What We Believe About:

 

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 in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections.  In addition, we believe God to be an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth:  inexpressible in glory, holiness and worthy of all honor, confidence and love.  We believe that the Members of the Godhead execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.  (Exodus 20:2-3;  I  Corinthians 8:6;  Revelation 4:11;  I John 5:7;  Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19;  II Corintians 13:14;  John 14:10,26)

 

 

Jesus Christ

(1) 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 Ghost and born to the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.  (Isaiah 7:14;  9:6;  Luke 1:35;  John 1:1-2;  II Corinthians 5:19-21;  Galatians 4:4-5;  Philippians 2:5-8)

 

(2)  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death and shed blood on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.  (Acts 2:18-36;  Romans 3:24-25;  I Peter 2:24;  Ephesians 1:7;  I Peter 1:3-5)

 

(3)  We believe that 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;  Hebrews 9:24; 7:25;  Romans 8:34;  I John 2:1-2)

 

 

Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God.  The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore, are the Final Authority for faith and life.  These sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man.  The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical and historical meaning.  The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21

 

Salvation

(1) We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. 

(John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19; Romans 10:9-13)

 

(2) We believe that faith is the condition for salvation.  Saving faith is when one turns to the Saviour for eternal life.   Saving faith is not a meritorious work wherein to boast, but rather a humbling acknowledgment of sin and a simple accepting of the gift of salvation made possible by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  (Luke 24:47; I Peter 1:3;

Hebrews 9:22; Romans 6:23)

 

(3) We believe that salvation is instantaneous and not a process and that in the new birth the one who was dead in trespasses and sin is made a partaker of the Divine Nature and receives eternal life, which is a free gift from God.  The Holy Spirit seals each believer at the moment he receives Christ as personal Saviour.  (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:16;     

I John 5:1; John 3:6-7; II Peter 1:4; Colossians 2:13)

 

 

Holy Spirit

(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indewelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.  (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9;

I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)

 

(2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropiate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved people to be filled with the Spirit.  (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:17; I John 2:20-27)

 

(3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer.  God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. 

(Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)

 

(4)  We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing.  (I Corinthians 13:8; 14: 21-22)

 

Baptism

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water as an outward expression of the person's belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior.  We believe that baptism has no part in the salvation of any person but is done in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ, and that it is prerequisite to the privilege of membership in the church.  We also believe that a person should be baptized after they receive Christ as Saviour.  (Acts 8:26-39; Acts 2:41; John 3:22-23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:13-17; Colossians 2:12; Matthew 28:18-20)

 

Lord's Supper

We believe that the Lord's Supper, which is sometimes called communion, is the commemoration of Christ's death until He comes again, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.  We believe that the elements of the Lord's Supper are symbolic of Christ's shed blood and broken body and have no saving power. (I Corinthians 11:23-31; Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20)

 

Eternal Security

(1)  We believe that all which are truly born-again are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5)

 

(2)  We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word which, however; clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)

 

The Church

(1) Pleasantville Baptist Church is an autonomous, sovereign, independent Baptist church governed by and with the consent of its members under the leadership of the pastor.  The policy and practice of this church are patterned after the churches of the New Testament.  (See the Books of Acts and Revelation)

 

(2)  We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is to be solely made up of born-again persons.  (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27)

 

(3)  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; 20:28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)

 

(4)  We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control.  (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1-4; I Corinthians 3: 9-16; 5:4-7; I Peter 5:1-4)

 

(5)  We recognize baptism in water by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptual ordinances of obediences of the local church. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; I Corinthians 11:23-26)

 

Separation

We believe that all saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour & Lord;  and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God.  (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13;  II Corinthians 6:14-7:1;  II Timothy 3:1-5;  I John 2:15-17;  II John 9-11)

 

The Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial, physical, and visual return of Jesus Christ.  At the moment that Christ returns, the dead shall be raised and the living shall be caught up to meet our  blessed Saviour in the air.  We believe that the tribulation, which follows the rapture of the saved, will culminate when Christ personally and visibly returns with the saints, puts down the Antichrist to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom on the throne of David.  (Psalms 89:3-4;  Daniel 2:31-45;  Zechariah 14:4-11;  I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18;  Titus 2:13;  Revelations 3:10;  19:11-16;  20:1-6)

