Christ United Reformed Church

San Diego Reader: What is your favorite subject on which to preach?

Pastor Michael Brown: We’re commanded to preach the word, as Paul says to Timothy, in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word.” So, my requirement by God is to preach the whole counsel of God, all the Scriptures and always preach Christ from those Scriptures. The truth is the subject I want to preach on; that is, the person and work of Jesus Christ straight from the Scriptures.

SDR: What is your main concern as a member of the clergy?

PB: The American church — at least in broad evangelicalism — has, sadly, lost the message of the gospel in the person and work of Christ where they’ve reduced the gospel and Bible to helpful tips for living. That’s fine as far as it goes — good moral tips — but we don’t need God becoming a man and dying on a cross for us to have good moral tips. I can get those from watching SpongeBob. So, my biggest concern for the church is that the person and work of Christ is central, and my biggest concern in the culture is the same — of course addressing all the problems and social ills of postmodern philosophy.

SDR: Why did you become a minister in the first place?

PB: Ultimately, the only thing in this life that gives us hope is the hope of heaven — not the hope of improved circumstances in our temporary lives, but ultimately being made right with God. How we are made right with God is a question with an answer that needs to be made known throughout the world.

SDR: Why United Reform Church?

PB: United Reformed is what lined up most faithfully with Scripture — that we are saved by God from our guilt and sin by His grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. With that comes a whole understanding of Scripture organized around God’s covenant of grace with us. This is what the Protestant Reformation is all about — that Scripture has authority over the pope or college of cardinals.

SDR: What is the mission of Christ United Reformed Church in Santee?

PB: Our mission is to make disciples of Christ, which is what Christ asked us to do — to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all things He commanded us, and equip them for a life of gratitude to God by proclaiming Christ, tending to the needs of others, and caring for them, but also to evangelize the unbelieving.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PB: The Bible is very clear that those who are in Christ will be with him forever in glory. When you die the soul is immediately with Jesus…and on the last day the soul and the body will be reunited and the body will be raised and glorified and made like unto our Lord and live in a new heaven and new earth forever in eternity for only those who received the good news by faith alone. It’s a free gift offered to everyone, and sinners only need to receive it. But those who are outside Christ will not be with Him in glory. Those who reject Christ will receive the punishment we all rightly deserve because of our sin — what is known as hell.