We are part of the Converge denomination, originally called Swedish Baptist Mission. Though we do not approve of all of our denomination's decisions, we are proud of our shared heritage. The Swedish Baptist Mission was a doctrinally-pure, missionary-minded, church-planting organization. It originally sought to plant churches in the MidWest for Swedish immigrants, but God used it to become an international missionary movement. We dropped "Baptist" out of our name, not because we are any less Baptist, but to help our missionaries gain access to closed countries more effectively.
Pastor's Recommended Resources
"The following resources and organizations have helped shape my approach to ministry and understanding of the Bible. This does not mean that we endorse everything these teach, but overall, they are helpful to grow us in our faith and impact . Consider browsing them by your edification."
Desiring God
The greatest influence outside of the Bible that has shaped the theology represented in our sermons has been from John Piper. The articles, free e-books, sermons, and podcasts on this website have nourished my soul and deepened my biblical understanding greatly.
Truth for Life
Few pastors match Allistar Begg's gentle admonishment and practical teaching. He is one of my favorite modern preachers.
Grace to You
John McArthur stands as a pillar in the modern American church with his prophetic critic of our culture, stance on biblical truth, and perseverance in verse-by-verse Bible teaching. He's another one I go to for encouragement.
Albert Mohler's The Briefing
This podcast is a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview. Albert Mohler, the host and president of The Southern Baptist Seminary, has helped me hear past all the noise to what is relevant for Christians to know today.
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith rightly should be considered one of America's founding documents, as it formed much of the theology of the original Pilgrims. Baptists living in England, including Charles Spurgeon, took this document and rewrote selected sections to reflect our baptistic understanding of the doctrine of the church. Though this is not our Statement of Faith, I find this document helpful for a deeper understanding of the Scriptures.
New City Catechism
A catechism is a series of questions and answers that systematically teach the basics of the Christian Faith. In our Sunday Worship Services, we read a question and answer from this inter-denominational to reinforce the foundations of what we believe. It's high-quality app and booklet with its graphics and music makes it a great resource for children to learn the basics of the faith.
IX Marks
Ix Marks is an organization within the Southern Baptist Convention that exists to equip church leaders with a biblical vision and practical resources for building healthy churches. Their journals and articles help to teach how churches ought to operate under biblical principles.
The Gospel Coalition
Though not everything The Gospel Coalition advocates for is something we would, the articles here are helpful for us evangelical Christians to understand each other and refine each other.