Testimony of David Robinson
I was privileged to be born to the home of Ron and Mary Robinson, and I would first like to thank the Lord for the grace that he showed in my parents' life. Since 1984 my parents have faithfully served God as Independent Baptist church planters. On a Wednesday night service, when I was only six years old, I was saved after hearing a sermon preached by my father and being led by my mother in sincere prayer to receive the Lord Jesus Christ.
Growing up in a Christian home is no small blessing. As far back as I can remember, I have always seen my parents live and make decisions by faith. This privilege of not only hearing about the faith once delivered to the saints, but actually exercising it and living in it taught me that God is worth trusting and serving with one's entire life.
As I reached the years of making major decisions in my life, I felt the Lord leading me and calling me to himself in a very powerful way. I had always known the basic fundamentals and stories of the Bible, but God gave me an incredible hunger to learn his words in detail. I left home to go and attend Pensacola Bible Institute where I would go on to graduate in 2004. My wife Jennie and I had, at this point, been praying and seriously seeking God's will for our lives in full-time missions. With much prayer, and many open doors from the Lord, Jennie and I went on a short-term missions trip to Malawi, Africa, and just a few years later, Jennie and I with our two children moved to the mission field, fully supported.
Over nineteen years later and now as a family of eight, God has sustained us, blessed us, used us, and built us up in our most holy faith in such a way that we will forever be thankful. The Lord has allowed us to see souls saved, believers baptized, Christians discipled and trained in the ministry, and we have seen some of those who were saved in our ministry become the pastors and ministers of local Bible Believing Independent Baptist churches. We have learned the languages of the Malawian people, become immersed in their cultures, created relationships, and have spent our lives in service to these people. I can say like the Psalmist in 2 Sam 22:30, For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. God has been our strength and our shield, and He has enabled us to stay through countless hardships and oppositions. He has done by his good hand whatsoever has been done here for his Kingdom's sake, and we rejoice to be used by Him in this place.
Growing up in a Christian home is no small blessing. As far back as I can remember, I have always seen my parents live and make decisions by faith. This privilege of not only hearing about the faith once delivered to the saints, but actually exercising it and living in it taught me that God is worth trusting and serving with one's entire life.
As I reached the years of making major decisions in my life, I felt the Lord leading me and calling me to himself in a very powerful way. I had always known the basic fundamentals and stories of the Bible, but God gave me an incredible hunger to learn his words in detail. I left home to go and attend Pensacola Bible Institute where I would go on to graduate in 2004. My wife Jennie and I had, at this point, been praying and seriously seeking God's will for our lives in full-time missions. With much prayer, and many open doors from the Lord, Jennie and I went on a short-term missions trip to Malawi, Africa, and just a few years later, Jennie and I with our two children moved to the mission field, fully supported.
Over nineteen years later and now as a family of eight, God has sustained us, blessed us, used us, and built us up in our most holy faith in such a way that we will forever be thankful. The Lord has allowed us to see souls saved, believers baptized, Christians discipled and trained in the ministry, and we have seen some of those who were saved in our ministry become the pastors and ministers of local Bible Believing Independent Baptist churches. We have learned the languages of the Malawian people, become immersed in their cultures, created relationships, and have spent our lives in service to these people. I can say like the Psalmist in 2 Sam 22:30, For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. God has been our strength and our shield, and He has enabled us to stay through countless hardships and oppositions. He has done by his good hand whatsoever has been done here for his Kingdom's sake, and we rejoice to be used by Him in this place.
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The Robinsons, Missionaries to Malawi Africa
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Our Sending Church
We are fundamental, Bible Believing, Independent Baptist missionaries, and as such, we are very local church oriented. Our sending church has been our lifeline for the past decade of living on the field. They have stood by our ministry in prayer, financial support, moral support, and much, much more. The dear people in this local congregation have sent us care packages, they have run countless errands for us, they have sent us Christmas cards, remembered kid's birthdays, and above all else, they have loved our family as though we were still physically together with them. This local church has stood in the gap for us and has shown unfeigned love since the day they laid hands on us and sent us out to Malawi, Africa. We could never ask for more from a local church and we can't help but believe that if every missionary on every field around the world had the kind of backing and support we have from Northstar Baptist Church, their ministries would only stand to bear much more fruit for the Kingdom of God.
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Statement Of Faith
The following represent the fundamental Scriptural beliefs of the Robinsons & the ministries which they have started. These statements are understood to be true by to the best of our knowledge, and are intended to act as an effort of transparency on our part to state the conclusions which have been derived upon a number of different topics. These conclusions have been come to by upholding certain values which are intended to emphasize the integrity of every word of scripture. Some of these values are 1) EVERY word of God is pure and correct 2) ALL of the w-o-r-d-s of the Bible are necessary and correct.3) The Bible is to be taken literally in its normal, grammatical context unless otherwise indicated in the scriptures themselves. 4) Any conclusion of one doctrine or verse which subsequently puts at jeopardy, undermines, or negates the integrity of another verse, portion of scripture, clear doctrine of scripture, or precept of scripture is a premature conclusion and therefore must be reconsidered until it can be understood in a way which does NOT negate any other portion of scripture.
