WHY SMALL CHURCH?

Biblical Precedent:

In the New Testament, churches were small enough to meet in homes. For centuries, there is no historical evidence of mega-church-sized congregations.

Relational Depth:

Smaller gatherings allow for genuine relationships, deeper trust, and true accountability among believers—something difficult to foster in larger churches.

Faithful Oversight:

In small churches, elders can truly know the flock, model hospitality, and maintain close pastoral care with the families they serve.

Obeying the “One-Anothers”:

Commands like “love one another,” “confess your sins to one another,” and “bear one another’s burdens” are more realistically practiced in a smaller setting.

Avoiding the Business Model:

We believe large congregations often lean toward a corporate structure—focused more on systems and production than on spiritual family life.

Church Planting Vision:

Our aim is not to grow large ourselves, but to see more faithful, small  congregations planted that remain committed to God’s Word.                   

PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP

Character Over Charisma:

Most elder qualifications focus on godly character, not just preaching ability. His life must be observable by the church to confirm his example.

Relational Leadership:

An elder must build sincere relationships with the families he leads. His home life, accessibility, and example matter greatly.

Hospitality and Teaching:

Elders are called to be patient teachers, answering difficult questions and discipling others—often through the practice of hospitality (1 Tim 3, Titus 1, Acts 20).

Servant Leadership:

Though elders lead and oversee the church, Scripture commands them not to "lord over" the flock but to lead through humility, service, and example (1 Peter 5:3, Luke 22:24–27).

Shared Decision-Making:

At RBC, major decisions are discussed with the church body first. Elders seek to teach, listen, and strive for unity rather than rule unilaterally.

Avoiding Authoritarianism:

Many churches make decisions behind closed doors, neglecting the wisdom within the congregation. True leadership values the voice of the flock and seeks genuine unity (1 Cor. 12:23, Rom. 12:16, James 2:1–9, 1 Peter 4:9).

EDIFYING CHURCH MEETINGS

Known and Accountable:

At RBC, members are known, loved, and held accountable by one another.

Serving with Gifts:

Every believer is encouraged to serve Christ by using their God-given gifts within the body.

Lord’s Day Gathering:

Teaching and worship last about two hours. Followed by a shared meal, including the Lord’s Supper. After the meal, women and men separate for prayer. Many stay for extended fellowship—Sundays are a joyful family gathering in the Lord.

Midweek Meeting:

On Wednesday evenings, we gather for a meal, topical teachings, Q&A, hymn singing, and prayer.

Biblical Foundation:

(Ephesians 4:11–16, 1 Corinthians 12:12–26, 1 Peter 4:9, Matthew 18:15–18)

FAMILY INTEGRATED

Family-Integrated Worship:

Children remain present during the entire church gathering, witnessing the sober-minded worship of the adults.

Guidance Without Authority:

While they benefit from the leadership and teaching of mature brethren, children are accountable only to their parents—not to the church.

Parental Responsibility:

Parents—especially fathers—are called to disciple and discipline their children according to Scripture.

Biblical Foundation:

(Deuteronomy 11:19, Ephesians 6:1–3)

EXPOSITORY PREACHING

Reformation Bible Church teachers are committed to preaching expository, verse-by-verse sermons each Lord's Day. 

(1 Tim 5:17)

DISCIPLESHIP

We strive to build deep Biblical relationships within the church. Elders and mature men are intentional in training younger believers in sound doctrine, theology, and Christ-like living.  Mature women are expected to disciple younger women in the areas commanded in Titus 2:3-5. 

MEMBERSHIP

Devotion to the Local Body:

In a time when church loyalty is rare and superficial love prevails, Christians are called to formally commit to a local church, submitting to its leaders and fellow members as they follow Christ.

Active Participation:

RBC members are expected to engage meaningfully in the lives of others within the assembly—fostering genuine, Christ-centered relationships.

Pursuing Peace and Reconciliation:

Members are urged to make every effort to live at peace and be reconciled with one another, as much as it depends on them.

Exercising Spiritual Gifts:

The local church is the God-ordained place for believers to use their spiritual gifts regularly for the building up of the body.

Practicing the “One-Anothers”:

Commands such as loving one another, bearing one another’s burdens, and encouraging one another are to be lived out within committed church fellowship.

Accountability and Growth:

Through mutual submission and godly oversight, believers grow in maturity and remain accountable in their walk with Christ.

