The Core Values of BCLR are:
- Adherence to a high view of God.
- Recognition of the final authority and total sufficiency of Scripture.
- Teaching an accurate doctrine of man.
- Affirmation of the foundational and functional purpose of the local church.
- Operation upon the priority of biblical leadership.
- Functioning as a community that loves God and loves others.
Having grown up in the Southern Baptist church, there really wasn't a high view of God that I saw displayed. I never heard about man being depraved. I heard that we were sinners, but that we could pray the prayer and then all was okay. As a child, I believed this and did twice walk the aisle and get baptized. I thought I was okay until a few years ago. One night my husband me if I desired God's word and to read it. I honestly said, no. TO which he ask me why. I knew then that I hadn't been saved and wasn't saved. I was so grateful to have people at BCLR to go to and search this out with me. I had been living with a false assurance that I was a Christian and would go to heaven. However, you couldn't tell from my daily life. I never read my Bible or opened it, unless at church, didn't pray much and became very defensive when my husband tried to encourage me to do so. At church I enjoyed the social gatherings that were fun. Although fellowship is good - if that is all I come to church for, what good is my salvation. Soon after, I searched the scriptures and prayed and the Lord did save me. This was all by grace and nothing to do with any prayer I prayed as a child. The Lord choose me to be His and I forever grateful. He came to seek and save the lost and I was one of the lost. Since that time, it is a still a struggle, but I desire it more and more than every before and know I can't live without it. Just recently I attended a conference on worship. This has changed my life - the Lord has changed my life. We are commanded in the scriptures to worship. I am presently reading a book "How to Worship Jesus Christ" by Joseph S. Carroll. It says the following:
"We were created to worship Jesus Christ. We were created for Him, to become something like Him in order that He might find pleasure in us."
"True worship is more than setting aside a few minutes each day to read the Bible and pray. True worship requires complete commitment of emotions, intellect, and will."
(printed from the back cover).
