"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourselves and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16).

The most import thing about a church are its doctrines. And doctrines are simply beliefs that a church holds to, so it would seem axiomatic that what a church believes is the most important thing about the Christian faith. After all, the Christian faith is a system of beliefs.

The primary reason that beliefs are the most important thing about a couch is because a church only does what is believes. And it is only when a church is doing the right things is God glorified. Therefore, the principle is doctrine before duty, beliefs before behavior, and learning before living. This is why doctrine is the most important thing about a church -- because a church will not live what it does not believe.

In fact, doctrine is so important that the apostle Paul taught that biblical doctrine is a means by which people are saved (1 Timothy 4:16). Unfortunately, there are many who seem to take an approach that says, "doctrine divides." In other words, they think result of establishing doctrine in our lives is the division of the church. However, the the Bible teaches  teaches that clear, biblical, and faithful doctrine actually unites a church. And, that careful doctrine leads to faithful and biblical living.

Our distinctives tell you what kind of a church we are, because they mark the ways in which we are ‘distinct’ or different from other churches, even from those who might share our same doctrinal convictions. Our distinctives are our unique theological and philosophical commitments that make us who we are at Fireside.

In simplest terms, at Fireside we are evangelical, reformed, and baptistic. This means that we believe in salvation by faith alone in Christ alone; that we have a high view of God and a high view of the Scriptures; and that we love the local church, the visible body of Christ on earth. Click the toggles below to learn more about our distinctives.

Something about unity while not requiring uniformity. 

Our distinctives tell you what kind of a church we are, because they mark the ways in which we are ‘distinct’ or different from other churches, even from those who might share our same doctrinal convictions. Our distinctives are our unique theological and philosophical commitments that make us who we are at Fireside. In simplest terms, at Fireside we are evangelical, reformed, and baptistic. This means that we believe in salvation by faith alone in Christ alone; that we have a high view of God and a high view of the Scriptures; and that we love the local church; the visible body of Christ on earth. Click the left and right arrows below to learn more about our distinctives.