Pastor Tony

Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page

B.S. Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College
M.A. Phoenix Seminary
Ph.D. In Progress, Whitefield Theological Seminary

In keeping with His sovereign grace, God used several different factors in calling me into fellowship with His Son. Having been raised in the Roman Catholic Church, I was theistically minded from my childhood. However, I did not understand what the true meaning of Christianity was until I personally witnessed my father's conversion to Christ in 1980.

Upon my graduation from High School in 1981, I found myself without direction as to what the future held for me. I began to drink regularly, while my antagonism to my father and his "gospel" grew steadily. It was during the summer of 1981 that my frustration erupted when I cursed my father as he was witnessing to a neighbor in our dining room; I was sick of hearing about "Bible stuff." However, this episode resulted in my father and I spending two hours together talking about my frustrations and fears. I decided then that I would have a more open attitude toward Christianity. On October 7, 1981, I believed in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.

The first year or two of my Christian life was spent embracing the "positive confessionalist" arm of the Charismatic movement. In 1983, however, I began attending worship services at a small Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Chandler, Arizona. I soon gained a keen interest in biblical studies and began to rethink my theological leanings. This redirection was to be a very significant event in my spiritual life.

In 1985, after visiting several churches and committing the matter to prayer, my wife and I chose Community Baptist Fellowship in Tempe, Arizona as our church home. Community Baptist seemed to be where God was leading us. The church was small and afforded itself many opportunities for Christian service. We were needed there and were immediately "put to work."

It was my involvement at Community Baptist that precipitated my call to full-time ministry. In 1985 I began to teach a Junior/Senior High Sunday School class--my first such teaching experience. Meanwhile, I was struggling with a career choice and nothing seemed to be personally satisfying. I ended up having four different jobs over the span of two years. In 1986 a friend suggested I go to Bible College. A year later I enrolled at Southwestern Bible College in Phoenix.

During the first three of four years of my studies at Southwestern College, I thought God was calling me to a teaching ministry at a Christian college or seminary. However, God began to confirm His desire that I serve Him as Pastor-Teacher of a local church.

Meanwhile, my responsibilities at Community Baptist began to grow. I joined the board of deacons in 1986. I began teaching adult classes in 1987. I was elected chairman of the deacon board in 1988 and again in 1992-93. I had the opportunity to preach my first sermon in 1989. I led a small care group composed of young adults in 1991. In 1992, I became a regular adult Sunday School teacher. As my involvement grew over the span of six years, so did my assurance that I was being called into full-time Christian service. Others in the church affirmed by giftedness and responded favorably to my leadership and teaching abilities.

In 1993 I assumed the role of interim pastor at Community Baptist Fellowship. The church had encountered some difficult times and was rapidly declining in attendance. In a year or so the church declined from 60-80 regulars to 20-30 and it became obvious that the church could not afford to hire a full-time pastor. In 1994 the church reorganized and moved to a new location under the name of Cornerstone Baptist Fellowship. For all practical purposes, Cornerstone was a new church plant of 15-20 regular attenders. In January of 1995 I was formally called as full-time pastor.

Some significant changes took place during the first 18 months of Cornerstone Baptist Fellowship's existence. Namely: the philosophy of ministry changed, Christ was at work building His church (adding new families committed to local church ministry), and an elder board was organized to partner in the leadership responsibilities of the church. God blessed Lois and me with seven fruitful years of service at Cornerstone. I painfully resigned in January 2000.

Soon afterward, Lois and I joined with Southeast Valley Baptist Church in Gilbert, Arizona where I enjoyed almost three years of lay pastoral ministry. During this time I finished my Master's Degree and got a job doing something I enjoy: driving. I was employed by Canyon State Courier as an out of town driver, traveling to places such as Yuma, Prescott and Flagstaff.

I began to sense God's call for me to return to full-time ministry. In the early months of 2002 I was contacted by Clarkson Community Church, near Rochester, New York, to see if I was interested in applying for their vacant pastoral position. My initial reply was, "I don't think so, but we will pray about it." Our desire was to stay within reach of Arizona where our families were. God had other plans, however, and in the fall of 2002 I was called by Clarkson Community Church to serve as full-time teaching pastor. God's choice has been evident and He has given us some wonderful friends and co-workers in the faith here, and has blessed the ministry with steady growth. Our radio ministry, Grounded in Grace, debuted in 2004, and the same year I assumed the role of systematic theology professor at nearby Rochester Institute of Christian Education (RICE).

My personal philosophy of ministry has always been simple: Major on the basics (Acts 2:42), have a plurality of qualified leaders to share the ministry, and make worship by way of biblical exposition the central focus of the church.

My hope is that God will further equip me as I strive to equip others for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Some Interesting Personal Items. Lois and I were married in 1989 after dating for five years! Our first child, Giana Marie, was born in August 2001 . . . School has been a long, arduous process (in High School I had no plans whatsoever to continue my education). I have a B.S. in Pre-Seminary Studies from Southwestern College (1993), an M.A. in Biblical Exposition from Phoenix Seminary (2002), and am working toward a Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual Thought from Whitefield Theological Seminary.

Some of my interests include reading, theology, and reading theology!, tinkering with and showing my 1966 Impala (which has been modifed to look like an undercover cop car!), and powerflifting (I have several trophies, set a couple of AZ state teenage records, and was close to a national teenage record in the squat). Favorite theologian: John Calvin, of course! Although, W.G.T. Shedd ranks a close second.

As to Scripture. I believe that the completed canon of Scripture consists of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. I believe that God so superintended the human authors of Scripture that without negating their individuality, personal interests, or literary style, they recorded His divinely revealed and inspired truth without error, without excess, and without omission in the words of the original manuscripts.

The Scriptures are the all-sufficient and final authority for the faith and practice of the individual believer and for the local church. Absolute authoritative revelation ceased with the completed canon of the Bible. In keeping with this statement, I am in full agreement with the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and Hermeneutics.

As to the Triune God. I believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

God is spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth (John 4:24; James 1:17).

As to the Son of God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God. He is fully and perfectly God as well as fully and perfectly man (John 1:1,14). He pre-existed from eternity past as the Son of God (John 8:58). Through Him all things were created and are upheld (Colossians 1:16,17).

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23), tempted in all things (Hebrews 4:15), and was completely sinless (1 John 3:5). His death on the cross made possible the salvation of the elect through His substitutionary atonement (2 Corinthians 5:21). He rose from the grave and ascended to heaven where He presently intercedes for believers at the Father's right hand (Acts 1:9; Romans 1:4, 8:34). He will, personally and visibly, return to earth to establish His kingdom and reign forever (Revelation 1:7, 20:4-6).

As to the Holy Spirit and Sanctification. I believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity (1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2). The Holy Spirit possesses and exercises the attributes of God (Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 40:13; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Psalm 139:7; 2 Peter 1:21). He convicts the world of sin (John 16:7-11). He regenerates believers (Titus 3:5), seals them (Ephesians 1:13,14), indwells them (1 Corinthians 3:16), fills them (Ephesians 5:18), empowers them (Acts 1:8), guides them (Romans 8:14), and teaches them (1 Corinthians 2:10-13).

Every believer is baptized with and receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion (John 1:33; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 John 3:24). Scripture does not warrant any so-called "second work" of the Holy Spirit. All believers have the fulness of the Holy Spirit when they are justified in Christ. The process of growth in the Christian life is wrought through the believer's response to the sovereign working of God and His Word, by the grace of Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Justification and sanctification are co-terminus; where justification truly exists sanctification inevitably follows (Psalm 119; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:18; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 12:5ff.; 1 Peter 2:2).

As to Man and Sin. I believe that man was created by God in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26,27). Adam was created by God in a state of unconfirmed holiness with the inherent ability to choose good or evil (Genesis 2:16,17). When Adam disobeyed God he became spiritually dead and all men sinned in him (Romans 5:12-21).

All men are, therefore, sinners by nature (Psalm 51:5) and by personal acts of sin (1 John 1:10). Man's heart is deceitful and he is unable to please God of his own accord (Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9). All men are totally and completely depraved, being born in a state of spiritual death and inability (Ephesians 2:1-3). As a result, they can neither discern biblical truth nor submit themselves to God apart from the efficacious enabling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:14; Romans 3:11, 8:5-7; 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 6:44,65).

As to Justification. In accordance with His plan devised in eternity past, God's mercy and grace prompted Him to send Jesus Christ at the appointed time to redeem fallen humanity (Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Timothy 2:6). Redemption was accomplished solely through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Colossians 2:13-14). The only way to receive salvation from the penalty of sin and the gift of eternal life is through personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Justification is by grace alone through faith alone. No one has been, or can be, saved by good deeds of any kind, nor can good deeds in any way supplement the salvation of anyone (Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:8,9).

As to Predestination, Perseverance, and Assurance. I believe in the unconditional election of the saints. God, in His grace and mercy, sovereignly predestined before the foundation of the world those who would in time come to faith in Him (Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29-30, 9:11-23; Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5). The full harmonization of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility remains a mystery hidden in the mind of God (Deuteronomy 29:29; Acts 2:23, 4:27-28; 2 Timothy 2:10).

The fact of God's election makes the forfeiture of justification an impossibility (John 10:26-29) and in no way negates the responsibility of all believers to share the gospel with all men everywhere (Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; 2 Timothy 2:10). True believers will persevere in that they will not apostatize from the faith (Colossians 1:22-23; 1 John 2:19).

Assurance of salvation is a result of true saving faith (Hebrews 11:1) and that assurance rests on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

As to the Nature and Extent of the Atonement. I believe that while the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross was unlimited in its sufficiency, it was definite in its purpose which was to efficaciously pay for the sins of the elect (Matthew 26:28; John 3:16, 10:15, 11:51-52, 17:6,9,19; Romans 8:32; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 5:9).

As to the Church, its Mission, and its Ordinances. I believe that the church is the body of Christ, founded, formed, and directed by Christ its Head (Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:18). The universal church consists of all those who have been regenerated by God (Titus 3:5). The task of the local church is to fulfill the Great Commission through the power and presence of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).

The church is not primarily to be an evangelism center, but a place where believers worship God, exercise their ministry gifts, and are equipped to grow toward Christian maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16). The Great Commission is given to disciples who go outside the four walls of the local church, obediently sharing the Gospel of Christ with those in need.

Christ gave the church two ordinances, baptism in water (Matthew 28:19) and the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-29). Both of these ordinances are to be practiced within the sphere of the local church.

As to Last Things. I believe in personal and visible return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the righteous (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). At His second advent, Christ will return with His saints to judge the nations and to establish His kingdom upon the earth (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:4-6). At the last judgment, all of the unrighteous will be judged according to their deeds and cast into hell (Revelation 20:7-15). God will then create a new heaven and a new earth where His redeemed people will enjoy and glorify Him forever (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21-22).

Each Christian is a product of his or her unique gifts, experiences, and learning. Those men who endeavor to serve the church as its leaders are certainly no exception. Briefly, the following are essential distinctives of my ministerial philosophy and practice.

Preaching and Teaching. I believe that the sound, doctrinal and expositional preaching and teaching of God's Word is foundational to the life of the church. My practice is to preach exegetically through books of the Bible. This is a demanding discipline for both the preacher and audience. For the preacher it demands 15 to 25 hours of diligent study each week. For the audience it demands a degree of patience and interaction. I am committed to preach using my own translation from the original with the freedom to preach sermons that average 55 minutes.

Although I may be the main teaching pastor I do not believe in monopolizing the pulpit and find it personally refreshing, and beneficial to the church, to have other qualified men fill the pulpit on a regular basis.

Leadership. I believe that the church is to be led by a plurality of qualified pastor-elders. My desire is to serve as part of a leadership team with each pastor-elder holding equal authority before each other and the congregation.

My perspective in serving in full-time ministry is that I am a member of the church just like any other member, led there to worship and serve. However, by the church's choice I am freed to minister on a full-time basis in order that I might fulfill my calling and exercise my preaching gifts unhindered. I will not be the "paid professional" that functions on another level apart from the body.

Worship. As foundational as the teaching of God's Word is to the life of the body, apart from genuine worship, teaching becomes little more than an exercise of sterile information. Worship is the impetus behind the church's doctrine, the force that transforms sound doctrine into joyful duty.

I believe that worship should be doctrinal, vibrant, expressive, and passionate. I have no problem with expressions of emotion in the corporate worship of the church as long as those expressions do not become a distraction.

Discipleship. Discipleship occurs in many ways within the body from one-on-one relationships to small groups to the corporate worship of the church. In this regard I am an advocate of promoting genuine lasting relationships through the fellowship and instruction of small group ministries.

Evangelism. My approach to evangelism is eclectic. The pattern of the New Testament is that the church gathers as the company of the redeemed on Sunday for worship and scatters throughout the week for evangelism.

My experience is that evangelism is better "caught" than "taught." What I mean is that all the teaching and seminars on evangelism will do little apart from a real passion and concern for the lost. C.H. Spurgeon once confessed that he would like to pluck out his eyes and cast them away "for they do not weep for the lost as they ought." This is the kind of humility and concern that is contagious.

Vision. My vision for the church I serve is that it balances doctrinal integrity with love, humility, devotion, and service. A church that has a passion for God that is evident in its worship. A church that is characterized by believers who are at once confident in the knowledge of God and broken humble vessels before Him. A church that can rejoice and weep with one another and with a lost and dying world.