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About Monterey Baptist Church Monterey Baptist Church is an independent, local, New Testament, Bible-believing Baptist church in the heart of Central Florida. Our members come from all over the Orlando area including Kissimmee, Winter Park, downtown Orlando, and many others. There are many issues discussed in our Statement of Faith, but these are some important distinguishing titles that we would like to define: Independent This simply means we are self-governing, self-ruling. All our finances support the staff, bills, and other expenses of the church. We receive no funds from outside sources and send no funds to outside sources unless in exchange for materials or support of missionaries who are accountable to their independent, local, New Testament, Bible-believing Baptist church. Baptist C.H. Spurgeon, a famous preacher, said over 100 years ago, "We believe Baptists are the original Christians." The Baptist people have always existed from the time of the church's inception (Christ and his disciples) until present day with no break in line of doctrine. The Baptist Distinctives are as follows: B - Bible The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice. A - Autonomy of the Local Church The church governs and runs itself. P - Priesthood of Every Believer Every Christian has access to and is accountable directly to Jesus Christ. T - Two Ordinances Instituted by Christ, we believe in Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. I - Individual Soul Liberty Every man has certain freedoms, among those to live according to the conscience God gives him governed by God's Word. S - Separation of Church and State Although both influence one another, both are separate and distinct. T - Two Offices In the Bible there are two offices in the church, that of Pastors and deacons. Indigenous Indigenous means we are self-reproducing. We are in a constant evangelistic endeavor to reproduce our church and our doctrinal heritage by planting other independent churches in America and in countries around the world. There are more than 15,000 independent Baptist churches in America and at least 10,000 independent Baptist missionaries serving on mission fields worldwide.
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