About First Baptist Church
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For more than 150 years, First Baptist Church has sought to fulfill a very simple purpose in Thomson:
Love God. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We believe the greatest thing we can do in this life is have a relationship with the Living God through Jesus Christ. We want to help our church members and those who visit us build a strong and vibrant relationship through opportunities of worship, prayer, and devotion.
Love People. Jesus said that the second command is like the first - to love our neighbor as ourself. We believe with the Bible that no one claim claim to love God and yet not love people, whom God made in His image. We love because God first loved us, and we show our love for God through our love for people. As a church, we not only want to share God's love with our community but also to help our church members discover new and meaningful ways to demonstrate their love. Serve the World Together. Jesus said that a city on a hill cannot be hidden. If we are shining our light, as He says (not hiding), then the world will see our deeds and glorify our Father. James says that anyone can claim to have faith; we want to be people who prove our faith through our service and love. We want to give our church members ample opportunity to exercise their faith, the gifts, and their talents in many ways as we help one another and serve the world around us. Do you want to be a part of what God is doing in and through First Baptist Church? We certainly want you to be! |
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Core Values
The Lordship of Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but my Me." John 14:6
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Evangelism
We are driven to reach people with the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19
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Service
We celebrate the spiritual gifts of every believer and encourage believers to use their spiritual gifts by serving God and His church for His glory. "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." James 1:22
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Worship
We make private worship and the corporate worship of God a high priority. Jesus said, "You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve." Matthew 4:10
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Discipleship
We hold to the authority of the Bible as the inspired Word of God and use it as the source for educating our church about God and His plans for the church. "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching." 2 Timothy 3:16
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Missions and Ministry
We are committed to our mission and ministry as we reach our hurting world. Jesus taught, "As often as you did it unto the least of these, you did it unto Me." Matthew 25:40
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Baptist Distinctives and Relationships
As a Christian church, we hold many beliefs in common with our fellow Christians all over the world. As a Baptist church, we hold some beliefs that are distinctive of Baptist churches.
- We practice baptism by immersion as a witness of one's faith in Jesus Christ.
- We practice a Lord's Supper of grace. Anyone who professes Jesus Christ as Lord is welcomed to receive the Lord's Supper when it is served.
- We practice soul freedom. We believe everyone is free to go directly to God in prayer to seek salvation, daily encouragement, strength and counsel, and the real Scripture, seeking God's leadership for interpretation.
- We practice the priesthood of every believer. We believe that every believer is a priest before God to serve Him, the church, and community.
- We practice the separation of church and state. We believe in the free exercise of religious faith without government interference, and we believe no laws should be established to support one religious group over another.
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