Scripture References:

(Ephesians 5:21, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:3, Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 6:2, 5, Romans 12:18, Matthew 5:23–24)

SUNDAY WORSHIP

RBC is not a mere Bible study—it is a formal church. Therefore, we gather on Sunday mornings and follow an orderly worship service. An example of our order of worship  can be found at the bottom of our homepage under the "Sunday Worship" section.

In addition to the Lord’s Day gathering, we also meet on Wednesday evenings for Bible study and prayer.

(Hebrews 10:25)

LORD'S SUPPER

At RBC, we view the Lord’s Supper as a joyful celebration and a remembrance of what Christ accomplished on the cross, a meaningful act of breaking bread together as a church family. We gather around a shared meal, rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins and looking forward to the day we will feast with Him in glory. The Supper is a time of fellowship, love, and unity—where we express our devotion to Christ and our care for one another as members of His body.

(1 Corinthians 10:16–17)

WORSHIP

Worship music teaches doctrine. Therefore, we are committed to only singing hymns and songs with lyrics that are faithful to Scripture.

(Eph. 5:19) 

HEAD COVERINGS

Scriptural Foundation:
We follow the teaching of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, where the Apostle Paul instructs women to cover their heads and men to uncover theirs during prayer and worship. This is the first apostolic tradition addressed in the chapter, followed by the Lord’s Supper. Apostolic traditions are to be honored by Christians across all cultures and eras.

Symbol of Authority and Order:
Head coverings serve as a visible sign of God’s design for headship—Christ is the head of every man, the man is head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ (1 Cor. 11:3).

Expression of Reverence:
Covering (for women) and uncovering (for men) reflects reverence, humility, and obedience before the Lord in the gathered assembly. Paul teaches that neglecting this practice brings shame and dishonor—both to oneself and to one’s spiritual head. This is not merely cultural but a visible expression of God’s appointed order in worship. To disregard it is to treat lightly what God has declared honorable and to risk offending the holy angels who witness our worship (1 Cor. 11:4–5, 10).

Practice in the Assembly:
We apply this during our formal times of prayer, worship, and Scripture reading.

Joyful Obedience:
Though counter-cultural and often dismissed as “legalistic,” we embrace this practice not as a burden, but as a joyful act of obedience to God’s Word and design. For over 1,900 years, the Christian church widely and consistently upheld this apostolic tradition. We do not believe our fellow Christians throughout history were confused or misguided in their understanding of this Biblical text.

EVANGELISM

Every Member on Mission

RBC is committed to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). Each member is encouraged to share the gospel throughout their week—in conversations at work, in their neighborhoods, and within their families. Evangelism is not limited to a specific group but is the responsibility and privilege of every believer (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 4:2).

Intentional and Prayerful Outreach

In addition to everyday witness, some members engage in public outreach—handing out tracts, street preaching, or having one-on-one gospel conversations. These efforts are supported by intentional prayer, asking the Lord to open doors, give boldness, and prepare hearts (Colossians 4:2–4, Acts 4:29–31).

Evangelism with a Church-Centered Vision

We believe evangelism is not just about individual conversions, but about building Christ’s Church. Our desire is to see souls saved and gathered into healthy, biblical local churches—through discipleship, accountability, and church planting (Acts 14:21–23, Titus 1:5, 1 Corinthians 3:6–7).

CHURCH PLANTING

Prayerful Desire:
We pray that God would be pleased to raise up many small, faithful churches throughout the Valley.

Strength in Smallness:
A small church structure promotes stronger local connection, greater diversity, and deeper mutual accountability between congregations.

Focused Mission:
In small churches, the focus remains on the edification and equipping of the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11–16).

No Obsession with Numbers:
At RBC, we are not driven by church attendance figures or the pursuit of expansive “church programs.”

Commitment to the Great Commission:
By God’s grace, we seek to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:18–20).

Biblical Model:
We draw encouragement from the early church, where believers gathered in homes, grew in number, and remained committed to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:47, Romans 16:5).

GIVING

No Passing of the Plate:
Since RBC’s founding in 2022, we have not taken up formal collections or passed an offering plate during worship.

Giving Based on Need:
When genuine needs arise, we trust that members will give freely according to their willingness and ability (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Resisting the Corporate Model:
We have no desire to operate like a corporation—with paid staff and heavy property expenses. RBC intentionally avoids that model of church structure.

A Vision for Faithful Growth:
Should the Lord grow our church not only in faithfulness but also in number, we recognize that a few bi-vocational leaders may be needed to shepherd the flock well.

Purposeful Giving in the Future:
At such a time, member giving may be directed toward supporting leaders in their ministerial work and providing for the church’s practical needs (1 Timothy 5:18).