What is the CARBC?
Rationale for Our Name
Based on
The Ongoing Story, A History of the CARBC,
written by David Hollingsworth
California
Addresses our geographical scope.
Our geographical scope is primarily related to one state, though a few churches from Nevada and Oregon are presently in fellowship, as churches were at one time from Arizona.
Association
Addresses our organizational structure.
Our group is not a convention as the Southern Baptist Convention, nor is it a single-bodied unit as the Methodist Church. It is a group of independent, sovereign churches of like precious faith, voluntarily fellowshipping together in common cause to contend earnestly for the faith.
Regular
Addresses our theological heritage.
Doctrinal aberrations are irregularities from the New Testament pattern. Our association has sought to uphold regular, orthodox, sound doctrine.
Baptist
Addresses our polity and distinctives.
Baptists historically have believed in several distinctives that other groups of similar antiquity did not hold in totality. Baptist distinctives include belief in the Bible as the supreme rule of faith and practice, soul liberty (freedom of conscience), baptism by immersion of believers only, two ordinances (baptism and communion) of the church, the separation of church and state, the individual priesthood of all believers, and the autonomy of the local church.
Churches
Addresses our fellowshipping units.
Churches are the basic fellowshipping units of the association rather than individuals.
Original Purpose Statement
1929
“The object of the Association shall be to promote, by our correspondence and
personal intercourse, unity of faith and practice, fellowship, missionary and
evangelistic efforts according to the Great Commission, and education and
other enterprises in harmony with our confession of faith.”
Current Purpose Statement
“This fellowship exists for the purpose of glorifying God by maintaining an Association of sovereign, Bible believing, Christ-honoring Baptist churches; promoting the spirit of evangelism and the spread of the gospel; encouraging the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry in order to build up the Body of Christ; advancing educational, social and missionary enterprises; and raising and maintaining a testimony to the truth of the gospel andto the purity of the church.”
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Vision Statement
Developed by the CARBC Council and adopted in 1994
Standing Together to Build Strong, Biblical Churches
Standing
A statement on the “Defense of the Faith”
Our vision is to promote doctrinal purity. We desire to address vital issues to expose and correct teachings which are incompatible with the Scriptures and take a stand for God’s unchangeable truth. In order to maintain doctrinal purity, we believe it is necessary to aggressively maintain moral purity. We teach, discuss and model character which does not compromise God’s high and holy standard.
Together
A statement on “Fellowship”
Our vision is to develop a caring fellowship within the sphere of God’s unchangeable truth and loving-kindness. We will work together to provide leadership and plans to promote unity and fellowship among CARBC churches.
To Build
A statement on “Church Growth”
Our vision is to build churches by following the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. We do this by promoting a zeal for evangelism. We encourage our churches to equip their members to effectively serve the Lord and to build up fellow believers. We encourage meetings and seminars to assist CARBC churches with evangelism and growth.
Strong
A statement on “Biblical Strength”
Our vision is to assist CARBC churches to seek to achieve both spiritual and numerical strength. We desire to minister to the needs of people in communities in which they live. We take responsibility to recommend changes and resolutions that address current needs of our culture.
Biblical
A statement on “Biblical Authority”
Our vision is to demonstrate Biblical standards for New Testament Baptist churches. Since we believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, authoritative for faith and practice, we are committed to Scriptural standards and practices.
Churches
A statement on the “Local Church”
Our vision is to provide a context in which local churches, with Christ as Head, will function as God’s means of accomplishing His purpose for the world. We are messengers of autonomous churches in fellowship with one another to build up the Body of Christ.
