Our Vision:
We believe that God has called us to become an authentically caring community. We are a committed group of believers that are "Growing together in Christ."
Our Vision Statement reflects both the Great Commandment of Matthew 22:37-38 which is:
“ ‘ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
and the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 which is “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Great Commandment and Great Commission are inseparable for us. For we believe our strongest and most effective witness to our world is a community of Christ-followers who love God and love one another authentically.
What does "Growing together in Christ" look like? Here at First Baptist what we call our “3 C’s” is an attempt to draw in broad strokes, the essential “marks” of a vibrant, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
How are we striving to "Grow together in Christ"?
Here at First Baptist what we call our “3 C’s” is an attempt to draw in broad strokes, the essential “marks” of "Growing together in Christ."
The “3 C’s” are:
COMMITTED …to a growing relationship with the person of Christ through worship.
CONNECTED…to the body of Christ by involvement in a life group.
CONTRIBUTING…to the mission of Christ through gift-given—not guilt driven—ministry.
Our Values:
The following seven values are what fuel us and guide us toward the vision God has given us.
Lost People
Spiritually lost people matter to God, and therefore matter to us. Since we value people and their eternal future we will share the Good News of Jesus Christ in culturally relevant, need-meeting ministry. (Matt. 29:19; Luke 15:1-31; Acts 1:8)
Grace
God’s great love and mercy is poured out on us in the midst of our sin and despair. Therefore, we will share the riches of God’s grace with others by creating a grace-filled community marked by mercy, love, safety and generosity. (Eph. 2:1-10; 1 Tim. 1:12-17)
Truth & Authenticity
Our God is absolute truth and His Word, the Bible, is our final authority on all matters of faith. Therefore, we will pursue knowledge of all that is true and align our lives with the truth of God’s Word. We will endeavor to speak the truth to one another in love and live our lives together authentically in community. (Ps. 31:5; 51:6; Zec. 8:16; John 1:14; 3:21;4;21; 15:26; 16:13; 17:17; Eph. 4:15; 2 John 4)
Passion for God
God’s passionate pursuit of an intimate relationship with us draws us to full, faithful and heartfelt devotion to Him that finds us daily surrendering to His will, while relying on His supernatural power in every aspect of our lives. (Ps. 37:4; 42:1-2; 86:2; Jer. 29:13; Matt. 22:37; 1 Cor. 2:1-5)
Personal Growth
God created us to grow and develop through our relationship with Him and others. Therefore, we will strategically encourage and equip every individual to lifelong personal, spiritual growth in the blessings, changes and conflicts our personal interactions bring. (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 1:5-9)
Relationships
Our God is an immensely relational being; therefore, as God’s people made in His image, we value living in relationships. We recognize the journey of life is not meant to be traveled alone, but together. We are, therefore, committed to developing and fostering relationships that are marked by a spirit of authenticity, vulnerability, accountability, community and teamwork. (Gen. 1:26; Eph. 4:17-5:21; Heb. 10:25; 1 John 3:11-24; 4:7-21)
Partnership
It is God’s nature to express His love in demonstrable actions. Similarly, we as members of the body of Christ, are called and designed by God to uniquely, interdependently and creatively express God’s grace through our God-given gifts. As a church we will endeavor to encourage and equip everyone according to their God-given design, so that their ministry contribution is both fulfilling and fruitful. (Rom 12:1-8; 1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:8-11)
What We Believe:
The Bible:
We believe the Bible—all sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament—is the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
God:
We believe there is one true holy God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit—each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity.
Jesus Christ:
We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Word of God who was united with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross as our substitute, for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He, the only Mediator between God and us, continually makes intercession for us and will return to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
The Holy Spirit:
We believe the Holy Spirit was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to our lives the saving work of Christ. He awakens in us a recognition of our need of a Savior, regenerates us, permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom, guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture, and uniquely graces each believer with gifts for the purpose of continuing the mission of Christ.
Salvation:
We believe the central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, we defied God, choosing to go our independent way, and as a result are alienated from God. Salvation is offered to us, wholly as a work of God’s free grace; not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness, and is personally appropriated by repentance and faith.
The Church:
We believe that here is one true universal church, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The local expression of the church called “the body of Christ” is to serve together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying God by advancing the mission of Christ.
