Testify Church
Positions Statements
Our beliefs detailed in our Statement of Belief fall in line with mainstream, evangelical, orthodox biblical teaching. However, there are many other positions that all churches have to wrestle with.
We openly share our positions because we recognize that poorly communicated positions can lead to avoidable division and discord with other believers who hold alternative positions. God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).
Our positions are not derived by inference, tradition, or what seems wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 3:7; Isaiah 5:21). We have worked hard to “accurately handle the word of truth” to develop the following Position Statements. For the sake of unity, we ask our ministry partners to affirm our Statement of Belief and assent to these Position Statements, and we ask our church leadership to affirm these Position Statements.
- Biblical Elders, Polity & Church Governance Position Statement (coming soon)
- Biblical Marriage
- Water Baptism
- The Role Of Men And Women In Church Leadership
- Abortion
- Speaking in Tongues
Biblical Marriage Position Statement
The purpose of this Position Statement is to explain what the Bible says about marriage. To do this, we must first addresses what the Bible says about sex, which God designed to be exclusively expressed within marriage. We will define biblical marriage and address what the Bible teaches regarding divorce.
What the Bible says about sex
The Bible teaches that sex was God’s idea. He made humans “male and female” (Genesis 1:27). He told them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). God gave us a way to reproduce that was not only functional but also profoundly pleasurable. Sex is a gift God gave us, demonstrating His goodness to us. The Bible teaches that God created sex to express and deepen the unity between a husband and wife.
In Genesis 2, God created Adam first and said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). So God created woman using a rib from Adam. The woman perfectly complemented him – she was like him (since she was “taken out of Man” to share his vocation and his very life), but also not like him (since she was a woman).
The complementary relationship of man and woman leads to a profound unity between them when they eventually unite in sexual union. This is why Genesis 2:24 says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” Thus, a purpose of sex – not just for Adam and Eve but also for all humankind – is to express and deepen the unity between husband and wife.
Another purpose of sex is that God created sex for us to reproduce. In Genesis 1, God created male and female humans and commanded them to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.”
The Bible also teaches that God created sex to be expressed only within marriage. Jesus characterizes all sexual activity outside marriage as evil (Mark 7:20-23). The term translated as “sexual immorality” in this passage is porneia. It is an umbrella term for all sexual activity outside of marriage, including premarital sex, adultery, prostitution, the viewing of pornography, and homosexual behavior. Jesus describes all of these behaviors as evil and defiling.
Take note of the equality, diversity and unity in the Trinity
Within the Trinity, there is equality and diversity in unity. We worship One God revealed in three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. All are equally God in nature and essence, yet have diverse roles.
For example, in redemption, the Father decrees the plan of redemption before the foundation of the world. He then sends the Son, who obeys and accomplishes the Father’s plan. The Father and Son send the Spirit, who applies redemption to those who trust in Jesus. So within the Trinity is equality of essence and diversity of role – with absolute unity, as God the Father, Son, and Spirit are One.
Because God in Himself has equality, diversity, and unity, it isn’t surprising that equality, diversity, and unity are intended to be reflected in human relationships that He sovereignty establishes.
That is precisely what the Bible teaches, namely, that men and women have complementary roles in marriage reflecting the equality, unity, and diversity of the Trinity, which are designed for our fulfillment and God’s glory.
Equality, diversity and unity in marriage
- Created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
- One in Christ and joint heirs in Christ (Galatians 3:28-29)
- Given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12)
Scripture also teaches that God created man and woman to fulfill different but complementary roles, which are rooted in their unique sexual identity and God’s design in creation (Genesis 1:27-2:25). In a marriage, God created the man with the primary role of “servant-leader” (Genesis 3; Ephesians 5:25-30; Matthew 20:20-27), and He created the woman with the primary role of “helper-lover” (Titus 2:3-5; Genesis 2:18).
This picture of equality, diversity, and unity in marriage is a mystery. According to Ephesians 5:31-33, it is to reveal the mystery of Christ and the Church.
As the world looks at the life of a husband who loves (agape) his wife just as “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,” the onlooker is to see the reality of Jesus. As a woman subjects herself to her husband’s leadership, the spectators of this world see the love of Christ at work. When both husband and wife live out God’s design for marriage, a lost and dying society is confronted with a picture of the remarkable gospel of Jesus Christ.
What else does the Bible say about marriage?
