​I have mentioned on several occasions the importance of the Cooperative Program.  This is the giving program of the Southern Baptist Convention that was established for mission funding in 1925.  I know I am biased, but I can honestly say there is no other giving mechanism I know of that so brilliantly allows individual Christians to be so involved in so many different aspects of ministry in so many different parts of the world.  Through our church’s participation in the Cooperative Program, Oak Crest Baptist Church is actively sharing the gospel with thousands of people around the world.  We are actively training thousands of future pastors, youth ministers, and music ministers through our six seminaries.  We could never dream of doing so much by ourselves, but through the Cooperative Program we can and we are.
          Resurrection Day is still two weeks away, but I did want to remind you that we have a unique opportunity to supplement the Cooperative Program in North America through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  I can’t remember an Easter without Annie.  The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is much more than a Southern Baptist tradition.  Just as the Lottie Moon offering in December supports International Missions, so too the Annie Armstrong offering at Easter supports North American Missions.  It is a means of supporting the work of thousands of missionaries all throughout the United States and Canada.  Seventy-Five percent of the offering monies go directly to pay missionary salaries.  Fifteen percent of the collected monies go to church starts.  Southern Baptists endeavor by God’s grace to begin hundreds of new churches each year.  There is significant cost attached to a church start.  Your Annie Armstrong gift goes to defer some of that cost.  Ten percent of the Annie Armstrong budget goes to evangelism.  Evangelistic efforts supported by the Annie Armstrong Offering include, church and community ministries, resort ministries, literacy missions, sports evangelism, and internet evangelism.  Once again, we are able to do so much more together than we can individually.  Would you begin to pray about how God might lead you to give to this significant offering?  This year the goal convention-wide is 70 Million Dollars.  At Oak Crest, our goal is $3500.  Of course every dollar counts, but more important is your conviction and motivation to see the gospel spread that counts most.  I believe God would rather someone give a nickel with an earnest desire to see God glorified in the gospel, than someone to give a million without a passion for the good news of Jesus.  May God bless you as you seek His will, and may we do this only to the glory of God.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

​We continue with a closer look at various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture.
 
Necessity of Scripture
 
I affirm, Holy Scripture is a vitally necessary aspect of the Christian’s life.
 
I affirm, Scripture is the means by which God reveals His will, therefore people cannot please God apart from submission to Scripture.
 
I affirm that there can be no salvation apart from the words of Scripture.
 
I deny, Holy Scripture is an optional part of the life of the Christian.
 
I deny, Scripture is necessary for acknowledging the existence of God or other facts attainable through general revelation.
 
Explanation
 
Scripture is necessary in the sense that the Christian life cannot be lived apart from the truth of God’s word.  We cannot know His will or His plan of salvation apart from His revelation.  This is not to imply that the people of God did not exist prior to the completion of the modern cannon, rather God has now chosen to reveal himself in His word, deeming it necessary.
         
Clarity of Scripture
 
I affirm, Scripture is clear and understandable for any person who has a basic grasp of language and communication.
 
I affirm, Scripture is special revelation regarding salvation and redemption and is most clear in areas related to salvation.
 
I affirm, Scripture is most clear to those who are believers having been illumined by the Holy Spirit to understand the truths of Scripture.
 
I deny that Scripture is completely obscure in its meaning for nonbelievers.
 
I deny that nonbelievers can completely comprehend many of the spiritual truths of Scripture apart from the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
 
Explanation
 
Though many people believe the Bible is difficult to understand, it is clear in most of its teaching.  There is no doubt that Scripture becomes increasingly clear with spiritual maturity.  The Holy Spirit illumines the minds of believers to better understand God’s word.  This in no way is to imply that the Bible, on a basic level, cannot be understood by anyone with a normal ability to understand.  The Bible is indeed a light to a dark world.
 
Interpretation of Scripture
 
I affirm, Scripture is to be interpreted by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
 
I affirm, Scripture is to be interpreted in light of other clearer passages within Scripture.
 
I affirm, Scripture is most accurately understood when the grammatical-historical method of exegesis is employed.
 
I deny, Scripture is always to be spiritualized or understood as allegory.
 
I deny, Scripture is to be interpreted based on individual presuppositions.
 
Explanation
 
The most basic rule regarding the interpretation of Scripture is that Scripture is its own best interpreter.  No single passage should ever be lifted from its context to take on a meaning that is contradictory to the overall message of Scripture.  The intent of the author, the context of the original recipients, and the overall flow of the passage should be given considerable weight in interpretation.  In addition, the more obvious and literal understanding should be favored.  The particular genre of the passage is also important in an accurate interpretation.  Any individual interpretation must be considered in light of centuries of Christian scholarship and interpretation.  Not that these historical interpretations are authoritative over Scripture, but they are an important tool in interpretation.  The historical interpretations provide a safeguard against personal presuppositions determining the meaning of the passage.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

​We continue with a closer look at various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture.
 
Authority of Scripture
 
I affirm, Scripture is the supreme authority in the life and faith of the Christian.
 
I affirm, Holy Scripture is the final judge of any and all truth claims, and is the ruling guide for all activities of those who are in Christ.
 
I affirm that the authority of the written Word is always in perfect agreement with the living Word, Jesus Christ.
 
I deny that any institution, whether church or state, has authority over the revealed truth of Scripture.
 
I deny that any personal, spiritual experience that is in any way contrary to Scripture should have authority in the life of the Christian.
 
