MISSION STATEMENT:

To serve and lead all people into a growing relationship with Jesus.

  • PURPOSE

    Our purpose individually as a Christ-follower, and collectively as a church, is simply to Glorify God In all we do as instructed in 1 Corinthians 10:31.

  • Passion

    our passion for living, loving and serving comes in response to God's love for us (1 John 4:7-12) and it is an obedient response to the "Great Commandment" given by Jesus in Mark 12:28-31 when he told us to love him with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. 

  • SERVING OTHERS

    follows the example of Jesus who said he came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life...So as we serve others and flesh out a faith that is authentic we act in accord with these verses: Mark 10:45; 1 John 3:18; James 2:17; 1 Peter 4:10; Luke 10:25-37.

  • fOLLOWING CHRIST JESUS

    is the essence of the Christian's life as Matthew 4:19 and Philippians 3:12-14 explain

OUR BELIEFS:

 

 

1.  About God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

 

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27  Genesis 3:22  Psalm 90:2  Matthew 28:19  

1 Peter 1:2   2 Corinthians 13:14

 

2.  About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal, in essence, with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

 

      Matthew 1:22, 23    Isaiah 9:6     John 14:10-30     Hebrews 4:14, 15     

1 Corinthians 15:3, 4  Romans 1:3, 4           Acts 1:9-11     1 Timothy 6:14, 15     John 1:1-5               Titus 2:13

 

3.  About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is co-equal, in essence, with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.  He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.

 

     2 Corinthians 3:17    John 16:7-13     John 14:16, 17     Ephesians 5:18     

1 Corinthians 2:12     1 Corinthians 3:16     Ephesians 1:13     Galatians 5:25     Acts 1:8

 

4.  About the Bible

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.

 

   2 Timothy 3:16                 2 Peter 1:20, 21                 2 Timothy 1:13    

   Psalm 119:105, 160          Psalm 12:6                        Proverbs 30:5

 

5.  About Human Beings

People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

 

    Genesis 1:27         Psalm 8:3-6         Isaiah 53:6a         Romans 3:23                  Isaiah 59:1, 2

 

6.  About Salvation

Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved.  Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

 

Romans 6:23         Ephesians 2:8, 9         John 14:6         John 1:12         Titus 3:5

 

7.  About Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort

of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

 

John 10:29       2 Timothy 1:12       Hebrews 7:25        Hebrews 10:10, 14        

1 Peter 1:3-5

 

8.  About Eternity

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

 

John 3:16   John 14:17  Romans 6:23  Romans 8:17-18  Revelation 20:15  

1 Corinthians 2:7-9

 

 

These beliefs are ones we deem to be the essentials extracted from the Baptist Faith & Message, 2000. For the full listing of the beliefs in that document that we are in accord with please go to www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp

    our core values:


    1.)TRANSFORMATIONAL BIBLE TEACHING – We value seeing God transform lives & move people toward Christ-like maturity through the applied teaching of God’s authoritative Word.  

    1 Timothy 3:16 & Colossians 1:28


    2.)EVANGELISM/MISSIONS –  We believe Christ calls us to share his Gospel & serve the needs of others locally & globally. Therefore, we will go, supply, equip & send people from our church to preach & teach the good news & to meet the physical, emotional, relational & spiritual needs of all people. 

    Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 12:13, Luke 10:25-37  


    3.)AUTHENTIC WORSHIP –We believe God is worthy of our praise and that we were created to experience a personal connection to Jesus Christ through thanksgiving and praise. Therefore, we will seek to facilitate worship experiences that are Christ-centered, biblically-driven & enable people to connect to Christ by faith. 

     Psalm 8:3-4; Psalm 95:6-7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; John 20:28  


    4.)FAMILY – We value the biblical design of the family and believe that design, given by God, is best for the nurture & development of all people.  Therefore, we will resource, pray for, support and encourage Christian parents as the primary faith-shapers of their children.

     Deuteronomy 6:4-8; Ephesians 5:22  


    5.)FELLOWSHIP/COMMUNITY – We value people experiencing Christian fellowship & a vital sense of community within the church body. Furthermore, we delight in fostering cooperative relationships within our local area as we show the love of Christ while being culturally relevant and biblically rooted. 

    Acts 2:42-47; Mark 9:40; 1 Corinthians 9:22-23; Acts 17:16-34. 


    6.)   PRAYER –We value prayer as the means by which God invites us into his presence and into the stream of his activity in the world. We value such conversational prayer with God for the purposes of worship, thanksgiving, confession, interceding for the needs of others, as well as the presenting of personal needs to God by way of petition. 

     Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2, & James 5:16. 

    AFFILIATIONS:

    First Baptist Church of Lake Wales, Florida is affiliated

    nationally with the Southern Baptist Convention.


    At a state-wide level we are affiliated with

    the Florida Baptist Convention.  


    Locally, we are affiliated with the

    Ridge Baptist Association of East Polk County. 


    In our mission efforts we are affiliated with a variety of agencies

    and organizations, but a historical relationship that is of priority

    to us exists with the

    International Mission Board of the SBC (based in Richmond, VA) 

    and the North American Mission Board (Alpharetta, GA).


    While we use a variety of organizations to help with church resources, FBC-LW has had a long-standing partnership with

    Lifeway Christian Resources.