Who We Are

Reformed Brethren is an online resource to discuss Christianity from current events and theological scholarship. We seek to provide a place where Christ is exalted through the edification, education, discussion and observations of the Church visible within culture today.

As the title of our blog says, we come from a Reformed stance in our doctrine and believe that man’s chief end, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

Soli Deo Gloria!  Solus Christus!  Sola Fide!  Sola Gratia! Sola Scriptura!
(Glory to God alone, Christ Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Scripture Alone)

Our general theological statement of belief:
  • First and foundationally, we believe in the inerrancy, infallibility, inspiration, and functional authority of Holy Scripture. We believe that the Holy Spirit uses His Word to convict, regenerate and illuminate hearts to see the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.
  • Second, we believe that the Holy Scripture clearly encompasses the five “solas” of the Protestant Reformation: we are saved by God’s grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) in Christ alone (solus Christus), to the glory of God alone (soli Deo gloria), and Scripture alone is the foundation of the Christian beliefs and practices above tradition or any other teaching.
  • Third, we believe there is one God who exists in three co-existent, co-eternal Persons (the Trinity) being the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
We more specifically identify with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

 

 

 

 

Current contributors to this site are:
Rev. Stuart Condra
Stuart Condra is a worship pastor in Columbia, South Carolina who has a heart for leading people to know and experience God.  Stuart has taught on worship theology and practice in Europe, Asia, and the US.  “If we see God as He truly is (versus what our experience, culture, or preferences influence us to see), we cannot help but to fall on our faces and worship Him.”  You can contact Stuart at stuart@riverlandhills.org.
 
Steve Herbert
Recently Steve spent the most trying year of his 30 year career as the Chief Executive Officer of a troubled financial institution; leading his employees in an unsuccessful effort to avoid failure.  Before that, Steve served as Chief Financial Officer of the same company for a long time.  Steve has seen many worldly things he worked for come to nothing.  He now wants to commit the time he has left to the significant and eternal purposes of God.  But like many, he is unsure of God’s calling in his life.  Steve is a regular guy trying to let God’s purpose unfold for his life.  (Steve is also known as “The Truthinator”.)
Adam Martin
Adam Martin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and is currently studying theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a focus in Pastoral Counseling and Preaching. Adam serves a High School Ministry in Fort Worth, Texas and enjoys engaging in theological discussion, teaching, worship and leadership development.
 
Russell Patterson
Russell Patterson works in sales and marketing for a firm that supplies international trade statistics.  He has a passion for seeing the truths of scripture taught and lived out in the lives of students, and so is active with the youth and college ministries in his church fellowship.  He has been married for nearly 19 years and spend his free time with reading, enjoying movies, gaming, and kayaking on occasion.
   
Dr. Tim Phillips
Tim Phillips serves as associate pastor of Riverland Hills Baptist Church. He received his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville Kentucky, and is a certified Biblical counselor with the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. Tim’s passion is to teach God’s Word and to disciple believers in how to apply Biblical truth to daily living. Tim enjoys reading, walking, writing and playing the guitar and dulcimer. He is married to Debbie and has two grown children.
   
Jay Wingard
Jay is the owner of a new media firm and is a student at Columbia International University studying Biblical Languages.  Jay enjoys teaching Bible and theology.  He also maintains a blog with a focus on Reformed Theology called Soli Deo Gloria.  He is married and resides in South Carolina.  Dubbed “Puritan Jay”, he loves to read the Puritans and pretty much anything by MacArthur, Piper and Sproul.  He also loves to write music and mountain bike.  You can contact him via email at jay@jaywingard.com.
   
Angie Wingard
Angie is a sales representative for a local cable television network in Columbia, SC.  She’s also a song bird in her church’s choir.  She’s tried to talk us into renaming the blog to “Reformed Brethren and One Cool Sister” but it just doesn’t have quite the ring.  She’s active with the AWANA program and teaches Bible study for young children.  In her free time she loves photography.