Fox River Bible Church is a church that sings traditional hymns.

Fox River Bible Church is a Grace Church

FRBC is one of those churches who teach grace. There are many grace churches in America. And many grace churches in the Midwest. What does this mean? These churches teach that salvation is “by grace through faith” as the Bible says. The Book of Ephesians says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8&9). Salvation from the penalty of sin today is “By grace through faith.” The Bible is very clear about this.

When you are looking for a church in Illinois (or anywhere for that matter), you want to make sure you find one that teaches that salvation is “by grace through faith.” If you are looking for a family church in Elgin, IL.— or more importantly a church that teaches the Bible in the Elgin area, or best yet, a church that preaches grace in the Elgin area, Fox Bible Church is the place to go. They are “the place for grace!” A “space for grace!”

	FRBC is Elgin’s Place For Grace
	If you live in the western suburbs of Chicagoland and are wondering “Where is a Grace church near me?” look no further. Fox River Bible Church is a grace church in South Elgin, IL.

Fox River Bible Church is Berean

What is Berean? Berean is not a denomination. Fox River Bible Church is a non-denominational church in Chicagoland. When Fox River Bible Church says they are Berean, it refers to a verse from the Book of Acts. The Apostle Paul writes in Acts 17:10&11 “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These (ie. the saints in Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” In other words, the Bereans didn’t just take someone else’s word about what the Bible says. They searched it out for themselves. When a church says they are “Berean” that means they do not just take the Pastor’s word on it — They search it out (in the Bible) for themselves to make sure that they are learning the truth. They compare what the Pastor says with what the Bible says.

	FRBC is among many Berean churches in Illinois.

Fox River Bible Church is a Dispensational Church

There are many conservative Bible churches in Illinois and many Grace churches in Illinois, but most fall under the trap of Covenant Theology or Replacement Theology. They are guilty of not rightly diving the word of truth. They are guilty of not seeing the difference between the nation of Israel in the Bible and the Church the Body of Christ. Churches who rightly divide the word of truth are sadly rare today. Yet, churches that rightly divide are important.

“What is the difference between Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology?”

Covenant Theology: The general belief defined by Covenant Theology is that God has only had one people throughout the Bible (represented as Israel in the Old Testament and The Church in the New Testament). Many covenant theologians believe that God has not abandoned His promises to Israel that He made in the Old Testament, but that He fulfilled them in a spiritual sense through Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Covenant Theologians view the New Testament Church as a continuation of Israel. Some Covenant Theologians even believe that God will one day restore unregenerate Israel.

Replacement Theology: The general belief defined by Replacement Theology is that God has had two distinct and different people in the Bible (Israel in the Old Testament and The Church in the New Testament). Replacement Theologians typically believe that Israel has fallen out of God’s favor, and that the New Testament Church has replaced Israel as God’s people. Replacement Theology is sometimes referred to as Supersessionism, with the belief that the New Covenant given to the New Testament church has superseded the Old Covenant (the Mosaic Covenant) given to Israel in the Old Testament.

Dispensational Theology: The general belief defined by Dispensational Theology is that God has indeed had two distinct and different people in the Bible (Israel in the Old Testament and The Church in the New Testament). In contrast to Covenant Theology or Replacement Theology, Dispensationalists believe that Israel has currently fallen out of God’s favor, but will one day be restored to a glorious state. Dispensationalists believe that today God is building the church, The Body of Christ.

A Dispensational approach to Bible study is nothing new. There have been many influential men of God throughout the centuries who have labored in the Word to help clear the mud of religious confusion and bring to light God’s grace.

What is a Dispensation?

Dispensation is a Bible word. In Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church in Colosse he wrote, “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;” (Colossians 1:25). See also 1 Cor. 9:17, Eph. 1:10, and Eph. 3:2. Thankfully, there are many dispensational Bible churches still around.

Usually, people who take a Dispensational approach to understanding the Bible, may recognize or acknowledge anywhere from 2 to 12 distinct Dispensations. For example, Scofield recognized 7 different Dispensations in The Scolfield Reference Bible. While understanding and determining the various Dispensations correctly is important, it is more important to make sure that you are studying the Bible Dispensationally to begin with!

C. I. Scofield defined dispensation as "A period of time during which man is tested in respect to some specific revelation of the will of God.''

In 1918, one of America’s most well-known Bible teachers, Clarence Larkin, published a classic book called “Dispensational Truth or God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages.” Larkin was a talented illustrator and his works are filled with well-drafted dispensational charts that help to understand the Bible.

In 1951, The founder of the Berean Bible Society, C.R. Stam wrote an extremely helpful book called “Things That Differ: The Fundamentals of Dispensationalism.” While explaining what a dispensation is Stam wrote, “While the principles of God have to do with His character, His nature, the dispensations of God concern His dealings with those under Him, especially with man. Many people have been frightened away from dispensationalism by the length of the word itself. The root of this long word, however, has a very simple meaning, for the word dispense means simply to deal out. The word dispensation, then, means the act of dispensing or dealing out, or, that which is dispensed or dealt out.”

Dispensational Theology is the only method
of studying the Bible that makes sense.

When a church rightly divides the word of truth, it is easier to understand the Bible. When you rightly divide the word of truth properly, many appearing contradictions in the Bible vanish.

If you live in the western suburbs of Chicagoland and are wondering “Where is a dispensational church near me?” — look no further. Fox River Bible Church is a dispensational church in South Elgin, IL.