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Grace Fellowship (fictional)

100 Example Way, Faketown, NC · Founded 1998 · 100-250 people

Is this your church?Member report

Orthodoxy gate
Within historic orthodoxy on documented topics
Red flags
None documented
Elders, including pastors
3, about 1 per 60 members
Denomination
None on record

Denomination

No denominational affiliation is on record.

Orthodoxy gate

Within historic orthodoxy on documented topics

  • ScriptureWithin
  • Doctrine of GodWithin
  • TrinityWithin
  • Person of ChristWithin
  • Creation & the fallWithin
  • AtonementWithin
  • Gospel & justificationWithin
  • Final judgmentWithin
  • Prosperity & signsWithin

Red flags

No red flags are documented.

Dimension grades

Each dimension stands alone. Grades are not combined into one number.

  • Preaching

    High confidence

    A

    Preaching: evidence

    10 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Share of sermons that are expository

      • 2 Timothy 3:16-4:5

      • Nehemiah 8:8

      • Acts 20:27

    • Scripture read and explained per sermon

    • Gospel clarity

    • Breadth of the canon covered in 12 months

  • Consistency

    High confidence

    A

    Consistency: evidence

    10 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Do stated positions match what is preached and what the bylaws say?

      • Acts 17:11

  • Leadership

    Medium confidence

    A

    Leadership: evidence

    4 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    The bylaws provide for a plurality of elders, including a process for charges against an elder.

    • Public record, fictional item 1

      Fictional excerpt for demonstration.

      View source

    What this dimension measures

    • Plural elders

      • Acts 14:23

      • Acts 20:17

      • Acts 20:28

      • Philippians 1:1

      • James 5:14

    • Qualifications per 1 Tim 3 / Titus 1 addressed

      • 1 Timothy 3:1-7

      • Titus 1:5-9

      • 1 Peter 5:1-4

    • Accountability above the senior pastor

      • 1 Timothy 5:19-21

    • Family concentration among leaders

  • Shepherding

    Low confidence

    Insufficient data

    Shepherding: evidence

    2 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Elders know and visit members

      • Acts 20:28-31

      • Hebrews 13:17

      • Ezekiel 34

      • John 21:15-17

    • Elder-to-member ratio

    • Self-understanding as a covenant body vs. an organization

      • 1 Corinthians 12

      • Ephesians 4:11-16

      • Hebrews 10:24-25

      • 1 Peter 2:4-10

  • Membership & discipline

    Medium confidence

    A

    Membership & discipline: evidence

    4 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Meaningful membership

    • Discipline of members

      • Matthew 18:15-20

      • 1 Corinthians 5

      • 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

      • Galatians 6:1

    • Defined process for charges against an elder, heard by someone other than the accused

      • 1 Timothy 5:19-21

    • Restoration practiced

      • 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

  • Stability

    Low confidence

    Insufficient data

    Stability: evidence

    1 item was counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Splits and lawsuits; context recorded (a split over doctrine is not equal to a split over carpet)

    • Pastor tenure and elder turnover

  • Congregational health

    Low confidence

    Insufficient data

    Congregational health: evidence

    0 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Congregational survey results and teaching-to-pew gap

  • Transparency

    Medium confidence

    B

    Transparency: evidence

    5 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Published bylaws, statement of faith, financials, elder list, sermon archive

    • Questionnaire completed

  • Sacraments & worship

    Low confidence

    Insufficient data

    Sacraments & worship: evidence

    2 items were counted toward this grade. Sources appear here when a published finding cites them.

    What this dimension measures

    • Lord's Supper and baptism practiced as stated

      • Matthew 28:18-20

      • 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

      • Romans 6:1-4

    • Scripture in worship

Insufficient data means too little recent evidence to grade. It is not a low grade.

Lens match

Choose a lens to compare this church with a confessional tradition. A lens can also change which topics count at the orthodoxy gate.

Positions

TopicStatedPreachedDocumented
ScriptureStatedInerrantPreachedInerrantDocumentedNot recorded
Doctrine of GodStatedClassical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility)PreachedClassical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility)DocumentedNot recorded
TrinityStatedNicene TrinitarianPreachedNicene TrinitarianDocumentedNot recorded
Person of ChristStatedChalcedonian (fully God, fully man)PreachedChalcedonian (fully God, fully man)DocumentedNot recorded
Creation & the fallStatedAffirmedPreachedAffirmedDocumentedNot recorded
AtonementStatedPenal substitution centralPreachedPenal substitution centralDocumentedNot recorded
Gospel & justificationStatedBy faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputedPreachedBy faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputedDocumentedNot recorded
Final judgmentStatedEternal conscious punishmentPreachedEternal conscious punishmentDocumentedNot recorded
Prosperity & signsStatedRejects prosperity gospelPreachedRejects prosperity gospelDocumentedNot recorded
Marriage & sexualityStatedHistoric (marriage = one man, one woman; same-sex sexual activity is sin)PreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Sex & gender identityStatedBiological sex is given (gender transition not affirmed)PreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Sovereignty & human responsibilityStatedReformed/CalvinistPreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Covenant frameworkStatedCovenant theologyPreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
WorshipStatedRegulative principle (WCF 21.1)PreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
SanctificationStatedProgressive (Reformed)PreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Holiness & assuranceStatedPerseverance of the saintsPreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Law & gospelStatedThree uses of the law affirmedPreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Women in leadershipStatedWomen not pastors/elders, no women preachingPreachedNot recordedDocumentedNot recorded
Church governmentStatedNot recordedPreachedNot recordedDocumentedPresbyterian
BaptismStatedInfant (covenantal)PreachedNot recordedDocumentedInfant (covenantal)
MembershipStatedNot recordedPreachedNot recordedDocumentedFormal with covenant & interview
Church disciplineStatedNot recordedPreachedNot recordedDocumentedPracticed per Matthew 18, documented; Process exists and has been used; Defined path

Findings

LeadershipSeverity: info

The bylaws provide for a plurality of elders, including a process for charges against an elder.

