All around us Christian doctrines that once seemed indispensable are being distorted or made irrelevant. At the same time, local church membership is increasingly emptied of its meaning, and church discipline, once a core practice of almost every local body of believers, is being dismissed as hopelessly out of step with the new cultural tolerance. Yet in the midst of this confusion and laxity, there are hopeful signs of renewal. This book is intended to provide supportive tools for those who value this recovery—churches who wish to return to biblical foundations, new church starts, leaders who train and equip church planters, or even students in Bible schools and seminary classrooms.

Each statement of belief and practice provided rests solely on the Bible. We affirm that the Bible is not only inerrant and infallible, but also entirely sufficient for showing Christians what to believe and how to live together.

This book contains three concise summaries of biblical truth and practice:

• Holding Fast the Word of Life (a statement of faith),
• The Fellowship of the Spirit (a membership agreement or covenant), and
• Restoring Those Who Fall (a statement regarding the practice of church discipline).

For those who are building, strengthening, or reforming local churches, this book will serve well as a brief manual of doctrine and polity in these three foundational areas.