Royal Spring Chapel
is a Reformed and Reformational church.
What Does It Mean To Be Reformed?
The basic precepts of the Reformed faith are: Covenantal, Confessional, Committed to the 5 Solas of the Reformation, and Calvinist.
Covenantal Theology understands that God has always related to his people according to a covenant. When the original Covenant of Works was made in the Garden of Eden, man was required to perfectly obey God's law in order to remain in right relationship with God. When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, that relationship was broken. God then inaugurated the Covenant of Grace by which his people could be saved through faith in Christ. For Adam and Eve that faith was forward looking, believing in the promise of Genesis 3 that God would send the seed of the woman to crush the serpent's head. Throughout the Old Testament this promise was made clearer in that the seed would come through Abraham, be a descendant of Israel, and eventually be revealed to be of the house of David. Throughout this time, God gave laws for how his people should live. God’s law is eternal and good, containing the eternal moral law — the 10 Commandments.
The three uses of the Law are: 1) the law serves to restrain sin and promote righteousness in society, 2) the law serves to bring man personally under the conviction of sin, and 3) the law is a rule of life for believers, reminding them of their duties and leading them in the way of life and salvation.
However, the law could not impart life. Righteousness could not come by the law. The moral law was only a tutor. It was put in charge to lead us to Christ. Furthermore, the sacrificial aspects of the law were only a foreshadow of the real sacrifice, that we might be justified by faith in the death and resurrection of the promised seed. For this reason, Christ appeared! He fulfilled the Law of God perfectly by His perfect life and atoning sacrifice. He gives his people a heart to keep his Law through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As the Old Testament looks forward to Christ and the New Testament looks back at the reality of Christ’ marvelous work — both observing God’s Covenant of Grace — Covenantal theologians see great continuity between the Old Testament and New Testament.
Confessional refers to substantial agreement with one of the major, historic confessions of the Christian faith. These confessions include the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Confession, the Three Forms of Unity, and the London Baptist Confession of Faith. These Confessions do not replace the authority of the Bible, but rather establish it and seek to declare a faithful interpretation of the Bible as it relates to what man is to believe about God and what duties God requires of man. While all these confessions are worth study, CKTF holds largely to The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)(1) and the Baptist Catechism(2).
CKTF affirms the following confessions of faith for our church:
1. As stated, we believe The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689 - updated by Peter Masters) to be a faithful synopsis of the teachings of Scripture. We do not accept the confession as the authoritative rule of faith, but as a help in controversy, a confirmation of our faith, and as a means of growing in righteousness. In the confession, believers have a concise theological guide, and using the accompanying references should be able to “give a reason for the hope that is in [them].” (1 Peter 3:15). Copies of the Confession, also known as BCF [1689], can be obtained online or by request. https://www.chapellibrary.org/pdf/books/lbcw.pdf
2. We believe the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (1987)(3) clearly articulates the biblical/complimentary roles of men and women.
3. We believe the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978)(4) provides a crucial defense of the inerrancy of Scripture and its proper interpretation.
Commitment to the 5 Solas — The Reformation is generally considered to have begun when Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg. But it was John Wycliffe and William Tyndale who lit the fuse for the explosion of the Reformed faith with their work in translating the Bible. The commitment to make the Bible the sole authority on matters of faith was the transforming idea that led later reformers to break from the Roman Catholic Church.
1. By Grace Alone
2. Through Faith Alone
3. In Christ Alone
4. On the Authority of Scripture Alone
5. To the Glory of God Alone
The five solas of the reformation reflect the foundational theme of Scripture Alone as the highest authority. A reformed church holds to the five solas which primarily deal with how we are justified and how we manifest the Kingdom of God on earth.
Calvinist — Reformed churches are Calvinistic which means that we believe that salvation is a miraculous work of God when He transforms a completely rebellious heart. Calvinism is often summed up in the acronym TULIP:
T - Total Depravity. Man is dead in his sins, and his mind is always hostile to God and will never seek God (Ephesians 2:1-6, Romans 8:7).
