Location
Conveniently located in Branson on the same side of Business 65/Branson Landing Blvd. as Skaggs Community Health Center. Click here for a map.
Contact Info
Branson Bible Church
533 Branson Landing Blvd.
Branson, MO 65616
Ph: 417-334-3678
Fax: 417-339-4021
Email: bbc@bransonbible.org
What We Believe
Exalting the Lord — Praise and worship of God the Father in corporate thanksgiving for His person and His work of redemption through God the Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins.
Equipping the Saved — Expository preaching and teaching of God's Word for all ages and interpreting it in a literal, natural sense.
Encouraging the Believers — Providing an arena where we can share our lives together, thus demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ in the lives of His people.
Evangelizing the Lost — Reaching out to our relatives, friends and neighbors, city, country and world by sharing the message of God's gift of eternal life to all who will
believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures, consisting of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, are the verbally inspired Word of God. They are without error in the original manuscripts, infallible and God-breathed, and are the final authority for faith and life. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Hebrews 4:12-13)
We teach the grammatical-historical-literal system of interpretation of the Holy Scriptures and accept the historical record of the Bible as accurate and authoritative. The complete revelation of God’s Word was given in its entirety for our instruction. (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:20-21; I Thessalonians 2:13; Psalm 19:7-9)
The one eternal God exists in three persons– Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are all co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, and co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16,17; 28:19; II Cor. 13:14)
God the Father eternally exists (having no beginning and no ending of being). He creates, arranges and puts in place all things according to His own purpose and grace. As the absolute ruler of all things, He is sovereign in creating and sustaining human destiny and redemption (freeing from the consequences of sin). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass, and continually directs and governs all creations and events. He does this while in no way being the author of sin. His Sovereignty does not remove the responsibility of men or angels for their choices. He has graciously chosen from all eternity those whom He would adopt to be His children. He saves from sin all who trust Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 8:6; Ps 103:19; Job 1:6; Romans 11:33; I Chronicles 29:11; John 8:38-44; James 1:13; I Peter 1:17-19; Ephesians 1:3-6; John 1:12)
The Lord Jesus Christ has existed from all eternity. He voluntarily became man, without ceasing to be God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary that He might reveal God and redeem sinful humanity. (John 1:1-2, 14,18; John 8:56-59; 10:28-30; Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31-35; Colossians 1:15)
Jesus’ death on the cross is substitutionary (He died for us, in our place) and redemptive (He took our sins and the penalty for them upon Himself). Those who believe that Jesus died for them inherit eternal life. On the basis of our belief in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins God declares us justified or righteous, not on the basis of what we are in ourselves but on the basis of what Jesus did on the cross. Our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; I Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; Romans 5:12; II Corinthians 5:21;
Hebrews 9: 22-28)
The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is exalted at the right hand of God the Father. There He serves as our Great High Priest. He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor and advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24;
I John 2:1-2)
We look for the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ at any time prior to the tribulation and millennium. When Christ comes for His Church He will catch up to Himself His redeemed ones, both those dead and alive. After the tribulation He will return to earth with His saints, to establish His thousand year, earthly kingdom. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Jude 14-15; I Thessalonians 5:9 with Revelation 6:17; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:2-5)
The Holy Spirit is eternal, co-equal and co-existent with God the Father and God the Son, having all the attributes of the Godhead. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; I Corinthians 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17)
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He brings new life to those who are spiritually dead and baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church, which is the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells (lives within) all believers permanently, immediately from the moment of salvation, and seals (guarantees and preserves) them unto the day of redemption. He gives spiritual gifts to all believers and fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him to give them power for Christian life and service. (John 3:3-8; 14:16-17; 16:7-11; I Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 4:30; I Corinthians 12:7-11; I Peter 4:10)The Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guided the apostles and prophets into all the truth as they wrote God’s revelation, the Bible. By extension He also guides believers today into God’s truth, particularly as they study and meditate on His Word. Furthermore, He grants access to the Father through prayer. (John 16:13; Ephesians 2:17,18; II Peter 1:20-21; I John 2:20,27)
A spiritual gift is an ability given to every believer by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of serving others and building up the Church. All believers have at least one spiritual gift. The Holy Spirit is sovereign in His selection and distribution of these gifts for the believer. (I Corinthians 12:4-11; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-16; I Peter 4:10-11)