 

Giving

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially.  We believe that God has established the tithe (10% of all increase) as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. (Genesis 14:20;  Proverbs 3:9-10;  Acts 4:34-37;  I Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6;  Ephesians 4:28;   I Timothy 5:17-18;  I John 3:17) 

 

 

 

 

Pleasantville Baptist Church began in November of 1975 when Pastor Terry Stueck, who at that time, was a home missionary with F.B.H.M (Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions), had a burden to start a church somewhere.  He, along with a pastor friend, Pastor Archie Veltman of Des Moines, began surveying the area to determine where to start a work.  After checking out Pleasantville and the surrounding area, they felt there was a need for an independent fundamental Baptist church in Pleasantville.  Pastor Stueck held a week of meetings in the Memorial Building located on the square in downtown Pleasantville.  On the Sunday following that week of meetings, the first Sunday service was held.  That was the Sunday before Thanksgiving of 1975.  It was decided there was sufficient interest in starting a church in Pleasantville, so regular services continued, being held in the Memorial Building.  January 1, 1976 was set as the deadline for Charter membership in Pleasantville Baptist Church.   Since Pastor Stueck was a missionary with F.B.H.M. and that was a mission board of the GARBC (General Association of Regular Baptist Churches), the church started as part of the GARBC.  When Pastor Stueck and his family moved to Pleasantville, he purchased a home at 608 South Columbus Street with approximately four acres.  Shortly thereafter he gave the church two acres for a building site for the church

 

The next pastor was John Rhoades.  After about two years, he proposed we shut down the church and give the property on South Columbus to a camp.  He resigned, and the church voted not to close down.

 

In 1980, Pastor Wayne Murrow returned within the area after having been in a church in Hawaii, so we asked him if he would come and help the ministry.  He agreed, and subsequently, the church called him to be the pastor.  Under his ministry the church grew and a building was constructed on the South Columbus property.  The church voted to withdraw from the GARBC.  Pastor Murrow left in November of 1984 to start a church in Bondurant, Iowa.

 

Pastor Randy Miller was called to Pleasantville Baptist Church in February, 1985.  He served as Pastor until April 22, 1989.

 

In November of 1989 the church called David Nuckolls to be the pastor.  He had some plaguing health problems, but kept a busy schedule.  The main thrust of his ministry was soul-winning.  John O'Neal became Assistant Pastor under Pastor Nuckolls.  The church purchased a one-room building from the school and moved it onto the property near the church for more classroom space.  When the East Elementary school building came up for sale, the church submitted a bid of $5,501.00  Being the only bid made, the building was purchased.  The church building and the property on South Columbus was sold.  Nearly all the work of remodeling the school building was done by people of the church.  July 1, 1993 we moved into the school building, with much work yet to be done.  Pastor Nuckolls was able only to preach a few times in the "new " building.  He died September 5, 1993.  John O'Neal was voted as interim pastor while the church searched for another pastor.

 

The church called Brien Deverick as pastor in February of 1994.  John O'Neal moved to Indiana to attend Bible college.  The church voted to dismiss Brien Deverick in October 1995.

 

Bill McSpadden was voted in as pastor and came on April 14, 1996.  He served for just over twelve years , his last service being June 8, 2008.  During his ministry a Christian school, Pleasantville Baptist Academy, was started.  The church also acquired a radio station KPBC-fm.  Approximately eighty acres of land was purchased as a future building site south of town on Hwy 92.  Donald Buchner served as assistant pastor.  He left the church a few months after Pastor McSpadden.

 

The current pastor, A.J. Potter came in September 2009.  This is his first pastorate.  He resides in Pleasantville with his wife, Karis and four children.  Karis is the daughter of Randy Miller, our former pastor.

The Purpose of Pleasantville Baptist Church

Our purpose first and foremost is to please our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  This is our ultimate purpose as we direct the ministries of PBC.  We want to glorify Christ in our community, our region, and ultimately throughout the world.  This purpose affects everything we do, from conducting our services to handling our ministries.  We are striving to pass this purpose on to our church members, teaching from a biblical perspective what our purpose on this earth as a born again believer should be.