U - Unconditional Election. Unconditional election means that for the sake of His glory, God chooses whom He will save apart from anything we may do. Mysteriously, there was nothing lovable about us to make God choose to save us, yet He died for us anyway (John 15:16, Romans 9:11-21). Experientially, this election is made sure through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3-11).
L - Limited Atonement. Christ did not die to save all men but fulfilled His purpose on the cross to save the elect who believe in His name. Though His death was sufficient to save all men, His death was effective to save all the elect. (Acts 20:28, John 10:11)
I - Irresistible Grace. Though man can and does resist the grace of God offered to the world, at the moment when God's timing is perfected, His grace overcomes the believer’s stubborn resistance to take away a heart of stone and give those who believe a heart of flesh that now desires Him. (John 6:37, Titus 3, Ezekiel 11:19)
P - Perseverance of the Saints. Far from the sinful doctrine that once you are saved you can live however you want and never lose your salvation, the doctrine of perseverance of the saints teaches the biblical truth that when God has begun the good work of salvation in you, He will continue working to complete it until the day of Christ's return. Those who are saved, though they may stumble, will always return to living for God and showing the fruit of repentance in their godly living. (Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:37-39)
What Does It Mean To Be Reformational?
Reformational Christian philosophy (the love of applied knowledge) is concerned with (1) how we are to think, (2) what we are to do, and (3) what we are to expect our work is leading up to and what purpose it is ultimately serving. Systematic unbelief must be met with systematic belief. The tie that binds the reformational pillars together is how they each give Christ the preeminence in each respective area of concern.
The Lordship of Christ in All Things — Colossians 1:15-18 reads, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [King] over all creation… For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.”
In one sense, this text reminds us that Christ has supremacy in all things. He is already supreme right now. He is currently in control of all the happenings on earth. He set the norms. He set the boundaries. He now actively holds together all the necessities for life. Nothing is out of his scope of sight or authority, and there is nothing to which His word does not sufficiently give counsel. Like a king who deals with lawful and unlawful citizens alike, in due course of their lives in the kingdom, Jesus has given the citizens of the world a place to live and thrive, with wise counsel, wise law, due process of life, an offer of mercy for the guilty, and He will unquestionably bring about final justice to all.
In another sense, however, Col 1:18 means that Christ should have supremacy in all things. We do “not yet” see all things placed under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25–28; Heb. 2:8; cf. Phil. 2:11). This text is a purpose clause, expressing God’s intention to ultimately bring all of creation under His rule through Christ. Even though rebellion still persists at this time, Christ rules the church with the purpose of transforming her and He is also able to transform other institutions if they would turn to him as well. Not all kings, emperors, or governments submit to Christ now, but they should. Not all the powerful CEOs, school administrators, or entertainers submit to Christ now, but they should. Not all judicial authorities submit themselves to Christ now, but they should. In other words, we should expect to see our Christian witness and evangelistic efforts affect the social and moral character of individuals, families, and society-at-large as we draw them to Christ. The more the church influences a nation to repent of their sin and accept Christ as Lord, the more the entire nation lives as it should be.
Presuppositionalism - Establishes God as King over the mind, over all knowledge, vehemently protecting His claims over the space between our ears and His status as the necessary foundation stone for every thought we think. By doing this, it upholds an absolute epistemological standard. (As it relates to the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion). It sets forth what is normative in the domain of the mind, in the realm of human thought and reason. It teaches that men who will not begin with a fear of God cannot attain genuine knowledge of anything. It criticizes the attitude of scholarly neutrality toward God’s world. One must be presuppositional committed to Christ in the world of thought (rather than neutral) and firmly tied down to the faith which he has been taught. The Christian is obligated to presuppose the word of Christ is every area of knowledge (Col 2).
Furthermore, nothing else is neutral. Christians transform culture by teaching and applying the gospel of Christ in every area of society. Jesus transforms culture by transforming culturally active people. We are called to "cultivate” (till the soil, plant seeds of wisdom) in the space around us, including family, business, law, and politics. It has been the withdrawal of the church in Canada, and the narrowing of the scope of the Canadian church from these areas of life, which has given free range for the secular worldview to damage fields and grow weeds.