Some gifts, often identified as sign gifts, were given as signs to the nation of Israel in order to authenticate the message of the first century church. These gifts, such as tongues, miraculous healings and others, gradually ceased as the New Testament was completed and its authority was established. (I Corinthians 1:22; 12:4-11; 13:8-12; 14:1-40; II Corinthians 12:12)
God still works miracles today when He chooses. He also hears and answers the earnest prayers of believers for the sick in accordance with His will. (John 15:7; I John 5:14-15; James 5:14-18)
Man, created in the image and likeness of God, was without sin. However, Adam’s original sin brought about spiritual death, which is separation from God. Since Adam was mankind’s representative, the consequence of his sin, both physical and spiritual death, was passed on to the entire human race. After Adam’s sin, all men have been born with a sinful nature and choose to sin, with the only exception being the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through believing in the Lord Jesus, whose death was a substitute for fallen man, that we can be saved from spiritual death and reconciled (restored) to fellowship with God. (Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 3:1-24; Psalm 14:1-3; 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:3,16,36; Romans 3:10-18, 23-28; 6:23; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:22-28; I Peter 1:18-19)
Salvation, provided through Jesus Christ for all humanity, is totally a gift of God’s grace through faith and not by any human works. God brought reconciliation (restored the broken relationship) between Himself and rebellious mankind through Christ’s death on the cross. Faith that leads to salvation is from God and involves the following: first, a genuine change of mind and heart, leading to the acknowledgment of the fact that one is a sinner, condemned before God; second, an understanding that Jesus, as our substitute died for our sins; and finally, a trust in Jesus Christ alone to save from the penalty of sin. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-6; Romans 1:16; II Corinthians 5:21; Acts 17:30; 20:21; I Thessalonians 1:9; Romans 5:12; 10:9-10; John 3:16; 5:24)
Salvation includes regeneration (given new spiritual life), justification (declared judicially righteous), and adoption into God’s family. (John 1:12-13; Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:5)
Faith in Christ that brings salvation will result in good works that reflect God’s character. (Ephesians 2:8-10; James 2:17,20,26; II Corinthians 13:5; II Timothy 1:9)
Security:
We believe that all the saved—those who have genuinely trusted in Jesus Christ— will be kept (preserved) by God and will be secure in their saving faith until that time when God chooses to take them to be with Him forever. (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8)
Assurance and Human Responsibility:
Assurance is the knowledge and confidence that one’s sins are forgiven and that eternal life is a present possession. We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. This assurance, however, is not an excuse for sin. God in His holiness cannot tolerate sin in His children, and in love He will correct them. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15; Romans 8:6-13,16; I John 5:13; Hebrews 12:6)
We believe that God, in the Scriptures, has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. This includes salvation from the penalty of sin, and just as surely, the provision of sanctification (separation) from sin. Sanctification from sin affects the believer in two ways– positionally and practically.
Positional sanctification (i.e., justification) as a work of the Holy Spirit is complete and is without further growth. Practical sanctification (i.e., progressive sanctification) is a result of the work of the Spirit using the Word of God to provide the nourishment for growth in maturity in Christ. While practical sanctification is assured by the Word and the Spirit, it is imperfect in this life. There is some element of corruption in every part of the fallen nature, which is the source for the war between the flesh and the spirit. The maturing of believers is the result of obediently feeding on the Word, submitting to the Spirit of God, and fellowshipping with other believers for service and accountability. (John 17:17; I Corinthians 1:30; Romans 6:19,22; Hebrews 10:25; I Peter 2:2; II Peter 1:3)
All of the saved should live in a manner that brings glory and honor to their Savior and Lord. This includes separating from all apostasy, sinful practices, and inappropriate associations as commanded by God. Such separation should be done with a humble, gracious spirit. (II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-17)
We uphold the sanctity of marriage as a God-ordained, special union between one man and one woman, where sexual relations are both honored and affirmed by God. The Bible teaches that all sexual unions outside of marriage, as thus defined, are sinful. Adultery, bestiality, bisexuality, fornication, homosexuality, incest, lesbianism, pornography, rape and all other sexual actions or relations outside of the marriage relationship between one man and one woman are perversions of human sexuality and are sinful. The Bible opposes sexual sin while demonstrating compassion for those ensnared by it. God forgives and heals all people who respond to His grace. As a local body of believers, we believe in being consistent when dealing with both heterosexual and homosexual offenses. (Genesis 2:22-24; 19:4-13; Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-32; 7:2; I Corinthians 5:1-2; 6:9-10; 7:1-14; I Thessalonians 4:3-7; Hebrews 13:4; Ephesians 5:25-28)
Personal Evangelism and Worldwide Missions
It is the privilege and obligation of those who have trusted Christ to witness by their life and speech to the truth of the Bible and to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind.
All believers, as led by the Holy Spirit, are personally responsible for evangelizing unbelievers.
