“Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ, and,
“We promise, therefore, by the aid of the Divine spirit, to work together in Christian love, remembering each other in prayer, and aiding each other in sickness and distress. We further promise to be sympathetic in attitude, courteous in speech, slow to take offense, and always ready for reconciliation.
“We also promise to work and pray faithfully for the advancement of this church in knowledge, wisdom and holiness, and to attend regularly its worship, participate in its ordinances, and abide by its doctrines. We moreover promise to use willingly the talents we have for its program, and to contribute cheerfully to the expenses of its local ministry and its commitments in the worldwide spread of the Gospel.
“We promise that, if we move from this community, we will unite as soon as possible with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.”
REGARDING A VISION FOR FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STURGEON BAY
~ PURPOSE STATEMENT ~
Our church constitution states the following:
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
This church exists as a community of Christians dedicated to the glorification of God through
1. worship and the administration of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper,
2. proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in all the world,
3. instruction of believers in matters pertaining to the Christian life,
4. ministry to the needs of people,
5. mutual encouragement of members in fulfilling Christian life aspirations,
all of which shall be consistent with the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures.
~ MISSION STATEMENT ~
In keeping with the spirit of our purpose statement and springing from the truth of God’s word, First Baptist Church’s “Mission Statement” is:
WE HELP EACH OTHER WORSHIP, KNOW, AND PROCLAIM GOD.
IMPLICATIONS OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT
1. Those who identify our church as “their church” and especially those who have joined our membership will agree that Christ Jesus calls us to emphasize worship, Christian education, and outreach and missions. The mission statement conveys these priorities.
2. The mission statement exists to guide not only the pastoral ministry and the church leadership, but also individual believers. The statement calls a believer to take seriously one’s own involvement with and personal commitment to individual and corporate worship, individual and corporate growth, and individual and corporate ministry.
Further, it should be a goal of every member of First Baptist Church to be committed to faithful and regular attendance at worship services, meaningful involvement with other believers in a smaller group setting, and appropriate personal ministry engagements.
3. The mission statement leads to the development of a vision statement, which indicates the church’s ministry values but does not necessarily specify ministry “action steps.”
~ STATEMENT OF VISION ~
The 1996 report of the Long Range Planning Committee recognized that the many ministries and activities in which our church engages could generally be classified in one of the following four ministry categories:
Worship
Christian Education
Outreach and Missions
Special Ministries and Hospitality
There is consistency and continuity among the purpose statement, mission statement and ministry categories indicated above. The next page includes 17 ministry values guiding our church’s leadership when making decisions and considering ministry opportunities and “casting the vision” for the future.
~ MINISTRY VALUES GUIDING FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH LEADERSHIP ~
In order to accomplish meaningful ministries in the name of Jesus Christ and for the sake of Jesus Christ, First Baptist Church shall give ongoing consideration to the following ministry values:
WORSHIP
1. Worship is central.
2. Worshipers have physical needs that must be considered.
3. Prayer is crucial in the worshiper’s life.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
1. Christians are lifelong learners.
2. Children, youth, and family ministries are paramount.
3. Quality infant and pre-school ministries and facilities are important.
4. Christian education, outreach, and recreation are closely related.
5. Education efforts are part of a “ministry whole.”
1. Churches support missions and missionary efforts.
2. Healthy churches start new churches.
3. Missions around the world and close to home need support.
4. Outreach to the local community is vital.
5. Church buildings are means for ministry and outreach.
1. Followers of Jesus love their neighbors.
2. Small groups grow disciples.
3. Believers work for the benefit of others.
4. Churches value hospitality.
~ MINISTRY PHILOSOPHY and GROWTH STRATEGY ~
In order to become the people of Christ our Lord intends
and to meet the challenges of future ministry,
we covenant together
to pray,
to teach and preach the Word,
and to trust in the sovereignty of God.
It is the aim of First Baptist Church to realize both spiritual growth and numerical growth, with primary emphasis on personal, spiritual growth and discernible progress toward being more like Jesus Christ. A church comprised of people committed to becoming more like Jesus will result in more people being touched by God’s love and more people choosing to become part of FBC.
Questions? Call: (920) 825-1469 or E-Mail: fbc@sturgeon-bay.com