While these conclusions are held to be true by us within our ministry, agreement with these statements is NOT required from us in order to interact with us in other capacities not pertaining to the internal structure of this ministry. For our brothers and sisters in Christ we believe in the Individual Soul Liberty/ Responsibility of every believer to “be fully persuaded” in their own minds.
SALVATION
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and physically began to die. Every person is born with a sinful nature and, of himself, is unable to remedy his lost condition by his own works (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 4:1-8; 5:12; 6:23,Eph. 2:1-3; 8-10; 4:17-19). We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace, and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as his precious and divine blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; Rom. 4:1-8; Rom. 5:1, Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31-32; 1 John 1:9).
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that all the redeemed, upon salvation, are granted immediate eternal life. These are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1; 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5). We also believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s word.
THE GODHEAD
We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26).
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man (without ceasing to be God) having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8). Through His death He accomplished our redemption as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, our justification is validated by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5). After his resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration when saving faith in Christ occurs, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14). We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27). We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer by the Holy Spirit. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12). We also believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit (such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing) were temporary gifts (2 Timothy 4:20, 1 Timothy 5:23) for the purpose of demonstrating God’s approval of the church to the Jews who, as a whole, require a sign (Heb. 1:1-2; 2:4; Acts 5:12, 1 Cor.1:22). Therefore, we believe that speaking in tongues is not a necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 14:26-30). Furthermore, we believe that there are many present day false prophets who claim to be fulfilling these signs while they, Biblically and actually, are not (Mat. 7:22-23, 2 Cor. 11:13-15, 1 Jn. 4:1, Rev. 2:2).
THE CHURCH
We believe that the word “church” refers to a called-out assembly and within the scriptures this reference most commonly applies to two distinct groups. Primarily, “the church” refers to a singular organism; an international, intergalactic all-inclusive body of believers, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, solely comprised of born-again persons who have been baptized (put into/ immersed) into the one spiritual body by the one Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-14, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 5:25-27). At other times the word “church” usually refers to local congregations of those believers who are in fellowship at a physical, literal location (1Cor. 16:1&19, 2Cor. 8:1, Rom. 16:16). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11). We believe in the autonomy of the local church, namely, being free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31;20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). We recognize water baptism (immersion) and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church (saved believers) in this age (Matt.28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). We believe men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Gal.3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).
SEPARATION
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands His people to deny themselves, ungodliness, worldly lusts, ecclesiastical apostasy and religious compromise (Luke 9:23, Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, James 4:4).
THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe in that Blessed Hope; the personal, physical, imminent return of Christ, who will rapture (catch up in the air) His church prior to the tribulation period known as Jacob’s Trouble (1Cor.15:51-57, 1Thes.4:13, Rev.4:1). At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return to earth with His saints, to establish His reign from the city of Jerusalem, and to confirm His kingship over the earthly Messianic Kingdom that was promised to the nation of Israel. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I Thes. 1:10; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
THE ETERNAL STATE OF MANKIND
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13). We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17, 5:23; Rev. 20:4-6). We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).
SATAN
We believe that Satan is a fallen Cherub, the prince of devils, the author of sin and the initiator of the Fall of Man, the temporary god of this world; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11;25:41; 2 Cor. 4:4, Rev. 20:10).
CREATION
We believe that God created the entire universe and the contents therein. We believe that the creation account of the heavens and earth that “are now” as recorded in the 1st chapter of Genesis took place over a period of six literal, consecutive, 24-hour periods. We also hold to the scriptural teaching of a severe judgment on Lucifer’s (pre-Adamic) kingdom (Gen.1:1&2, Jer.4:23, 2 Pet.3:5-7, 2 Sam.22:5-16). We reject Secular Evolution, the Day-Age Theory, Progressive Creationism, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11). We also dismiss the “No-Gap” theory as unscriptural and unsound theology which raises more questions than answers in the subject of creation.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities in their respective orders, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and are to be governed by His word (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). We believe that God is to be obeyed rather than man should ANY of these institutions attempt to govern outside their God-given realm and/or order of authority (Acts 4:18-20; 5:29). We also believe that sedition, rebellion, and anarchy are all clearly forbidden in scripture, be it supposedly justified or not (1 Sam.15:23, Gal.5:19-21, 2 Pet.2:9-13).
HUMAN SEXUALITY
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that ANY and EVERY form of sexual activity outside of this command is a perversion of God’s creative gift. Consequently, any person known to be actively-involved in any of these perversions shall not be eligible for holding any position of responsibility within the IBC. We believe that the only Biblical (and subsequently legitimate) marriage is the joining of one man (naturally-born male) and one woman (naturally-born female). (Gen. 2:24; 26:8-11; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 7:2; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in value before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, namely through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate training. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12; I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; I Pet. 3:1-7)
DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until one partner dies. Remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of death, fornication, and desertion (Mal.2:14-17; Matt.5:31-32; 19:3-12; Rom.7:1-3; I Cor. 7).