Evangelism is further accomplished worldwide by sending missionaries directly from the local church or in cooperation with mission boards or other agencies. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20)
The Church
The Church is the spiritual body and bride of Christ. He is its head and gives it life. The Church is composed of all born again believers from the day of Pentecost until it is caught up to heaven. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Colossians 1:18)
The local churches are God’s basic organizational plan for the training, worship, and ministry of those who have trusted in Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; John 17:18-20; Acts 1:8)
The local church is ruled by Jesus Christ as the head, through elders and deacons. These leaders are to be selected according to the standards expressed in the New Testament. (Acts 6:2-4; 14:23; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
We practice the ordinances of believers’ water baptism by immersion as a testimony of salvation and the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; 10:47-48; I Corinthians 11:23-32)
Satan
Satan, also called Lucifer, is one of a multitude of spiritual beings that God created known as angels. Satan led in warfare against God a third of the angels who fell from heaven with him and became demons or active agents in carrying out his unholy purposes. Others who fell were delivered into chains of darkness where they are being held until the judgment. (Revelation 12:1-10: II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19)
He became the author of sin in the world when he deceived Eve, which brought about Adam’s willful sin. In the world today, he initiates false religious movements. (Job 1:6-7; II Corinthians 11:13-15; I Timothy 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; 11:3)
Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man, and will be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 4:2-11; John 12:31; Revelation 20:10)
The Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ came to this earth for the first time when He was born in Bethlehem, died on the Cross, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, and is now at the right hand of the Father interceding for all believers.
Believers are waiting right now for the rapture of His Church which will occur prior to the seven year Great Tribulation, a time of severe judgment of the world. After this tribulation He will return to earth with His saints to establish His millennial kingdom, His 1000 year personal reign on earth. (I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-9; Revelation 3:10; 5:10; 6:16-17; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
The Eternal State
All men will be bodily resurrected, believers in Jesus Christ to eternal life and unbelievers to judgment and everlasting punishment. At death the souls of those who have trusted Christ are absent from the body and present with the Lord. Soul and body will be reunited at the second resurrection to be with the Lord forever. (John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6,12-13)
Calendar
| March 2010 |
| Tue, 2nd: |
Play Group for Moms and their kids, from 10AM to Noon at the church (will be meeting every Tues. at the same time) |
| Thu, 4th: |
Men’s Bible Study, every Thursday at 6:30 AM |
| Fri, 5th: |
Women’s Bible Study, every Friday at 2:15 PM |
| Tue, 9th: |
Branson Bible is hosting the IFCA Ozark Regional, 9:30AM-2:30PM (NO PLAY GROUP THAT DAY) |
| Sat, 13th: |
RIOT youth activity at the Griffis ranch in Ava |
| Sun, 14th: |
Daylight Savings Time begins |
| Sat, 20th: |
Elders Retreat, 9AM-2PM at Darrell’s office |
| Sat, 27th: |
RIOT youth work day (contact Jeff, Sarah, or Eric if you have something you’d like to have done) |
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Staff
Dr. Rich Toliver — Senior Pastor
 Dr. Rich Toliver first became a pastor in 1978. Following pastorates in both Arkansas and Iowa, he became Senior Pastor of Branson Bible Church in 1986 until the present time. Pastor Toliver trusted Christ following completion of his undergraduate work in mathematics and during a time when he was teaching school. He then received both an M. Div and a D. Min. from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, IN. Pastor Rich presently serves on the Board of Trustees of Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, MO, as well as the Board of Directors of IFCA Intn'l, a fellowship of churches with its headquarters in Grandville, MI.
Pastor Toliver and his wife of 29 years, Patti, have four adult children who are all serving the Lord in various capacities.
Jeff Griffis — Associate Pastor
 Pastor Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Secondary Education from College of the Ozarks in 2005. Jeff and his wife, Clara, recently served as missionaries with New Tribes Mission for two years in Venezuela, teaching missionary kids whose parents work with un-reached tribal groups. Born and raised in Venezuela, they speak Spanish fluently and have a heart for missions.
Their desire at Branson Bible is to disciple young people through personal relationships and active involvement in various aspects of their lives, as well as through consistent teaching from the Word. Jeff and Clara also have a passion for challenging families to become truly connected with and integrated into the life of the local church.
Sarah Pallozzi — Secretary
 Sarah graduated from Calvary Bible College with an associate’s degree in Elementary Education, then completed a bachelor of arts
in Family and Consumer Science in 2008 at College of the Ozarks. Her husband, Eric, whom she met at Calvary, is currently pursuing a career in accounting. It is their desire to use that as a ministry in the years ahead.
Eric and Sarah are not only active in helping with the
Children’s Christmas plays and summer programs, but are also an intrinsic part of the youth work at BBC. Their heart for the youth of our local church is that the teens grow in their desire for the Lord and that they would actively pursue a personal relationship with God.
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