Why We Confess

Why We Confess: Scripture, Authority, and the Faith Once Delivered “Every church is being catechized. The only question is by what.” Season 3 begins at the foundation. In this episode, B.D. Fleming, Robbie Stringer, and Pastor Dr. A.W. Tucker open a new season by explaining why Gracepointe Church is adopting the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, and why the conversation must begin, not with tradition, but with Scripture. Why Confessions Matter We’ve said this before, but churches do not drift into faithfulness, just as individuals do not stumble into holiness. Judges 2:10 warns us of a generation that did not know the Lord. Hosea 4:6 reminds us that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. And, Paul commands Timothy to “hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13). In an age where sincerity has replaced substance, many profess Christ but cannot articulate the gospel. Many churches inherit doctrine without ever naming it. This episode sets the table: drift is real, formation is intentional, and generational faithfulness requires clarity. What a Confession Is (and Is Not) A confession does not replace or stand above Scripture. And, importantly, it does not bind the conscience beyond Scripture. But, it does serve Scripture. As 1 Timothy 3:15 calls the church “a pillar and buttress of the truth,” and Jude 3 exhorts us to contend for “the faith once for all delivered,” a confession is simply a public summary of what we believe the Bible teaches. It is a guardrail across generations.It is shared language for unity and discipleship.It declares where authority already lies. “A confession doesn’t give the church authority, it declares where the church believes authority already lies.” Why the 1689? Gracepointe has long held the New Hampshire Confession. It has served faithfully. But it was intentionally brief and derivative, pointing back to something older and fuller. So, we do not feel like we are abandoning our roots, but tracing them deeper. The 1689 Confession stands in continuity with the Westminster and Savoy traditions. It represents the historic confession of Reformed Baptists and offers greater depth, clarity, and durability for long-term faithfulness. Then and Now: The Same Whisper From Genesis 3:1: “Did God really say?” to modern appeals to experience over the Word, every false doctrine begins with the same whisper. Experience over the Word.Addition to the Word.Doubt of the Word. The 1689 was written in a time of persecution and suspicion. Pastors and fathers clarified their beliefs not to provoke, but to guard truth and protect the church. They confessed under threat of persecution. We confess under pressure of confusion and drift. Different dangers. Same need for clarity. For Households, Not Just Scholars This season is for: • Kitchen tables• Fathers leading without intimidation• Scripture read aloud in homes• Churches that want endurance, not applause Deuteronomy 6. Ephesians 6. Colossians 3. Confessional faith is how ordinary families learn to stand firm in extraordinary times. What Comes Next Each episode this season will walk patiently, chapter by chapter, through the 1689 Confession, preparing the church for formal adoption. We will move slowly, prayerfully, and together. Because if renewal comes, it will begin with reverence for the Word, opened, believed, and obeyed. Listen now and join us for Season 3. Stand firm. Build faithfully. Let your household blaze as an altar to the King. Get full access to Dust & Glory Media at dustandglorymedia.substack.com/subscribe