LOVE
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, and the threat or use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. While we do not subscribe to the unscriptural philosophy of “Hate the sin, Love the sinner“ we DO believe that the Bible teaches that we are to extend the love of God that found us to other sinners in need of the same. This “extension of love” may sometimes include a reproof or rebuke (commonly referred to as “tough“ love) to awaken the recipient to an awareness of their need FOR God’s everlasting love (Prov.27:6, Eph.4:15). Such action is proof of REAL love and compassion, and not, as often misinterpreted, a lack thereof. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)
MISSIONS
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available and biblical means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)
GIVING
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, should support his local church financially. We believe that the example of the Old Testament tithe (10% of income) is an excellent personal and voluntary goal for a pattern of regular proportional giving, and that every Christian should give offerings voluntarily, sacrificially, and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that the giver relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)
DIVINE REVELATION
We believe that God can only be known as He reveals Himself. God has revealed Himself through His creation (Ps. 19:1, Rom. 1:20), by His words (Ps. 119:169), and in the incarnation of Christ (John 1:1, 14). Because Christ is no longer with us bodily (Acts 1:11), and because God no longer speaks audibly and directly to mankind as a whole, we believe that the 66 books of the Holy Scriptures are the only means by which we may know God personally, and His will for mankind (II Tim. 3:16). These writings are the infallible, authoritative, sufficient, perfect, written words of God (Rev.1:2, 11; John 19:35; I John 5:10; II Peter 1:20-21). II Timothy 3:16 clearly reveals that ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and 2 Peter 1:20-21 states that holy men of God were used by God as the human mediums to speak forth these scriptures --not according to their own wisdom or understanding but according to the leading and direction and ultimately the “movement” of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor.2:13).
Because God is true and perfect, and because the Scripture came not “by the will of man,” and because of the many internal references to perfection and preservation of the Scriptures (Psalms 12:6-7), it can be justly concluded that not only the original writings (autographs) were scriptures without error of any kind, but that God has also preserved His Holy Scriptures for us today. For example, Timothy was not holding original writings yet the Holy Spirit refers to what he had in hand (copies of copies) as “Holy Scriptures” (2 Tim.3:15). Also, the Ethiopian Eunuch was not holding the original writing of Isaiah the Prophet, yet the Holy Spirit sees fit to refer to that which he held in hand (copies of copies) as “Holy Scriptures” (Acts 3:30). Therefore, as it would be immoral and unbiblical to define and limit the Holy Scriptures to “the original autographs” ONLY, we conclude that, in accordance with the nature of God as revealed in the Scriptures, God --the Creator of language (Gen.11:5-9)-- has indeed preserved his perfect words today and has done so in the universal tongue of the world: English.
Furthermore, due in part to extensive comparative studies between variant translations in English, we conclude that there are indeed many corruptions (2 Cor.2:17) of the word of God, most of which not only exclude some passages of scripture from the text, or add to the text, but also undermine and distort important Bible Doctrines such as the virgin birth of Christ, the restoration of Israel, the deity of Christ, the eminent, physical, literal, return of Christ, and so on. Although many Biblical PRINCIPLES may be found within these books, due to their individual failures to meet the standard of perfection and purity required by God to be “the Scriptures of truth” (Prov. 30:5, Ps. 119:140), we totally and completely reject any and all such “translations” as being the fulfillment of God’s promise to man that He would preserve his words forever (Psalms 12:6-7). We conclude that not only the entire message of the Scriptures has been perfectly preserved, but that the very scriptures themselves have been kept by the power of God for us, and given to us by inspiration of God, without error, in the text of the Authorized Version, also known as the King James Version (KJV) and King James Bible (KJB).
The Scriptures shall therefore preside as the ultimate and final authority in all matters of faith and practice and shall be comparatively and contextually interpreted, taught and preached in accordance with 1 Cor. 2:13 and 2 Peter 1:20. While the soul liberty and duty remains for each person to be fully persuaded in his own mind, it is understood that we believe that the King James Bible is THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY and as such, it is to be believed, obeyed and exalted as THE PERFECT SCRIPTURES.
DISPENSATIONS
We believe that the Scriptures being read in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely-determined dispensations (rules of life) that define mankind’s responsibilities in successive ages towards God. Although we realize that faith and Gods grace are requirements in every dispensation and that we must not sharply label time periods which result in disassociation of passages and disruption of the continuity of the Bible, we do believe the word of truth must be “rightly divided” (2 Tim.2:15) in order to understand God’s dispensing of Grace throughout these successive ages, i.e. Age of Innocence, Age of Conscience, Age of Law, Age of Grace, Age of Tribulation, Age of Restoration, and ultimately the Age of Ages (eternity).
