL NEVER SUPERSEDE GOD’S LAW!!!!!!

God and His teachings remain unchanged, just as they were thousands of years ago. God’s law is eternal and unchanging, no matter how much some may try to alter it.

The Bible teaches that hell exists and is real.

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

I’m grateful for my country church. I appreciate the doctrines, traditions, and teachings that the elders of Mt. Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church have preserved and passed down for the past 125 years. I’m also thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing church family.

I’m thankful that the devil and hell exist, and that my children fear the devil and the possibility of eternal punishment in hell if they don’t turn from their sinful ways and seek God’s acceptance and salvation.

Above all, I’m grateful that God, in His grace, accepted me as one of His children so many years ago on a Sunday morning. I’ll never forget the moment I realized I was lost to God, living as an unbeliever in sin. The greatest feeling I’ve ever experienced was when God reached down, saved my soul, and freed me from the grasp of hell.

I am saddened to admit that I haven’t always honored what God has done for me in my life. I’ve made some pretty bad choices. But the amazing thing is, God has always been right there beside me, pulling me back into His fold. He has never left or forsaken me, even though I have failed Him too many times.

Though I’m far from perfect, I strive to honor God by following His Commandments and living a life that pleases Him. And yes, I fail most of the time, but every now and then, with His help, I hope I get something right!

May God Bless you is my prayer,

Dana