I deny, the teachings or authority of Jesus Christ can ever be placed in opposition to the whole of Scripture, or deemed contradictory to any other part of Scripture.
 
Explanation
 
Scripture alone is authoritative in all matters of faith and practice in the life of the Christian and the church.  The church as an institution is subservient to the Word of God.  Likewise, any experience that a Christian might have must be judged in light of the revealed truth of Scripture.  Jesus Christ is only fully understood as he is biblically interpreted, and the focus of the Bible is Jesus Christ.  Therefore, to set the Bible against Christ is false.  What Scripture says is what Christ says, thus they form one source of authority for the Christian.
 
Inerrancy of Scripture
 
I affirm, Holy Scripture is totally and wholly true and without error in all that it affirms in the original manuscripts.
 
I affirm, Scripture is without error in all narrative history and propositional statements without exception.
 
I affirm, Scripture is God-breathed, therefore incapable of error or fallibility.
 
I deny that any or all of the translations subsequent to the original manuscripts are free from transmission error.
 
I deny that the inerrancy of Scripture is compromised by grammatical irregularities or phenomenological descriptions of nature in Scripture.
 
Explanation
 
The doctrine of inerrancy is directly related and tied to the doctrine of inspiration.  If inspiration is properly understood, inerrancy is the direct result.  If God is the author of the Bible, which he is, there can be no other conclusion than that the Bible is without flaw in the original manuscripts.  Even where there are copyist errors in translations of Scripture, the science of Textual Criticism ensures the accurate rendering of those texts with great certainty.  Apparent contradictions or discrepancies within Scripture are always answerable, even if not in this age.  They are not grounds for declaring the Bible has error.
 
Sufficiency of Scripture
 
I affirm, the Holy Scripture is sufficient, in that everything required to be reconciled to God and live a life pleasing to God are contained in Scripture.
 
I affirm, Scripture is the perfect revelation of everything needed for salvation and holy living.
 
I deny, Scripture contains every possible truth about God.
 
I deny that Scripture is sufficient to understand every detail regarding God’s work in creation or every detail regarding humanity’s end.
 
Explanation
 
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is an important safeguard in Christianity. As this doctrine is affirmed, the Bible is affirmed as the perfect treasure of exactly what God wants us to know to live a life that is pleasing to him.  In addition, the details of salvation are revealed in such a way as to provide for that salvation.  There is no need for additional revelation or new instruction regarding faith and practice.  Therefore, Christians can rest assured that there is no more and no less teaching that would enhance their life before God.  Sufficiency of Scripture protects against both lawlessness and legalism.  It is the perfect level of instruction.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

​I know that almost everyone reading these words believes the Bible is God’s Word.  That is our conviction.  But have you ever really stopped and thought about what that conviction and confession really means?  Several years ago I attempted to unfold my own personal convictions regarding the doctrine of Scripture.  Over the course of the next couple of newsletter articles, I want to share with you my conclusions.  Hopefully, my statements we be used to stir your own thinking about the nature of God’s Word.
 
          Scripture must be the foundation of knowledge for the Christian.  There is no other doctrine in the Christian faith that is as crucial to the right understanding of all of the other doctrines of the faith.  Without an accurate, indeed biblical, understanding of Holy Scripture, the Christian is left without any certainty as to whether or not what he or she believes is true.  Therefore, the following paragraphs will communicate my personal beliefs regarding Scripture.  Following the heading of each major area related to the doctrine of Scripture, statements of affirmation and denial will be given, as well as an explanation of the position taken.
 
Canonicity of Scripture
 
I affirm, the Holy Scriptures have been preserved by God throughout the ages.
 
I affirm, the Scriptures contain the Old Testament of the Hebrew Bible, 39 books (modern divisions).
 
I affirm, the Scriptures contain the 27 New Testament books according to modern divisions.
 
I deny, the acceptance of any apocryphal writing, or devotional writing as canonical.
 
Explanation
 
The Bible was written by numerous human authors over the course of hundreds of years.  As the New Testament church came into existence, important decisions had to be made regarding which of the many books written should be considered canonical.  The church did not decide which books were to be in the canon, rather the books which were apostolic in origin and historically relied upon by the church were understood to be authoritative.  Though debate occurred, and still does, God has made His word known by revealing it as superior to both the apocryphal and devotional writings.
 
Inspiration of Scripture
 
I affirm, Scripture is completely and totally of Divine origin, in its whole and its parts, even to the individual words written on the page.
 
I affirm, the human authors were active in the task of writing Scripture, using their own personalities and writing styles, but moved to write precisely what the Holy Spirit intended.
 
I deny, inspiration applies only to the general thoughts or ideas of the writers.
 
I deny, human sinfulness of the authors allowed for any alteration of the intended words of the Holy Spirit.
 
I deny, inspiration is only applicable to matters related to faith.
 
I deny, mechanical dictation as the means of inspiration, though this is the method in select areas of Scripture.
 
Explanation
 
A correct understanding of the process of inspiration is vital to an understanding of the other aspects of the doctrine of Scripture.  Inspiration must be understood as a special work of the Holy Spirit in the lives and minds of the human writers, lest the Bible become one book among many good books.  Though the exact process of inspiration is unknown, it can be known that each and every word on the page appears in exactly the way God intended it to.  This should not require a mindless, mechanical dictation on the part of the human writers because their personalities and writing styles are evident in the text.  It should, however, preclude any possible error in the pages of the original manuscripts of Scripture.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig