About

INTRODUCTORY VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGTA-Ar-FZ0&ab_channel=DesMoinesBibleInstitute

Des Moines Bible Institute is a ministry of Grace Fellowship Church. It is an educational ministry which uses a 2-year program resulting in a Bible diploma for successful graduates.

Our goal is to train men to understand the Bible correctly and learn how to communicate the lessons learned to others. Then for these men to use that knowledge and skill to become preachers, pastors, evangelists, church planters and missionaries. We also train women to understand the Bible and use this understanding to fulfill their roles in the church, home, their personal lives and society.

Our Story

DMBI started to address the need for formal Bible education in the central Iowa area and Midwest. It was felt that there is a great need for Bible training for men who are called to vocational ministry. Instead of sending off students to various Bible colleges around the country, we wanted to have a local option for training pastors, missionaries, and evangelists. We recognize there are a few other options in Iowa and don’t discount the good work they are doing. DMBI will provide another option with a unique approach.

OUR FOUNDER

DMBI was founded by Shawn Barr. Pastor Barr has been in full-time ministry since 1997. He started out as pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in Leon, IA. He next held several roles at Antioch Bible Baptist in Gladstone, MO including Executive Pastor, Adult Education Pastor, and also led many evangelistic efforts. In 2011 he and his wife, Delana, partnered with Grace Church to start a new church on the East side of Des Moines, which is Grace Fellowship Church.

Pastor Barr is a graduate of Iowa State University (BBA) and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MA) and is currently working on a Phd in biblical studies at Newburgh Seminary. He has written two books: “Knocking on Heaven’s Door,” and “Burning Bones: A Call for Open-Air Preaching in the Modern World.”

OUR FACULTY

In addition to staff from Grace Fellowship Church, we have other like-minded local pastors who teach our classes. All of our staff serve as volunteer, unpaid faculty.

Our Beliefs

Bible – We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired and inerrant Word of God. (see below for more information about our views on the Bible, manuscripts, translation, etc.)

God – We believe there is only one living God. He exists triunely in the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Salvation – We believe that salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone. No pre or post salvation works add to a person’s justification.

Eternal Security – Once a person has been saved, they cannot lose that salvation.

Baptism – We believe in Christian baptism by immersion of someone who has professed faith in Christ.

Communion (Lord’s Supper) – Communion is an act of remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a command. There is no grace transmitted to the participant by taking communion.

Sin – We believe that all people are sinners by nature. Sin is any behavior or thought against God and His Word.

Holy Living – Believers in Jesus Christ are called to live a life modeled after their Savior. They should reject the temptations of this world and live a pure and holy life for God. The Holy Spirit can enable us to do this. No amount of works or holy living can add to or validate our salvation; only looking to Christ secures our justification. Repentance of sin should happen continually in the believers life. For the unbeliever, any definition of repentance related to salvation is fulfilled the moment they believe in Christ. (Mark 1:15, “Repent and believe the Gospel.”)

The Church – We believe that all saved people are a part of the Body of Christ; we believe that local churches are made up of saved, baptized people who are striving to function by the tenets set out in the Bible; specifically the New Testament.

Hell – We believe in a literal Hell which is for all those who have rejected the Living God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

End Times – It is impossible to fully list our views of Eschatology. However, here are our distinctives:

Rapture – We believe in a premilinneal rapture.
We believe in the Tribulation.
We believe in Christ defeating all his earthly and heavenly enemies in the Battle of Armageddon.
We believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ (Milleneal Kingdom)
We believe in a judgement for believers for rewards and a judgement for unbelievers which will result in eternal punishment for them in the Lake of Fire.

Creation – We believe in the Genesis account of Creation. It happened is six literal 24-hour days.

Eternal State – We believe that a person’s eternity is fixed once they pass from this life. Believers in Christ go to be with Him. Unbelievers go to a place called Hell. Both believers and unbelievers will be resurrected to face their respective judgments (Judgement Seat of Christ for believers and the Great White Throne Judgement for unbelievers). After the judgement believers will be in glory with Christ forever; unbelievers will suffer conscious torment away from the Lord forever in the Lake of Fire.

Calvinism/Arminianism – We believe that neither Calvinism nor Arminianism adequately explains the positions each system are so passionate about. Therefore, we are decidedly not Calvinistic nor Arminian.

Social Issues – We believe all modern day social issues are addressed by understanding the Scriptures correctly. Our response to a few select modern day issues:

Marriage – We believe marriage is between one man and one woman.
Homosexuality – We believe homosexuality is a sin and a perversion of God’s intended institution of marriage and the family.
When Life Begins – We believe that life begins at conception and that abortion is against all the Bible communicates regarding the sanctity of life.
Intoxicating substances – We believe any substance used for recreation to alter a person’s state of mind should be avoided (alcohol, recreational marijuana, illegal drugs, etc.)

Charasmatic Movement – We believe certain apostolic gifts ceased with the completion of the Scriptures (tongues, prophesying, gifts of healing, etc.)

Affiliation – We are an independent Baptist institution with multiple affiliations. We affiliate with other Christian churches and organizations who are theologically like-minded and who have similar ministry goals. We are a ministry of a Baptist church. We embrace the rich history and tradition among Baptist churches. Of course, like every other church and group of churches, not all Baptists are alike. We join with those who are like-minded and reject those who have drifted into apostasy.

More about the Bible – In addition to believing the 66 books of the Bible are inerrant and inspired, we also believe:

The “traditional” text of the Bible is the correct text. This includes the Masoretic text for the OT and the Textus Receptus of the NT.
We reject the “Critical Text” of the Bible. Surely God did not intend to preserve his precious Word through the cutting pasting of over 6000 varying manuscripts. While much can be learned by studying ancient manuscripts of the Bible, we believe there is a line of correct manuscripts resulting in the preserved text.
We believe the texts underlying the KJV are correct; thus, we use the Authorized King James Version for all classes and homework at DMBI.