No. However, let’s define a couple terms: An independent church is a church that is not governed by a body outside of itself; a denomination typically has some kind of governing structure outside of and over the local churches involved in it.

We are an independent church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The SBC is technically not a denomination in the sense mentioned above. They do not hold authority over the local churches that choose to affiliate with the convention. The SBC is actually run from the “bottom-up” so-to-speak. Local churches govern the convention. You can read more here. As a church that was planted with the SBC, we are also a part of Send Network, which is the North American church planting network of the SBC.

Additionally, we are a part of Harbor Network, which is a church planting network.

“What is a Baptist?” is a question that many may have and frankly, many have a variety of answers to. While we happily align with the historic Baptist stream of belief and practice, we chose to call ourselves “Reformation Bible Church” because it fits who we are.

There would be some churches who would consider themselves to be “Baptist” with whom we would have varied levels of agreement. However, Baptists historically have been part of the broader free church movement who see the local church as its own governing body. Along with that, Baptists have generally believed in religious liberty for all. Baptists have believed the church to be made up of born again believers. Additionally, as the name states, Baptists have believed that only those who repent of their sin and are born again through faith in the Lord Jesus ought to be baptized by immersion in water. You can read more here about general Baptist beliefs.

First, we align ourselves with the historic church who sought to re-form itself according to the word of God - also known as the Protestant Reformation. Second, we believe that Christians need to be continually re-forming themselves by the word of God. Third, our mission statement is that we want to see God bring reformation through the gospel. Thus, we want to see God re-form the lives of individuals and families in our communities through the good news of Jesus Christ. Fourth, we stand happily in the Reformation tradition that believes that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone according to the Scriptures alone to the glory of God alone.

Reformation is a biblical concept; being re-formed in God’s image is what happens in salvation. We are also re-formed again and again as we come to the Scriptures to understand more about God. Reformation as a name also means that we stand on the shoulders of the men and women who have gone before us who God used to bring reform to the church.

In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul gives instruction to the Corinthian church about the practice of the Lord’s Supper. Five times in that section (1 Cor 11:17-34) Paul states that the Lord’s Supper (communion) is to be practiced “when you come together.” We take this to be instructive that the Lord’s Supper ought to be celebrated when we come together as a church. Because the Lord gives churches freedom on this practice, we take the position that the Lord’s Supper, along with the other regular components of corporate worship (singing, prayer, preaching, confession, and fellowship) ought to be regularly practiced as the church has been doing for 2,000+ years.

We are intentional that each thing that we do in our corporate worship services are things that God would have us do. God calls us to worship Him through the Scriptures. We are commanded to pray and read the Scriptures publicly. God’s people have regularly confessed their sin corporately and have been assured of the forgiveness found in the gospel. God’s people also confess what they believe about God from the revelation of the Scriptures. The church is called to preach the Word and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. God’s people are also called to sing in order to worship God.

These are things that the Scriptures call the church to do. These are things that the church has been doing for 2,000+ years. And so we do them.