1

Who are we?

www.christiandoctrine.net is the current  Web site for Bible Theology Ministries (BTM), based in Swansea, a city in Wales, UK.
BTM began in 1985 with crudely-produced typewritten notes. The founder is Barry Napier, married with two grown-up sons. Aged 55, Barry works full time at the moment to support himself. He has been the unpaid pastor of Manselton Church, Swansea, a gathering held in private homes, since 1987. Barry is assisted by 4 voluntary co-workers at present and several others on an ad hoc basis.

2 

What is our ministry?

Our calling is two-fold - to oppose error, especially within the churches, and to teach true doctrine. Both are aimed at helping to build the Church of Christ. The ministry is mainly in the realm of publishing - we publish on the Web site and in hard-copy formats.
We also occasionally speak at Christian seminars and conferences, but we do not argue or debate. And we can speak at churches, to outline what we do.
We can also advise pastors and others on matters of belief and doctrine. We are developing courses suitable for pastors who are unable to attend a Bible school full-time.

3

How are we financed?

To date, BTM and its various activities have been mainly financed by the founder and his co-workers. BTM is non profit-making. The founder is sometimes sent gifts to help him personally, as he works at the ministry every moment outside of his ordinary job, and outside of his pastoral duties.
It has been suggested that we ought to seek charitable status but, to date, we have not gone down this road, partly because our income is so small.

4

What do we believe?

 Please read our page on beliefs. If you have any further questions, just ask. Broadly, we are mostly in line with reformed theology of the Calvinistic type. However, we are NOT Calvinists - we just happen to believe in the same five points that he did.

5

Who are you affiliated with?

Nobody. At least not officially. This is deliberate, so that we can remain totally free of human allegiance and not be hampered by any kind of traditional or other humanly-devised beliefs and practices. However, we are linked spiritually and humanly, with many individuals and groups who are of like-mind.

6

If you are not affiliated to anyone, who checks you out?

All BTM's work is checked and accepted by everyone in Manselton Church before it is made available publicly. Also, we are accountable to every single Christian who reads our material. We have made a public promise to change anything we say, if it can be shown from scripture that we are wrong. Not only that, but we will say so publicly. This promise is honest and is not made by any other Christian organisation.

7

I sent an email but you ignored it! Why was that?

8

 I've tried many times to contact you by 'phone, but without success. Why don't you pick the 'phone up?

Look at the telephone number again…it is a dedicated fax-only number! That's why we don't pick it up! In the early days of BTM, Barry gave out the telephone number, but soon had to stop using it. The reason was that he had so many calls, he was swamped every day and night! Also, sadly, Barry sometimes receives death threats. He has also received bomb-threats. Hence the number is ex-directory.
Folk are most welcome to chat with Barry or with his co-workers, but every telephone call takes Barry from his main task of preparing articles, etc. When he is full-time at the ministry, Barry will have someone to take his calls. Until then, please bear with us!

9

What qualifies Barry Napier to do this ministry?

Barry was saved by grace in 1965 and has been preaching ever since. For many years he was a regularly-invited preacher at many churches, of many denominations. He also sang with his Christian mother. As time went on he saw that his beliefs were second-hand and did not match scripture. When he began to preach strictly from scripture, most churches refused to have him back!
Because of apostasy and poor teaching in the local churches, Barry began BTM. This was followed, within two years, by his leaving the local churches to begin a new work, Manselton Church, consisting of over 20 people.
Together, they studied scripture only and accepted scripture only, casting aside useless tradition and reformed beliefs that were head-only.
Barry was used by God to fight the mighty Satanic movement of the Toronto Blessing and helped over ten thousand Christians at that time, mainly in the UK but also in other parts of the world.
He has studied with a UK Bible college, researched with God's prompting, and was at one time Alumni Director for a Bible seminary and editor of its official newsletter. At that time he also undertook PhD in theology studies. Before completion he was forced to resign both the position and the studies, because the head of the college's beliefs did not match those of scripture. Barry has not since resumed his PhD, but his researches are on a similar strict level.
But, the qualification Barry prizes the most is the calling of God to his soul…a calling that is made to whom God wishes to do His work, of any race and without intellectual barriers.
The humblest servant of God may have no training whatever. What matters is that he is called by God. That is sufficient and is the only qualification a 'minister' requires.