Our Practices Attempt To Build A Resilient Christian Culture
Adore God - We long to be a Bible-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based community. This means we gather regularly as Christians to intersperse Scripture reading, personal response, singing, preaching, and prayer in celebration of God. (John 4:24; Colossians 3:15-17)
Adopt His Flock - We are a family of believers. This means we are creating an inter-generational community of discipling and serving one another in an atmosphere of hospitality. (Colossians 3:12-14; Titus 2:1-8)
Engage the World - We desire to make disciples for Christ. This means going out to our community in ministry teams and boldly proclaiming the good news of His resurrection to our conflicted culture. (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 4:14-30)
Hunger for Righteousness - We are becoming a light in the darkness. The mature believer understands that listening to God starts in the heart and the home, overflowing with boldness into public spaces (Proverbs 28:1, Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Matthew 5:6; Romans 12:1-2).
Theonomic - Theonomy preserves God’s sovereign rights as King, Lawmaker, and Judge over the world (Isaiah 33:22), establishing an absolute moral standard anchored in His Own character. Theonomy upholds the law of God, asserting its comprehensive nature and applying its general equity to the creatures to whom it was revealed (in light of texts such as Psalm 119:96b, “Thy commandment is exceeding abroad”). Theonomy recognizes that God's Law has a bright future, since it will still stand when the universe has passed away.
Inaugurated Millennialism - Respects God’s sovereignty over time, over the future, as He builds His Kingdom according to His revealed purpose. In so doing, Inaugurated millennialism establishes an absolute teleological (design and purpose in a material world) standard anchored to God’s decree, under which everything in heaven and earth is to be subjected. In other words, this pillar teaches that the first two pillars aren’t loose ends existing for their own sake, and aren’t static concerns tied only to the existential moment, but that they span history in a way coordinated to an ultimate purpose. Christ’s kingdom is already here but is not yet fully consummated. It will be one day.
A Word on Church Structure
Elders
1. Those who have been called of God to rule and teach in the church are called Pastors or Elders. These are interchangeable names designating one and the same office in a New Testament church (Acts 20:17, 28; Ephesians 4:11, 12; Titus 1:5, 7). Elders are men who are responsible primarily to oversee the ministry of prayer, the Word (teaching, preaching, counselling), shepherding, doctrine, discipline, and the direction and vision of the church.
2. Anyone desiring Eldership must evidence to God's people the personal, domestic, and ministerial qualifications that are set forth in the Scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1- 7; Titus 1:5-9).
3. Though a plurality of Elders in the New Testament is normative for every church, the New Testament does not specify the number of Elders each church should have, nor does it dictate the length of an Elder's term of office.
4. A Pastor-Teacher, or Teaching Elder, will be selected according to his gifts, the needs and capability of the church, and the direction of Christ her Head (1 Timothy5:17).
5. The Elders will annually review each other’s commitment to the Lord, the church body, and each other. As needed, from time to time, an Elder will step down from his position for a mutually agreed-upon season of rest, but only when an Elder fails to meet the necessary scriptural qualifications for his office does he disqualify himself from being appointed to being an Elder.
6. The world needs more Elders. We seek to train up new Elders. We start the process by calling all men to be godly according to 1 Tim 3. When many men take their spiritual headship in the home seriously, we expect to be able to appoint Elders in many locations as the church grows.
7. One crucial aspect of the Elders' duties is personally overseeing the flock of God. We primarily train our Elders by first asking them to be “area shepherds.” This small group training ground is important “test ground.” Those who flourish in this regularly meeting with members of the church will be considered for eldership. Being an area shepherd is not a prerequisite of becoming an Elder, it is merely the preferred method.