Evidence for this finding

The bylaws provide for a plurality of elders, including a process for charges against an elder.

  • Public record, fictional item 1

    Fictional excerpt for demonstration.

    View source

Church's response

No response has been posted.

Shepherding

Size
About 180 members
Elders, including pastors
3 (about 60 members per elder)
Deacons
1 (about 180 members per deacon)

These numbers help you ask how well people are known and cared for. They are not part of any grade, and a small number says nothing on its own. Ask the elders how they shepherd the church.

Diagrams

Discipline process

Drawing diagram...

Text description of this diagram

Items

  • Go privately (Matt 18:15)
  • Take one or two others (Matt 18:16)
  • Tell it to the church (Matt 18:17)
  • Removal from fellowship (Matt 18:17)
  • Restoration (2 Cor 2:5-11)
  • Charge against an elder needs two or three witnesses (1 Tim 5:19)
  • Heard by someone other than the accused

Connections

  • Go privately (Matt 18:15), leads to, Take one or two others (Matt 18:16)
  • Take one or two others (Matt 18:16), leads to, Tell it to the church (Matt 18:17)
  • Tell it to the church (Matt 18:17), leads to, Removal from fellowship (Matt 18:17)
  • Removal from fellowship (Matt 18:17), leads to, Restoration (2 Cor 2:5-11)
  • Charge against an elder needs two or three witnesses (1 Tim 5:19), leads to, Heard by someone other than the accused
Accountability map

Drawing diagram...

Text description of this diagram

Items

  • Elder One (fictional) (elder)
  • Pastor Reed (fictional) (pastor)
  • Elder Two (fictional) (ruling elder)
  • Deacon Hart (fictional) (deacon)

Connections

  • Pastor Reed (fictional) (pastor), accountable to, Elder One (fictional) (elder)
  • Elder Two (fictional) (ruling elder), accountable to, Elder One (fictional) (elder)
  • Deacon Hart (fictional) (deacon), accountable to, Elder One (fictional) (elder)
Organization chart

Drawing diagram...

Text description of this diagram

Items

  • Elder: Elder One (fictional)
  • Pastor: Pastor Reed (fictional)
  • Ruling elder: Elder Two (fictional)
  • Deacon: Deacon Hart (fictional)

Connections

  • Elder: Elder One (fictional), leads to, Pastor: Pastor Reed (fictional)
  • Elder: Elder One (fictional), leads to, Ruling elder: Elder Two (fictional)
  • Elder: Elder One (fictional), leads to, Deacon: Deacon Hart (fictional)
Leadership timeline

Drawing diagram...

Text description of this diagram

Items

  • Elder One (fictional) (elder), 2012-01-01 to present
  • Pastor Reed (fictional) (pastor), 2012-01-01 to present
  • Elder Two (fictional) (ruling elder), 2012-01-01 to present
  • Deacon Hart (fictional) (deacon), 2012-01-01 to present

Connections

  • Elder One (fictional) (elder), 2012-01-01 to present, leads to, Pastor Reed (fictional) (pastor), 2012-01-01 to present
  • Pastor Reed (fictional) (pastor), 2012-01-01 to present, leads to, Elder Two (fictional) (ruling elder), 2012-01-01 to present
  • Elder Two (fictional) (ruling elder), 2012-01-01 to present, leads to, Deacon Hart (fictional) (deacon), 2012-01-01 to present
Stated and preached

Drawing diagram...

Text description of this diagram

Items

  • Atonement, stated: Penal substitution central
  • preached: Penal substitution central
  • Creation & the fall, stated: Affirmed
  • preached: Affirmed
  • Doctrine of God, stated: Classical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility)
  • preached: Classical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility)
  • Final judgment, stated: Eternal conscious punishment
  • preached: Eternal conscious punishment
  • Gospel & justification, stated: By faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputed
  • preached: By faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputed
  • Person of Christ, stated: Chalcedonian (fully God, fully man)
  • preached: Chalcedonian (fully God, fully man)
  • Prosperity & signs, stated: Rejects prosperity gospel
  • preached: Rejects prosperity gospel
  • Scripture, stated: Inerrant
  • preached: Inerrant
  • Trinity, stated: Nicene Trinitarian
  • preached: Nicene Trinitarian

Connections

  • Atonement, stated: Penal substitution central, matches, preached: Penal substitution central
  • Creation & the fall, stated: Affirmed, matches, preached: Affirmed
  • Doctrine of God, stated: Classical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility), matches, preached: Classical theism (simplicity, immutability, impassibility)
  • Final judgment, stated: Eternal conscious punishment, matches, preached: Eternal conscious punishment
  • Gospel & justification, stated: By faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputed, matches, preached: By faith alone, Christ's righteousness imputed
  • Person of Christ, stated: Chalcedonian (fully God, fully man), matches, preached: Chalcedonian (fully God, fully man)
  • Prosperity & signs, stated: Rejects prosperity gospel, matches, preached: Rejects prosperity gospel
  • Scripture, stated: Inerrant, matches, preached: Inerrant
  • Trinity, stated: Nicene Trinitarian, matches, preached: Nicene Trinitarian

Trajectory

No year-over-year records are available without a lens, or none exist yet.

Congregational health

No survey results are published. Results stay hidden until at least 25 members respond, or at least 20% of members with no fewer than 5 responses. Only aggregates are ever shown.