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Fresno Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary

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Fresno Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary (FMBI) was established by the First Missionary Baptist Church of Fresno on September 10, 1978 under the leadership of Dr. Burel G Burnes. FMBI offers training courses for ministers and Christian workers. Currently, the school offers many courses in Christian education and theology including Biblical language courses. FMBI's current president is also Pastor of the First Missionary Baptist Church in Fresno, Dr. David M. Butimore Sr.

What FMBI Believes

  • Concerning the Scriptures: We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration and infallibility of the whole Bible, and that it is the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice. (11 Timothy 3: 16,17)
  • Concerning God: We believe in a personal God eternally existent in three Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)
  • Concerning Creation: We believe in the Genesis account of creation (Genesis 1:1-31), and that all things exist as objects of the creative power of God.
  • Concerning the Virgin Birth: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man; He is the only Savior of men-, He was born of a virgin, and He is the only Mediator between God and man. (Matthew 1:18-25, 1 Timothy 2-.5)
  • Concerning the Deity: We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. (John 10:30)
  • Concerning Sacrifice and Suffering: We believe the suffering and death of Jesus to be substitutionary and vicarious. (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24)
  • Concerning the Resurrection: We believe the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the bodily resurrection of His Saints (I Corinthians 15); the second coming of Jesus Christ, both personal and bodily, are the crowning events of this Gentile age. (Acts I.-I 1) He will set up His Kingdom on earth and rule upon the earth for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:6)
  • Concerning Eternal Punishment: We believe in an eternal place of punishment for those who reject Christ as Savior. (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20;15)
  • Concerning the Church: We believe a scriptural church is a visible assembly of baptized believers, covenanted together under New Testament law for the purpose of carrying out the Great Commission, with an unbroken history from the personal ministry of Jesus on earth to this present day
  • Concerning the Great Commission: We hold what true Baptists have ever held: that the Great Commission was given to the churches only; that in Kingdom activities the Church is the only unit in associated work; that each Church should exercise equal authority; and that the Churches should meet their responsibilities according to their several abilities.
  • Concerning Cooperating Bodies: We believe that all cooperating bodies, such as associations, conventions, boards, committees, etc., are and properly should be the servants of the Churches. (Matthew 20:25-28)
  • Concerning Scriptural Baptism: We believe that scriptural baptism is immersion in water of a born-again believer by the authority of a scriptural Baptist church. We reject the baptism of institutions with human origin. We further believe that baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and, in likeness, it is typical of the burial and resurrection of the believer. (Roman 6:4-6; Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 3:13-17)
  • Concerning the Lord's Supper. We believe that the Lord's Supper is a memorial ordinance restricted to faithful members of a given local church. (I Corinthians 11:20-34)
  • Concerning Church and State: We believe in the separation of church and state. (Matthew 22:21)
  • Concerning Salvation: We believe that salvation is wholly by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2: 8); and that all believers are preserved eternally. (I Peter 1. 5; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:35-39)
  • Concerning the Fall of Man: We believe that by transgression mankind fell, and that the fall brought about the inherent depravity of mankind, which made necessary salvation by grace through faith. (Romans 5-. 12)

    • References

    Fresno Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA