FMBI Seminary
Home Instructors & Classes Schedule 2002-2003 Purpose and Support Academic Information Curriculum Information Graduation Requirements Description of Courses

 

BRIEF HISTORY

The First Missionary Baptist Church, Fresno, California, owns and sponsors Fresno Missionary Baptist Institute. Dr. Burel G. Burnes, Pastor, led the church to sponsor a full-time school for the training of young ministers and Christian workers. The school began her first year of full-time instruction September 10, 1978.

The First Missionary Baptist Church has dedicated members who are fully behind the school. With this dedication, along with the cooperation of sister churches, we have since 1978 been building an institute for Christian Education for the honor and glory of Christ.

Presently FMBI is under the watchful care of Dr. David M. Butimore Sr. He has been both president of FMBI and the pastor of First MBC since August 2001.

CHURCH SCHOOL LOYALTY

Fresno Missionary Baptist Institute is subject to the will of the First Missionary Baptist Church. We commend ourselves to her favor as she favors us with her spiritual, moral, and financial support. The church has expressed a willingness to assist students in lean times as well as prosperous times. Many students, who will not be members of First Missionary Baptist Church, will pass through the portals of this school. They will be required to respect the pastor, services, building, business meetings, officers, discipline and doctrines of this church.

WHAT WE BELIEVE AND TEACH AT FMBI

Concerning the Scriptures: We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration and infallibility of the whole Bible, and that it is the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice. (11 Timothy 3: 16,17)
Concerning God: We believe in a personal God eternally existent in three Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)
Concerning Creation: We believe in the Genesis account of creation (Genesis 1:1-31), and that all things exist as objects of the creative power of God.
Concerning the Virgin Birth: We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of man; He is the only Savior of men-, He was born of a virgin, and He is the only Mediator between God and man. (Matthew 1:18-25, 1 Timothy 2-.5)
Concerning the Deity: We believe in the Deity of
Jesus Christ. (John 10:30)

Concerning Sacrifice and Suffering: We believe the suffering and death of Jesus to be substitutionary and vicarious. (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24)Concerning the Resurrection: We believe the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the bodily resurrection of His Saints (I Corinthians 15); the second coming of Jesus Christ, both personal and bodily, are the crowning events of this Gentile age. (Acts I.-I 1) He will set up His Kingdom on earth and rule upon the earth for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:6)
Concerning Eternal Punishment: We believe in an eternal place of punishment for those who reject Christ as Savior. (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20;15)
Concerning the Church: We believe a scriptural church is a visible assembly of baptized believers, covenanted together under New Testament law for the purpose of carrying out the Great Commission, with an unbroken history from the personal ministry of Jesus on earth to this present day
Concerning the Great Commission: We hold what true Baptists have ever held: that the Great Commission was given to the churches only; that in Kingdom activities the Church is the only unit in associated work; that each Church should exercise equal authority; and that the Churches should meet their responsibilities according to their several abilities.
Concerning Cooperating Bodies: We believe that all cooperating bodies, such as associations, conventions, boards, committees, etc., are and properly should be the servants of the Churches. (Matthew 20:25-28)
Concerning Scriptural Baptism: We believe that scriptural baptism is immersion in water of a born-again believer by the authority of a scriptural Baptist church. We reject the baptism of institutions with human origin. We further believe that baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and, in likeness, it is typical of the burial and resurrection of the believer. (Roman 6:4-6; Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 3:13-17)
Concerning the Lord's Supper. We believe that the Lord's Supper is a memorial ordinance restricted to faithful members of a given local church. (I Corinthians 11:20-34)
Concerning Church and State: We believe in the separation of church and state. (Matthew 22:21)
Concerning Salvation: We believe that salvation is wholly by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2: 8); and that all believers are preserved eternally. (I Peter 1. 5; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:35-39)
Concerning the Fall of Man: We believe that by transgression mankind fell, and that the fall brought about the inherent depravity of mankind, which made necessary salvation by grace through faith. (Romans 5-. 12)