About the Pastor

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My name is Mark Oaks and I was ordained in and have been a Southern Baptist pastor for several years. My credentials are that I have been called by God to preach and teach His Word. I am a diploma graduate of the Institute of Biblical Studies (a Baptist institution) and I have a Master's Degree in Theology from Andersonville Theological Seminary. I have been accepted and enrolled in a Doctoral Program (Theology). I am currently the pastor at Pleasant Home Baptist Church , a Southern Baptist Church in Milton, Florida.

I am retired from the United States Air Force (1990). My wife, Cheryl and I are raising four of our grandchildren. I like to sing, play guitar, and piano (I do not play piano well enough to play publicly), and I like to garden and to fish (when I have time). I am a Pensacola, Florida native, and am living in the country near Milton, Florida.

Pleasant Home Baptist Church, where I am Pastor, is a small local church where the Bible is taught chapter and verse. This church is not associated with The Bible Church. If you ever plan to be in the Pensacola-Milton Florida area, come and visit with us. Visit our Website. Email me for directions.

While I am Pastor at a Southern Baptist Church, this online ministry, The Bible Church, is not aligned with any denomination because denominations do not always provide spiritual meat to their members, and they teach many denominational traditions instead of the true Word of God. I preach the Word and try to avoid traditions.

Here are some examples of the traditions of churches and men:

The tradition of Purgatory. It is mentioned nowhere in the Bible.

The tradition of the separate Baptism of the Holy Spirit. While Baptism of the Holy Spirit is Biblical, the tradition states that one must receive this baptism as a separate baptism before one is saved. This is not biblical. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, not through baptism.

The tradition of two second comings of Christ. The tradition says there will be a secret gathering of the church back to Christ and seven years later He will return again to judge the world. This cannot be supported in scripture. There is only ONE return--at the last trumpet at the end of the age and then Jesus will gather His church unto Him.

The tradition that Mary died a virgin. The scripture says that Mary, the mother of Jesus had other children (Jesus had brothers and sisters). Attempts to explain this away by saying they were Joseph's children by another marriage are incorrect. If the marriage between Joseph and Mary had not been consummated, then it was no marriage. This tradition attempts to deify Mary. Mary was a human and was not deity, nor has she been deified. She was highly favored by God but she is not God. To pray to or to worship Mary is idolatry.

The tradition that the gifts of prophecy, tongues (a language not native to the speaker), and words of knowledge ended during the Apostolic age. This tradition is based on a misreading of I Corinthians 13, v. 8. All gifts still exist. To state that some gifts ended and some remain limits God. He can do anything.

The tradition that we must eat only "clean" foods as outlined by the Law. All food is good. I Timothy 4:3-4. (All food is to be received with thanksgiving). See the study entitled "Food".

There are many more examples but these should give the reader an idea of what I mean by the traditions of men.

Some Further Information:

God has given me the gift of teaching and preaching and he has called me into public ministry. While I teach the Bible chapter and verse I do not copy the teachings of anyone. After careful study and prayer and with guidance from the Holy Spirit, I form my own conclusions and teach God's Word. For as Peter says, we are a "holy priesthood" able to discern what the Bible says with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Other:

In the past two or three years, I have noticed a working of the Spirit in America. More and more ministries are getting back to preaching from the Bible. Not only have they been getting back to God's Word, many are realizing that they have been using too many traditions and are beginning to change that. Praise the LORD!

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