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Who We Are
What We Believe
Pastors and Staff |
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We are a Southern Baptist Convention church
committed to the biblical doctrines and historic principles of
the founders of the Convention. Thus, we fully subscribe to
The
London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (in particular)
and
The Baptist Faith and Message (in general).
Historically, Baptists have been
Calvinistic and Reformed in their theology. The last half of
the l9th century saw a great departure among the Baptists from
their historical theological roots towards a more
man-centered, humanistic belief and practice. This was due to
German rationalism and a widespread Arminian theology. Not all
departed. A few, (such as the great Baptist preacher and
theologian
C. H. Spurgeon
in England and J. P. Boyce,
John
Broadus, P. H. Mell, William B. Johnson, Basil Manly Sr. & Jr. Founders of the
SBC in America) remained faithful and prayed for the day when
the whole counsel of God would again be believed and
proclaimed in all churches, especially Baptist churches.
During the first and middle parts of the 20th century, the
Lord God was pleased to turn the hearts of some godly men back
to the biblical and theological foundations of our
forefathers. They wrote extensively, challenged church leaders
and laymen alike, and prayed. This gave rise to the modern
Calvinistic Baptist resurgence.
Southern Baptists have deep roots going all the way back to
the Protestant Reformation and, in some instances, have
connections predating the Reformation. Heritage Baptist Church
is a part of this group. We are an autonomous church formally
associated with Southern Baptist churches in the United
States, and all over the world. The local church is central in
carrying out God’s redemptive purposes. Therefore, no
outside hierarchy has any control over the congregation. The
governing power rests with Heritage’s Elders under the
government and rule of the Holy Scriptures as the Holy Spirit
directs.
It is our desire that the triune God be
acceptably worshiped and glorified, the people of God properly
instructed and edified, and the unsaved genuinely brought to
repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The focus of
our worship is the full proclamation and exposition of the
holy Word of God, hence a pulpit, not an altar, is central in
our sanctuary. While as a confessional church we hold to
sound doctrine and strong theology, we fervently believe in
biblical evangelism and missions attempting to take the gospel
to the ends of the earth. We endeavor to see every Christian
actively engaged in "the King’s service." We
gladly welcome you to visit us. There is a place for you.
What We Believe
"...because
of our love of Christ, His gospel, and His church, we
endeavor to assert anew our commitment to the central truths
of the Reformation and of historic evangelicalism. These
truths we affirm not because of their role in our
traditions, but because we believe that they are central to
the Bible."
Sola
Scriptura
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole
source of written divine revelation, which alone can
bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is
necessary for our salvation from sin and is the
standard by which all Christian behavior must be
measured.
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Solus
Christus
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by
the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His
sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are
sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to
the Father.
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Sola
Gratia
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from
God's wrath by His grace alone. It is the supernatural
work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by
releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from
spiritual death to spiritual life.
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Sola
Fide
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone
through faith alone because of Christ alone. In
justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as
the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
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Soli Deo
Gloria
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has
been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that
we must glorify Him always. We must live our entire
lives before the face of God, und the authority of God
and for His glory alone.
(The above was
adapted from The Cambridge Declaration, 1996)
We are a
doctrinal church. We believe that a person cannot have a
stable and balanced Christian life without a solid doctrinal
foundation. Like the early New Testament churches, we aim to
"continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers." (Acts
2:42) We believe the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible were
inerrantly inspired and are the infallible guide in all
matters of faith and practice. We are unashamedly baptistic,
believing that baptism is by immersion for believers only.
We see no contradiction with being calvinistic and non-paedobaptistic.
We are covenantal, believing that God has always worked
through covenants, especially the foundational covenant of
redemption. In order to be understood properly, the Holy
Scriptures must be interpreted covenantally.
In a day of doctrinal fuzziness, we
desire to be clear and precise. We believe in those
doctrines that are sometimes called the doctrines of grace.
By this expression we mean the doctrines of total depravity
and inability, unconditional election, definite and
particular redemption, effectual and irresistible calling
and the final perseverance of the saints. We rejoice in
these glorious truths that uphold the sovereignty of God in
the salvation of men, and which so gloriously affirm the
great central reality that salvation is all of grace and
that salvation is all of the Lord. We delight in those
Reformation truths of Scripture alone, by grace alone,
justification through faith alone, in Christ alone, to God
alone be the glory!
We are a confessional church. We
subscribe unreservedly to
The London Baptist Confession
of Faith of 1689 . We believe it is the most accurate
expression of the system of doctrine taught in the Bible. We
do not hold the Confession of Faith to be above or
equal to the Holy Scriptures. Rather, we accept it as a
confirmation in faith, an assistance in controversy, and an
instrument of edification and instruction. The Confession
provides every member with a compact systematic theology,
and by means of the scriptural proofs, each member can be
ready to give a reason for the hope that is in him. A free
copy of the Confession is available upon request.
Pastors and Staff
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Bro. Earl Blackburn - Senior Pastor
Upon
completion of his theological education, he was sent to Utah where
he labored as a church planting missionary for seven years carrying
the gospel to the Mormons. He was then called to Trinity Reformed
Baptist Church in La Mirada, CA where he pastored for 22 years. He
also served as Chairman of the Administrative Council of the
Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA) for
eight years. He has traveled extensively preaching in Pastors
Conferences in Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has contributed to the
book Denominations or Associations, has written in a number
of magazines, and has authored several booklets published by
Reformed Baptist Publications including Covenant Theology: A
Reformed Baptist Overview, Unconditional Election, Why
You Should Join A Church, and Which Church Should You Join.
He now pastors Heritage Baptist Church (SBC) in Shreveport, LA.
He
and his wife Debby, with whom he has been married for 31 years, have
one son Caleb who is studying architecture at California Polytechnic
University in Pomona, CA.
Email Bro.
Earl Blackburn |
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Bro.
Paul Haines - Pastor
He graduated with his B.A. in Bible from Hardin-Simmons University
and received his MDiv from the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
Upon completion of his theological education, he was was ordained and served for three years as pastor in Texas. In 1999, Paul and his family moved to Shreveport, where he has now served as pastor/elder
at Heritage Baptist since 2001. Paul and his wife Emily have been married since 1992 and have
four children.
Email Bro.
Paul Haines |
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Bro.
Casey Hough - Intern
Casey graduated from Louisiana Tech in 2006
with a B.A. in Computer Applications. He is now attending
Reformed Theological Seminary. In 2007, Casey was
licensed to the ministry by Heritage Baptist Church. Casey has been married for two years and has one child.
Email Bro.
Casey Hough |
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