The Bible teaches that marriage is a covenant (or binding promise) designed by God and made by a man and a woman (by birth sex) to be joined together in a monogamous relationship for their entire lives. This definition of marriage is not only based on the Old Testament (see the above passages in Genesis 2) but also the New Testament, which affirms the sexual ethics and marriage pattern established in the Old Testament.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:4-6, “He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” This shows that God produces this union. God designed marriage to knit two people together – one male and one female – physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually, and He designed marriage to last for the entire lives of the husband and wife.
Marriage is also how God designed humans to fulfill God’s commandment to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). From this one-flesh union flows the possibility of new life: for children to result from it. Procreation is not the sole purpose of marriage (and those unable to have children are no less married because of that), but it is clear that procreation is intended to be rooted in marriage.
What the Bible says about divorce
According to Malachi 2:16, God hates divorce: “‘For I hate divorce,’ says the LORD.” From the beginning, divorce was never God’s desire or ideal, according to Matthew 19:6, which says: “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
Jesus acknowledges one and only one ground for divorce among believers: porneia. As stated previously, porneia refers to sexual immorality and is an umbrella term for all sexual activity outside of marriage.
For a married partner, porneia refers to intimate sexual involvement with someone other than one’s spouse. Jesus said in Matthew 5:32, “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality (porneia), makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” And in Matthew 19:9, Jesus says, “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality (porneia), and marries another woman commits adultery.” So we believe that if a married partner is guilty of sexual immorality and is unwilling to repent and live faithfully with their spouse, the innocent party may exercise the right of divorce.
We believe when an unbelieving spouse willfully and permanently deserts (i.e. abandons) their believing spouse, the believing spouse is permitted biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage.
Paul addresses this subject in 1 Corinthians 7:12-15, stating that if the unbelieving spouse consents to live together, the believing spouse is not to divorce the unbelieving spouse. Instead, the believing spouse is responsible for striving to hold the marriage together for the sake of the unbelieving spouse and children. The presence of the believing spouse sanctifies the family unto God. Therefore, the believing spouse is not to pursue divorce. However, if the unbelieving spouse willfully and permanently deserts the family, God’s counsel to the believing spouse is to “let him leave” (1 Corinthians 7:15). In such cases, “the brother or sister is not under bondage” (verse 15b).
What about abuse within a marriage?
An abusive spouse, in fact, has abandoned God’s design of the marriage covenant. Abuse is perhaps the worse form of abandonment because it involves the use of something holy (marriage) for satanic ends. Abuse of a spouse or a child is leveraging one’s power to hurt a vulnerable person who was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. God condemns the abuse of the vulnerable throughout the Bible (Psalm. 9:18; Isaiah 3:14–15; Ezekiel 18:12; Amos 2:7; Mark 9:42; etc.). Our position is that abuse is the worst form of marital abandonment.
If one spouse abandons the marriage, the Bible reveals, it is not the fault of the innocent party. And if a spouse makes the home a dangerous place for the other spouse (or their children), that is not the fault of the innocent party either, and we do not hold that a divorce would be a sin in this situation.
Therefore:
- We affirm that sex was God’s idea and a gift He gave us, demonstrating His goodness to us. God created sex to be expressed only within marriage. All sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful and dishonoring to God. This includes premarital sex, adultery, pornogrpahy, prostitution, and homosexual behavior.
- We believe marriage is a covenant (or binding promise) designed by God and made by a man and a woman (by birth sex) to join a monogamous relationship for their entire lives.
- Regarding divorce, we believe that an individual who is divorced before conversion can remarry “in the Lord.” In addition, we believe that God makes allowances for divorce only on the grounds of porneia (i.e., sexual immorality) or desertion – after all reconciliation efforts have failed.
Water Baptism Position Statement
This Position Statement aims to explain what we believe the Bible teaches about baptism, and we believe we can do that best by answering common questions about baptism. We know there are views about baptism other than those described below that other Christians hold. Our view is sometimes referred to as “believer baptism.”
What is baptism?
- Their association (or identification) with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-10);
- The repentance of their sins, and Jesus’ forgiveness – or washing away – of their sins (Acts 2:38); and
- Their desire to be a lifelong learner (i.e., disciple or follower) of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).
Who should a person be baptized?
Every believer should be baptized because Jesus commanded it (Matthew 28:18-20). Baptism allows believers to publicly proclaim that they have placed their trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and identify with Jesus and His church, which is the body of Christ.
When should a believer be baptized?
A believer should be baptized as soon as possible after they have placed their trust in Jesus. No long waiting periods or works needed to be performed in the early church – as recorded in the book of Acts – between the time when a person became a believer and when they were baptized.
How should a person be baptized?
A person should be baptized by being immersed or submerged in water. The Greek term used in the New Testament for baptism is “baptizo,” which means to immerse or submerge. They should also be baptized “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-20). If a person cannot be immersed because of physical limitations, we will administer baptism through pouring or sprinkling.
