Exalt, Know, and Grow
We exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, encouraging all through the Word of God to know Him and grow to be like Him.
Why We Exist
To make Disciples Who Make Disciples
What We Want To Be
We aspire to be a family of faith, called to celebrate God’s message of grace in Jesus Christ and to pray continually in His name. Guided by the living Word of God, we will bless God and nurture one another through joyful corporate worship, fellowship in small groups, and loving service. Led by the Holy Spirit, we will reach out with hearts and hands to those in need, seeking to inspire hope as we live out the life of Christ the Servant. Enabled by the Holy spirit, we trust that God will use us in drawing others to be fully devoted to Christ the Lord, training them to reach yet others who will follow Christ.
We do not see the church as existing for us. We are the church and we exist to reach the world for the glory of Christ.
Everything we do will be centered around loving Christ and people. We believe that the world is not so interested in hearing our words, listening to our music, or appreciating our architecture as it is in experiencing “God’s Love”. We believe that when love is in the house, the house will be full of an ever increasing number of precious souls who themselves will bring glory to God’s Son.
We will be thankful people, ever choosing to celebrate the redemption we have received through Christ, being grateful for the goodness of His grace as we see it in each other, and as we experience it in other various ways. We want to avoid the critical, complaining spirit that could mar our church and homes. We will deal with conflict in biblical, constructive ways. By God’s grace we will live in the peace of sharing the life of Christ and the fruit of His Spirit.
We want to be a people of integrity and excellence, reflecting the integrity and excellence of our God. We realize this desire will require our full commitment.
Goal for Each Church Member:
- Worship: Participate meaningfully in at least one weekly corporate worship experience
- Community: Join and fellowship in at least one of First Baptist Church community groups
- Service: Become involved in a regular act of loving service
- Discipleship: Pursue a role in leading a person to become a devoted follower of Christ
Statement of Faith
We believe the following statements are an accurate summary of those teachings and principles which are essential to the practice of true biblical Christianity. They are therefore are held by this church. For the complete Statement of Faith and Scripture references please see the First Baptist Church Constitution.
The Scriptures: We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. They are infallibly true, free from error, and are the supreme and final authority for Christian faith and practice.
The Nature of God: We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe the Father is infinitely holy and the Creator of all things, and that He rules His creation in faithfulness and perfect love.
The Son: We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is also the Son of Man. He became flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the, virgin, Mary by miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit. He perfectly fulfilled the divine law, and offered Himself for the sins of every person through his death on the cross. He was buried and arose bodily from the dead on the third day. He later ascended into Heaven where, at the right hand of the Father, He now continually advocates for those who put their trust in Him.
The Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, and gives spiritual life to those who believe on Him. He is the guide and counselor for all Christians. His fruit (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control) is the evidence of His presence in our lives.
The Nature of Man: The first man and woman were created in the image of God. They sinned through willful disobedience, bringing sin and death and separation from God into the world. Through Adam, all have inherited a sin nature and are condemned to eternal punishment.
Salvation: People are completely unable to save themselves from the penalty of sin but must be saved wholly on the basis of grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God and personal Savior and Lord. We believe that all who trust Christ are eternally secure in Christ.
Sanctification: At salvation each Christian is set apart by the Holy Spirit and enters a new life which is to be characterized by Christ-like motives and standards. By the power of the Holy Spirit a believer is to gradually become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The believer obtains perfect holiness when united with Christ in eternity.
Satan: We believe that Satan is a fallen angel of great power who is in rebellion against God. He is supremely evil, deceiving and tempting all people to sin against God. He will be cast into the lake of fire at the end of the age.
The Church: A local church is a particular body of the disciples of Jesus Christ who assemble together for worship, spiritual growth, service and fellowship. They work together to reach out to unbelievers both locally and around the world and to make disciples of all people. We practice two ordinances: believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These two were instituted by the Lord, practiced by the early church and explained in the writings of the New Testament.
The Return Of Christ: When the present age is complete the Lord Jesus will return to earth. While it is not possible to know the date, every Christian should live in earnest expectation of His coming at any time. His return will be associated with a period of judgment and great tribulation on the earth, following which Christ will come to the earth in power and glory to reign for a thousand years.
Eternity: Satan and those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ will be separated forever from God in the lake of fire. God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and for the saved there shall be no more death, or sorrow, or pain. The unity with God which was disrupted by sin will be restored, and we will live forever in the presence of Jesus Christ enjoying the fellowship with Him and with all believers for which we were created.