Our Mission and Principles First Baptist exists to experience, celebrate, and share God's grace. We affirm six main functions as the means of so doing: Christ-centered Worship, Biblical Instruction, Prayer, World Evangelization, Nurturing Fellowship, and Caring Acts. Click on footnote for Scripture references & more materials We are committed to the following principles in order to fulfill our purpose: It's about Jesus.(1) As Christians, we are recipients of God's grace. Grace is when God gives us that which we do not deserve. His grace provides forgiveness, transforms us, sustains us, and enables our service. We are so dependant upon God's grace that we have no room to look down on others. Rather, we are to minister grace to others. We want our church to be a haven of grace.(2) Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and its only owner. Let no member think that long service or large gifts impart tenure in an office or control over any part of the ministry.(3) While cultures and traditions may change, God's Word is eternal and absolutely reliable in all that it affirms. Therefore, the Bible shall have the final say in all that the church believes, teaches, and does.(4) God's Word is God's tool in maturing disciples. We purpose to teach believers from the Bible in practical terms how to live the Christian life. We will train them in Biblical doctrine and for Christian service.(5) Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Thus, we want to be close to Him. We will nurture this relationship each day by spending time alone with God in prayer and in His Word.(6) No church rises above its prayer life; we will emphasize the practice of prayer.(7) In the planning process, our priority shall be to pray and make decisions at the leading of the Holy Spirit, instead of making our plans and then asking God to bless them.(8) Evangelism is the main work of the whole church until Christ returns. We commit ourselves to intentionally and winsomely sharing the gospel. We emphasize evangelizing those outside the church as well as our own. We are here to reach the Tallassee area for Jesus Christ.(9) Because people are most effectively reached for Christ together with others of like interests, we shall identify and concentrate on reaching out to "people groups" within our community.(10) Missions is evangelism which crosses geographical and/or cultural boundaries. Our commitment to world evangelization includes participating in missions and supporting those who give their lives to this work.(11) We see ourselves, in part, as a support group for recovering sinners. We purpose to nurture each others' spiritual growth by encouraging one another and holding each other accountable in his walk with Christ.(12) The Christian life is a quest for holiness. We desire to align our actions, words, attitudes, and affections with the nature of God. We will "feed" our inner life to be made b in the Lord, refraining from anything that weakens our resolve for righteousness, such as pornography or the abuse of drugs or alcohol.(13) In its normal state, the church exists in a unity produced by the Holy Spirit. Disunity results from our own selfish motives and actions. We purpose to preserve this unity by refraining from gossip, a critical spirit, and disunifying behavior.(14) Change and flexibility being essential to church growth, we will regularly evaluate church ministries and programs. We commit ourselves to excellence in the Lord's work. It is better to do a few things well than many things poorly. Excellence is worth the price of time, money, and energy.(15) The church is the body of Christ. The whole church is the body, not just the pastor and staff. Thus, we commit ourselves to helping members discover their spiritual gifts and mobilizing every member in service to Jesus Christ. We view the pastor and staff like coaches who equip the church for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). (16) It is every member's responsibility to promote the mission, protect the reputation, and ensure the success of the church.(17) Worship involves both joyful celebration and reverent contemplation. We will do both with the focus on Jesus Christ.(18) We purpose to support and uphold the ideal of the Christian home. A Christian marriage involves a man and woman, both believers, living according to Biblical principles, committed to each other exclusively for life, and seeking to rear godly children.(19) The Bible teaches that everything in our lives - time, abilities, and finances - belongs to the Lord and that we are to manage His resources in His way. As God has entrusted His message to us, believers are stewards of the gospel. In regard to financial giving, the tithe is the starting place. We owe God a tithe; offerings are expressions of worship above the tithe. We believe in "storehouse tithing," giving the first ten percent through the general church budget.(20) We are Southern Baptists because Southern Baptists believe what we understand the Bible to be teaching. We cooperate on a voluntary basis with the Elmore Baptist Association, The Alabama Baptist State Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. We are neither owned nor are we a franchise of any of the three. Insofar as is practical in fulfilling our mission and as long as these bodies hold to Biblical truth, we will work with them cooperatively. Click on footnote for Scripture References and related materials