Does baptism save a person?
Baptism does not save a person. Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus alone, apart from any merit, work, ceremonies, or religious rituals (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28; Romans 1:16; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Corinthians 1:14-17). We believe that the preponderance of Scripture teaches that baptism is a confirming symbol – as discussed above – for an individual who personally confesses faith in Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:35-37; Acts 9:18; Acts 10:47; Acts 16:14-15, Acts 16:31-33; Acts 18:8).
Is baptism required at Testify Church to become a Ministry Partner?
Yes. Jesus commands believers to be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20). If a person was baptized as an infant and has never been baptized as a believer, we encourage them to be baptized as a believer. However, we would welcome them as a Ministry Partner, provided they reject the notion that their baptism as an infant conferred merit with God or saving grace in the act itself. We do not perform infant baptisms.
There are good arguments for three different modes of baptism: sprinkling, pouring, and immersion. We practice immersion because it best pictures our identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11). However, we always want our emphasis to be on the heart attitude of those being baptized. If a believer was baptized in another church using sprinkling or pouring, we accept that for Ministry Partnership purposes.
What is “Spirit Baptism” or “Baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
“Spirit Baptism” happens at the moment of belief and is invisible (i.e., we don’t see it happen). “Symbolic/water baptism,” on the other hand, as discussed above, is an act that is done after one comes to faith in Jesus and symbolizes this invisible truth of being placed into the body of Christ. This is why we sometimes will say [water] baptism is “an outward expression of an inward reality,” meaning [water] baptism is a public act that symbolizes something that has already taken place inside a person – that they believe in Jesus and the Holy Spirit now lives inside them.
Therefore:
- We affirm and teach the “believer baptism” view.
- We teach baptism as “an outward expression of an inward reality.”
- We will only baptize a person who has placed their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
- We deny that baptism saves a person or bestows special saving grace in the water or act itself.
- We require a person to have been baptized as a believer to become a Testify Church Ministry Partner. The only exception is for believers baptized as infants, provided they reject the notion that their water baptism conferred merit with God or saving grace in the act itself.
- We practice immersion, but if a believer were baptized in another church where sprinkling or pouring was used, we would accept that for Ministry Partnership purposes.
The Role of Men and Women in Church Leadership Position Statement
We live in a society that places a high value on independence and equality. As a culture, we strongly oppose discrimination based on race, skin color, gender, or religious background, all of which are right and good things. So when we come to 1 Timothy 2:11-12, it smacks against our value system of right and wrong, or fairness, seeming like discrimination.
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” 1 Timothy 2:11-12
Take note of the equality, diversity and unity in the Trinity
Within the Trinity, there is equality and diversity in unity. We worship One God revealed in three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. All are equally God in nature and essence, yet have diverse roles.
For example, in redemption, the Father decrees the plan of redemption before the foundation of the world. He then sends the Son, who obeys and accomplishes the Father’s plan. The Father and Son send the Spirit, who applies redemption to those who trust in Jesus. So within the Trinity is equality of essence and diversity of role – with absolute unity, as God the Father, Son, and Spirit are One.
Because God in Himself has equality, diversity, and unity, it isn’t surprising that equality, diversity, and unity are intended to be reflected in human relationships that He sovereignty establishes.
That is indeed what the Bible teaches, namely, that men and women have complementary roles in the church, reflecting the equality, unity, and diversity of the Trinity, which are designed for our fulfillment and God’s glory.
Equality, diversity and unity in the church
Since God has designed husbands and wives to be equal yet have distinct roles in marriage, it should not come as a surprise that He would also design the church with distinct roles for men and women.
In 1 Timothy 2:12, the apostle Paul writes about roles in the church, “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” We believe this and related Scriptures (1 Corinthians 14:34-37) teach that women should not serve in the roles of elder/pastor†. For this reason, only godly men (1 Timothy 3:1-7) serve as elders at Testify, exercising teaching and governing authority.
Both men and women can serve in all other leadership roles within Testify. For example, women can teach other women, co-facilitate mixed-gender Bible study discussions under the authority of the elders, lead and teach students and children, lead in local and global missions, lead in worship, distribute communion, baptize, evangelize and serve in many other roles. God is the One who organizes His Church and establishes a means for believers to use their gifts to serve and build the Church.
Summary
In summary, men and women have complementary roles in the Church, reflecting the equality, unity, and diversity of the Trinity, which are designed for our fulfillment and God’s glory. When we fulfill our God-given roles, we reflect the unity and diversity of the Trinity and God is glorified. What God designs is beautiful, for our good, and for His glory.