Servant Leaders
1. Servants/Deacons are men and women who are responsible primarily to administer the benevolent concerns, educational needs, and tactical ministries as prescribed by the Elders (Acts 6:1-4). Thus, they must fulfill the duties of their office in cooperation with, and in subjection to, the Elders.
2. The number of Deacons shall not be fixed. The church shall set apart according to its need those who evidence the biblical qualifications for that office (Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13).
Worship Leaders
We want headship and teamwork reflected in all that we do. As such our worship leaders will be in line with biblical standards for complementarian congregational leadership.
Small Groups are to be Apprenticeship Communities on Mission
We believe the small group model of support is critical to our spiritual and communal health and wellbeing. Local area shepherds will lead the area small groups towards ministry and support. They, and the people within each small group are the primary support structure for each other. This model allows the church to multiply if one area becomes too large and needs to become a congregation.
Church Discipline
The Bible clearly defines the process of church discipline. (1 Tim. 6:3&4, 2 Thess. 3:13&14, 5:14, Rom 16:17). CTKF will seek to follow these biblical models in all matters when individuals require church discipline. As required and following biblical standards, Elders will be the primary overseers responsible for handling church discipline.
A Word Regarding Church Ordinances
There are two ordinances that Jesus Christ has commanded us to observe, namely baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is a public testimony in which the believer identifies himself with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Saviour. The Lord's Supper is a visible, symbolic reminder that Jesus Christ gave His body and shed His blood on Calvary for our redemption.
1. The Lord's Supper (Communion)
All who profess faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour are welcome to join this church in partaking of the Lord's Table (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-26). However, unbelievers or children lacking proper understanding of this ordinance must not partake in order that they do not eat and drink judgment upon themselves (1 Corinthians 11:27-34).
2. Believer's Baptism
Following the direction of the Scriptures we practice baptism of believers by immersion. (Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Water baptism is the ordinance representing the change which already took place in the heart of the believer the moment he/she was saved (1 Peter 3:21), and represents identification of the Christian with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:4; Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 3:26-27).
Any person who professes allegiance to and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ may make known their desire to be baptized as a request to one of the Elders. Where possible, a CTKF elders or shepherds will teach individuals the meaning of baptism (Matthew28:18-20; Acts 2:38-41; 8:36-39).
A Word on Finances
The organization of this church shall be carried on without purpose of financial gain. Any profits or other financial gains to this church shall be used in promoting its objectives as outlined above.
This church depends entirely on the prayers, personal services, and gifts of God's people. A group of Elders, Deacons or both will prepare a detailed budget of the proposed expenditures for the coming year. The budget will become the basis for the utilization of church funds.
Royal Spring Chapel Policy on Marriage and Sexuality
RSC and its Pastor(s) affirm the biblical teaching that marriage is an institution created by God from the foundation of the world and is intended as a lifelong union between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6) and serves as a picture of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32). This is why God hates divorce as it corrupts that very image (Matthew 19:3-9; Malachi 2:16). Scripture also explicitly condemns a variety of practices that are sexually immoral and exhorts us to not only to abstain from them but not to encourage or approve of others in the practice of them, and moreover to warn against such sinful activities (1 Corinthians 6:9-20; Romans 1:18-32).
Though we strive to live peaceably with all people and to obey legitimate government authority, in instances involving matters as foundational as marriage, sexuality and family we must ultimately obey God rather than man when the two come into conflict (Acts 4:18-22). God Himself has defined marriage and thus we do not recognize alterations to this definition attempted by any human government or court. Consequently, the Pastor(s) of CTKF reserve the right to solemnize only those marriages that comply with the above criteria and even then, are not under compulsion to officiate at or provide church facilities for the solemnization of any marriage.
For reference purposes, the Supreme Court of Canada in its 2004 ruling (Reference re. Same-Sex Marriage) held that religious institutions could not be forced to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies that went against the beliefs espoused by their religious faith. In addition, the Court at that time did not rule that the traditional definition of marriage was inconsistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (it withheld any ruling).
Appendices
1) https://www.the1689confession.com/1689/
2) https://founders.org/library/the-baptist-catechism/