10

Why are you so judgemental and offensive, especially toward charismaticism, Roman Catholicism and the Alpha Course?

A major part - but not the only part - of our work is to do with opposing error and heresy. That is what this Web site is all about, so it ought not be surprising if remarks are critical! We reject the idea that we are 'judgemental' and 'offensive'. Our criticisms are always rooted in scripture, not in our own thoughts.
Often, people who charge us with being judgemental and offensive, do so simply because they disagree with us. This is not true argumentation, nor is it acceptable. If you disagree with us, then do so from scripture. Just saying we are 'judgemental' or 'offensive' cuts no ice with us. Scripture tells us that many who dislike what God says view His word as a stumbling block. He says that His truth will be offensive to many.
We oppose charismaticism because it is a cult, even though its adherents are many and varied. It does not preach the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ, but is 'another gospel that is no gospel'. Thus, we reject it out of hand, and oppose it whenever we can. We oppose Romanism because it, too, is a cult, preaching a false gospel. The same goes for Alpha.
Please note that unlike our contemporaries, we do NOT respect other religions. We cannot respect those beliefs that act against God and His word! We respect people because they are people, but we do not respect any ungodly beliefs they might have.

11

Why do you uphold the 1611 AV Bible when most of the Christian world uses modern versions?

We do so because the AV is genuine and is a true translation from sound sources. All other versions are suspect and are rooted in corrupt sources. Please note that most versions are NOT translations, but are merely interpretations, usually uttered by unbelievers or those with a deviant theology. So, when opposing our trust in the AV, do not refer to the other versions as 'translations'.

12

Why do you try to say only your beliefs are true, and only your views are correct?

Nowhere in our Web site or in any other literature, do we say such a thing. Nowhere do we say that we are always right. Nowhere do we say that only we are correct. Nowhere do we say that only our church is the true church. Nowhere do we say that we are better than anyone else.
However, we can say this: When we left the usual 'system' of local churches we did so because we were called by God to come out from their midst. People who say 'no church is perfect' (a well-known saying usually said without thought) are really telling us that they are willing to put up with sin! Our own small church is not 'perfect' in the sense that we all sin - but this is not an excuse to tolerate sin in any local church…including our own. Once sin is identified it must be cast out and repented of. But, sadly, many folk allow sin to proliferate in their churches. That is why they tell us 'no church is perfect'!
As for us, we read scripture in its own light, allowing it to tell us, in God's own words, what He wishes us to know. This is very different from what usually happens in churches, where the pastor teaches his own 'brand' of Christianity, often based on denominational beliefs, or on tradition. As I told our church at the very beginning - now that we have come away from error, we can no longer go back to what is less. When we know the truth, we cannot, in good conscience, return to a lie, or to what is less than God's best.

13

Why do we show such a lack of love?

One of the biggest claims made by charismatics and ecumenists is that love is greater than doctrine. If they don't say it, they imply it. But such a claim is unscriptural, so we reject it.
Love is important. It is necessary. And it must be shown by Christians. What we have noted over the years is that all who claim that love is greater, treat us dismally! It seems that they want 'love' from us in an ever-flowing form, but they cannot be bothered to show love to us. Instead, they hate us - me in particular as the one they see as the arch-demon of a godless cult!!
Thus, all their calls to 'love' are a farce.
Love is a part of doctrine, it is not separate from it. This is what scripture teaches and this is what our critics reject. The love merchants within the churches are playing with heresy, for they downgrade God's word, which is all doctrine, every single jot and tittle of it, in favour of a man-made 'love' that replaces God's word.
Love in scripture is not a soft or sugary thing. It has compassion, but in the right place. It does not accept heresy or hatred, and cannot tolerate differences in belief caused by rejection or misinterpretation of God's word. God tells us plainly that we must cast aside and shun anyone who mishandles God's word…which says that false prophets (including pastors and teachers) are to die!
We at BTM love our neighbour and our brethren, but we will never tolerate what God hates. Nor will we ever capitulate to those false folk who constantly call on us to 'love, love, love'. There is no such command in scripture. It is an human error based on a deficient view of God, Man and scripture.
But true love, rooted firmly in God's doctrine? We can supply that in abundance!