Does a Christian blogger really need to include a Statement Of Faith on his or her website? Strictly speaking, maybe not. There aren’t any actual rules or regulations for blogging — Christian or otherwise — because blogs are self-published, and therefore guided by the conscience of each author. From that perspective, one might argue that no one mandates that a Christian blog must include a Statement Of Faith, and thus one is unnecessary.

One might further argue that a blog itself is a Statement Of Faith since its individual posts over time reveal the author’s beliefs. I see merit in this supposition, particularly since a Statement Of Faith can’t possibly present every nuance of an author’s theology. Readers get to know a blogger over time, especially if articles cover a fairly wide range of subject matter. No writer possesses enough skill to condense all of his or her beliefs into a single webpage. If we want to fully understand a blogger, we have to read a good amount of that person’s work. Indeed, that commitment to read someone’s blog with a degree of thoroughness should be a priority in properly vetting that person. After all, anybody can copy-and-paste an orthodox Statement Of Faith from a website and then proceed to promulgate all kinds of error. For example, see Beth Moore’s What We Believe page and the About page for Joel Osteen’s church.

And yet, vetting a blogger (or any Christian ministry) begins with examining their stated doctrine. Look again at Beth Moore’s beliefs. Among all the points that do align with Scripture, she tucks in a crafty little item that demonstrates her lack of obedience to the very Bible that she earlier claimed to believe. She writes:

We believe we have been “baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1Corinthians 12:13) and recognize the value and equality of all members of the body of Christ. We are “all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

Did you notice that subtle opening to egalitarianism? It opens a big door to justify her unbiblical practices of preaching with men in the congregation. Thus, her Statement Of Faith drops a tiny clue that she’s not a teacher we ought to follow. Similarly, Joel Osteen’s page absolutely ignores the issue of sin. In fact, neither of them mention anything about judgment, hell or God’s wrath. leaving us to wonder why Jesus died on the cross. So their Statements Of Faith, while giving the appearance of fidelity to God’s Word, offer hints of doctrinal error,

For that reason, a Statement Of Faith provides an important starting place for determining the trustworthiness of a Christian blogger or teacher. As I said, anyone can copy-and-paste an orthodox Statement Of Faith onto their website and then teach things that blatantly contradict that Statement. Conversely, those who make the effort to write their own Statements generally reflect their real beliefs. Sooner or later, their words will betray what they actually believe (Luke 6:45). The Outspoken inevitability leads me to conclude that a blogger does better to write his or her Statement Of Faith so that readers know right away where that blogger stands doctrinally.When someone sets aside the time to construct their own Statement Of Faith, one way or another they will represent their true beliefs.

So you must wonder why my Statement Of Faith has suddenly vanished from this website. What nefarious beliefs am I hiding? Am I making it more difficult for people to vet me? Or is this a ploy to get you to read a greater quantity of my articles. If you feel suspicious of me because I’ve taken down that page, I’m proud of you for exercising good discernment! It’s imperative that you measure my articles against Scripture instead of simply assuming that everything I write lines up perfectly with the Word of God. I totally agree that a Statement Of Faith on this website would help you judge my credibility. Furthermore, I agree that I owe my readers the courtesy of an explanation.

To be blunt, I took down my Statement Of Faith because it made doctrinal assertions without offering substantiation from God’s Word.

I believe I made assertions that aligned with Scripture, but each one should have had accompanying references that readers could look up and study in context. Even Beth Moore and Joel Osteen did that much! I spend most of my articles writing about the high value of Scripture, encouraging readers to evaluate everything by God’s Word, and yet I didn’t bother to show the Scriptures from which I drew my assertions. Over the past couple of years, that act of hypocrisy increasingly troubled me. I knew that I should correct the problem, but the prospect of putting up a well documented Statement Of Faith overwhelmed me. It still overwhelms me, if you want to know the truth.

Recently I’ve become even more uncomfortable with my Statement Of Faith. The writing itself was sloppy, correctly indicating the fact that I’d written it in one sitting and off the top of my head. I knew that I absolutely needed to have supporting Scripture attesting to each point. In the past couple of weeks, however, the realization that I needed to rewrite my Statement mounted, culminating with Justin Peters’ appearance on the Striving For Eternity podcast, which I listened to on Saturday. Even though the discussion about Statements Of Faith were ancillary to the show’s main topic, the Lord used that embedded conversation as the final push to get me going on writing a Statement Of Faith that better honors Him.

Writing a decent Statement Of Faith won’t happen in one, two or even three sittings. Just this morning, for instance, I began planning the section on the Bible, and the amount of possible verses about that one point amazed me! If I want to do a proper job with this project, I’ll need to take time studying the various points and documenting them by using Scripture references in their correct contexts.

I guess I could have kept my existing Statement Of Faith up while I write a more appropriate one. I choose not to do so because of its poor construction. However, during this time that I work on my stronger Statement, I’ll offer this link to the Doctrinal Statement of my home church. I pretty much agree with everything in this Statement, and question (rather than disagree with) a minor point. Since my question is fairly inconsequential, I can endorse this Statement as representative of my beliefs.

https://www.fbcweymouth.org/page/doctrinal-statement

Please note that all Scripture references show up as footnotes. I’d encourage you to examine the references, particularly on points you question. When I put up my own Statement, I hope you’ll investigate my use of Scripture as well. Remember: the purpose of any Statement Of Faith is to begin the process of verifying whether or not a person or organization deserves your trust. By writing a Statement Of Faith of my own, I’m inviting readers to make sure that I really can be trusted to write articles in conformity with the Word of God. What better way to teach women discernment?

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ~~Acts 17:11 (NASB95)

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