Our Positional Statements and some Studies
by David R Cox

Missions Related

I greatly disagree with many in missions (missionaries, pastors, and missions involved people) as to the method, the objectives, and the problems and solutions of missions. I have a B.A. in Christian Missions from Bob Jones University and I have been actively involved in missions, living fully and solely from this ministry since 1983. We were under a "regular mission board" (GFAM - Gospel Fellowship Association Missions) and the Lord moved us to under our home church in 2000. 

  1. Why we are not under a "regular" mission board, but a local church. (letter from GFA of our leaving their board)
  2. What is the "mission" of Missionaries? When and why are other mission ministries invalid and unbiblical?
  3. What is our mission as missionaries? - A biblical definition of what a missionary ministry should and has to be.
  4. Do you frequent non-Baptist churches? - We are Baptists, and our support base is basically Baptist churches, but we do have some "baptistic" Bible churches that support us. This is an explanation of our position.
  5. Things for Pastors and Churches to consider with their missionaries? - This is a heads up on dealing with missionaries, which includes a discussion of some issues that should be considered when a church takes on a missionary.
  6. Where we go and don't go - This is a clarification of the kinds of churches and people we DON'T want supporting us. This helps those pastors who do support us know where we stand.
  7. You cannot divide the Great Commission - Ministries today typically want to divide the Great Commission and say that they are solely evangelist, or solely discipleship, or solely church edification. This is an invalid approach to the ministry.

Pastor Related

Some people hold that Pastors are unbiblical, preferring a plurality of elders (avoiding like the plague the word "pastor"). We cite Ephesians 4:11 as being a clear verse that mentions the ministry of Pastor in a local church. Therefore, Pastors are biblical, especially the word "pastor" and the verb "to pastor". I believe that many pastors have not a clue as to the biblical mandates and examples surrounding their ministry, and so here I set forth studies to clarify these.

  1. Women in the ministry, particularly preaching, teaching, and leading, over men. - Defense of no women.
  2. Call no man Master - This is a discussion of Mat 23:8-10. Some use this to dismiss pastors as being biblical.
  3. Exposition of Ezekiel 34 - This passage gives great insight to Pastors of God's flock.
  4. Exposition of Jeremiah 23 - This is another key passage that defines the work of a pastor.
  5. Guidelines for Discerning a Bad Pastor - God condemns those who enter His vineyard and destroy or hurt it. This study identifies the marks of a "bad pastor", one condemned by God. (in progress)
  6. God set a Man over Israel, Numbers 27 - Supporting study on why God does put a single man in charge over His work.
  7. Hebrew ra'ah Occurances - This Hebrew work is pastor or to pastor, and is at times translated "govern or rule".
  8. Heresy of the Nicoliatians - This work is understood as meaning "those who dominate the people", some interpret this as meaning any minister who acts as a "pastor" distinguishing (unjustly) this from an elder in an elder board which does not.
  9. Pastoral Visitation - A biblical definition in what is "pastoral visitation" from a biblical perspective. It is not visiting the sick or visitors, but rather an individual inspection of what is wrong with one of his sheep and a rectifying of it.
  10. Pastor-Elder-Bishop, what's the difference? - This study investigates the similarities and differences between these three.
  11. Who rules the local church 1, the pastor, the deacons, the congregation, or a board - This explains who controls the local church. Who rules the local church 2, this is a continuation of the above study.
  12. How church's finances should work - These are some musings by me on how church finances should work according to the Bible. Basically the minister should be supported by the free will offerings of the people. (in progress)
  13. Should ministers be paid? This is a biblical defense of ministers receiving financial recompense for their labors.

Church, and Ministry Related

  1. How church's finances should work - Musings on how a church's finances should work according to the biblical example.
  2. What is an autonomous local church - and Why it is so important?
  3. What is the plan and methodology of God? - God has chosen the church as His means of accomplishing His work.
  4. What's in a name? (the Baptist name) - A discussion of what we should call ourselves, (for Baptists)
  5. When other ministries are valid - We assert that the principle ministry God commands us is evangelism and church planting. This study investigates when other ministries are valid.
  6. Do we support ministers or ministries - This is another article stressing the importance of the local church over "ministries" that are competing in Christianity for our funds, energies, and personnel.
  7. Why the local church is the design and method of God?
  8. What is your position on Bible Versions? - We use the King James Version, and the Reina Valera in Spanish.

Fundamentalism and Separation Related

  1. Criteria for defining a Fundamental of the Faith - One of the key issues in Fundamentalism is exactly what is a fundamental and what is not a fundamental. This means that the criteria that we use to define "a fundamental" is crucial in not going overboard on one side of the issue, and ignoring important issues on the other.
  2. Why defining the Fundamentals is so Important - Many of the issues in Fundamentalism are clarified by the criteria and the inclusion or exclusion of a specific "Fundamental". This makes the criteria for determining a Fundamental critical.
  3. What is a Fundamentalist? - This article defines the man of God who is a "Fundamentalist". What he believes, what he practices.
  4. What are the Fundamentals - This is brief definition of what exactly are the "Fundamentals of the Christian Faith".
  5. What does it mean to be a Separatist?
  6. Where we go and don't go - This is definition by me, Missionary David Cox, of where we seek to go, and who we seek to fellowship with (bring into our supporter and prayer warrior base), and who we do not want to have anything to do with.
  7. Who do you fellowship with? Who do you associate with? - This is a page listing some of my views and opinions towards specific groups, fellowships, schools, preachers, etc. Although this is strictly my personal views, it guides me where and with whom I fellowship with, and work with.
  8. Why you get run over with a middle of the road attitude - a brief examination of the middle of the road tendency of Christian organizations.

Movements, Groups, Associations, and Affiliation Related

  1. Who do you associate with? Who do you fellowship with?

Tongues, Charismatics, Pentecostals

  1. Face-off with a tongues speaker- Modern Tongues is demonic - This is where people who are tongues speakers or pro tongues speaking should begin. These are iron clad arguments that reveal the demonic nature of modern tongues speaking.
  2. Acts 2 - The Blessing of Pentecost - This is an analysis of what happened at Pentecost and what biblical tongues really were.
  3. Where did the modern Tongues movement come from historically? This is a study that shows that this movement does have a history reaching back into the pre-New Testament history, but it was in error and even in the New Testament, Paul fought against it.