Therefore:
- We affirm the equality of all persons, men and women.
- We affirm the biblical teaching of complementary roles rooted in our God-given sexual identity.
- We affirm the office of elder, grounded in the creation order and reflective of the marriage relationship, as exclusive to men, chosen by God to be the servant-leaders for the Church, exercising teaching and governing authority in the Church.
- We affirm the role of both male and female deacons as being biblical and practical within the Church.
† The qualifications for elder and the office of pastor are equivalent.
Abortion Position Statement
Does Scripture say anything to inform our view of abortion?
Psalm 139:13 states, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” We believe that at the moment of conception, a human life exists, which is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), sacred and valuable to God, as evidenced by God’s personal involvement in the life in the womb. The unborn child develops and enters a different stage of life at birth, but we recognize a continuous line of life from conception until death.
The life in the womb is a life about which God is intimately concerned. This concept is based on God’s relationship to the unborn. Of Jeremiah, God said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jeremiah 1:5).
Of Jacob and Esau in their mother’s womb, God said, “Two nations are in your womb; and two people shall be separated from your body” (Genesis 25:23).
Therefore:
- We affirm that at the moment of conception, human life exists, created in God’s image.
- We affirm that life in the womb is a life that is sacred and valuable to God.
- We deny willful abortion at any point after conception as an acceptable option before God.
- We also believe in extending mercy, grace, and compassion to those families who have
chosen abortion, and hope to help them heal, grow, and to be restored by Jesus.
Speaking in Tongues Position Statement
The purpose of this Statement of Position is to explain:
- What the gift of tongues is.
- How Testify Church will ensure the gift of tongues is not misused.
- What the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is (and what it has to do with speaking in tongues).
What is the gift of “tongues”?
The gift of tongues is a supernatural ability to speak in a human language unknown to the speaker, with the primary purpose of authenticating God’s power and program to non-believers, who hear in their own language (Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 14:21, 22).
When speaking in tongues is done in the church, it should edify other believers. This is impossible, of course, without the gift of interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:13, 28). In addition, a benefit to the person speaking in tongues is that it edifies him or her (1 Corinthians 14:2-4).
The gift of tongues is given by the Holy Spirit to only a portion of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:11, 29-30).
Will tongues be allowed at Testify gatherings?
We, as a church, do not give wholesale approval to all the claims being made today about speaking in tongues. We think that it is important to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Much of Paul’s teaching on tongues concerns the misuse of the gift (1 Corinthians 12-14). We are also well aware of the division and dissension that have followed in the wake of many of the so-called outbreaks of this gift. Therefore, because of the potential misuse of this gift, if someone were to speak in tongues during a gathering of the body, based on 1 Corinthians 14:26-28, an elder would ask for an interpretation. If one is given and the interpretation is edifying to the body, the speaking in tongues would be validated. If an interpretation is not given, we would ask the one speaking in tongues to refrain from doing so. Validating the speaking in tongues in this way is done to protect both the body and the one who feels he or she has the gift, and to help ensure “all things are done properly and in an orderly manner” (1 Corinthians 14:40). We believe that the controversial nature of the gift of tongues makes such an examination important.
What is the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” (and what does it have to do with speaking in tongues)?
We believe that at the moment a person expresses saving faith in Jesus, he/she is baptized in the Holy Spirit and made a part of the universal body of Christ, His Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Ephesians 4:4-6, Galatians 3:27-29). In this context, the term baptism of the Holy Spirit is synonymous with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) and the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30).
Some churches teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an indwelling of the Holy Spirit upon a believer that typically occurs following conversion (and therefore sometimes refer to this as a “second blessing”), and that a manifestation of this outpouring is that the believer will speak in tongues. Testify does not hold to this view.
While the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a once-and-for-all experience that takes place at conversion, we believe that the filling of the Spirit properly refers to the moment-by-moment process of yielding oneself to the Spirit’s control (Ephesians 5:18).
Therefore:
- We affirm that the gift of tongues is a supernatural ability to speak in a human language unknown to the speaker, with the primary purpose of authenticating God’s power and program to non-believers, who hear in their own language. When speaking in tongues is done during a gathering of the church, it should edify other believers. This is impossible, of course, without the gift of interpretation.
- We deny that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a “second blessing” that is subsequent to conversion.
- We affirm that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is inseparable from conversion and is a once-and-for-all experience that involves one’s permanent identification with Christ and His Church.
- We affirm that the filling of the Spirit properly refers to the moment-by-moment process of yielding oneself to the Spirit’s control.