Our Vision
God has called FBC to be a church of fully devoted followers of Christ, sent into the community and the world to live out our faith through words and actions.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to fulfill the Great Commission as we
- Proclaim the Gospel,
- Equip the Saints, and
- Go into all the world.
Based upon Matthew 28:18-20, we seek to do everything we can to help persons pursue Christ, allowing God to use us in completing the details of His mission in His own unique ways. (Read more in our Outreach section.)
Our Values
In defining who we are and what we are committed to, the following seven Core Values comprise the non-negotiables of FBC:
- Sound Bible Teaching
- Based on the truth of God’s Word
- Relationship with Christ
- That is living and growing
- Authentic Worship
- Centered on the One True God
- Koinonia (Fellowship) of Believers
- Actively supporting one another, sharing together in bearing one another’s burdens, and building up one another in our relationship with the Lord
- Extending the Kingdom
- Through missions into our community, our region, our country, and to the ends of the earth
- Relevant Ministry
- So that by His power we communicate Jesus Christ to our generation
- Spirit-led
- So that by His power and presence we might accomplish the work of the ministry God’s way
Our Doctrine
The necessity of sound doctrine in the church is a consistent theme of the New Testament (1 Tim. 1:3, 10, 4:16, 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13, 3:16, 4:2; Titus 1:9-11, 2:1). It is essential to her spiritual health (Eph. 4:14-15); it is the standard by which her conduct is evaluated (Titus 2:1); it is the faith that she contends for (Jude 3); it is the truth which she upholds (1 Tim. 3:15-16).
There is a very real sense in which we can say that the Bible is our creed. For right doctrine is an accurate and systematic statement of what the Bible teaches. It is impossible to discern right and sound doctrine without being a disciple of the Scriptures. Therefore, we affirm our dependence upon the Scriptures for our doctrine and gladly uphold the Bible as our final authority.
The doctrinal statement outlined here is neither exhaustive nor infallible. Rather, it is a summary of those truths which we hold as foundational to the Christian faith. It has been formulated to fulfill three main functions.
- To stand as a contemporary expression of faith.
- To identify us in a day of varied theologies.
- To be a standard by which we can evaluate ourselves and our contemporaries.
What We Believe
God
We believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God.
(Gen. 1:1, 26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19-20; John 4:24, 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14)
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16) and our sole Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). We believe in His preexistence (John 1:1), His incarnation (John 1:1-14), His virgin birth (Matt. 1:23-25), His sinless life (Heb. 4:15), His substitutionary atonement (Rom. 3:23-25), His bodily resurrection from the grave (Acts 2:24-27), His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9-11), and His bodily return from heaven. (Acts 1:10-11)
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead who regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals all believers in Christ and fills those believers who are yielded to God (Matt. 28:19; John 3:3-7; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12, 6:19, 12:13; Eph. 4:30; Titus 3:5).
Salvation
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from human merit, works, or ceremonies (Acts 4:12, 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9).
Bible
We believe that every word in the original writing of the Holy Scriptures is inspired of God and without error (Matt 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). We believe that it is therefore the final standard of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ and for His Church.
Church
We believe that the church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the Head and that there is a two-fold aspect to the church–the universal and the local (Eph. 1:22-23; Philemon 2; 1 Thess. 1:1; Rev. 2:3). We believe that ordinances of the local church are two in number–baptism, or the immersion of the believer in water; and the Lord’s Supper, a memorial of the atoning death of Christ until He comes.
(Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-24)
Man & Sin
We believe that mankind was created in the image of God, that we sinned in Adam, and that we are now sinners by nature and by choice.
(Gen. 1:26-27, 3:1-6; Rom. 3:10-18, 5:12-14)
Resurrection & Judgments
We believe in the resurrection of the human body; the eternal existence of all people in either heaven or hell; in divine judgments, rewards, and punishment. (John 5:25-29, 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15)
Angels
We believe that angels are personal beings, originally created holy, but now exist as fallen and unfallen, including Satan.
(Ps. 148:2-5; Matt. 25:41; Eph. 6:11-12; Col. 1:16; 1 Tim. 5:21; Jude 6; Rev. 12:9)
Last Things
We believe in Christ’s personal, visible, millenial return from heaven (Acts 1:11; Rev. 19:11-16). We believe that Christ’s coming involves two distinguishable events: the imminent rapture of the Church ( 1 Thess. 4:13-18); and His second coming in power and glory to set up His thousand year reign on earth (Rev. 19:11-16, 20:1-6). We believe that following the seven year tribulation and the thousand year reign of Christ, the Son will submit His kingdom to the Father and They will reign together throughout eternity (1 Cor. 15:23-28; Rev. 11:15).
Parent/Child Dedication
Each year at Fellowship Bible Church we hold a Parent/Child Dedication Event where parents dedicate themselves to raising their child to love God, as well as dedicating their child back to Him.
God has entrusted parents with the precious gift of new life, and we look forward to partnering with moms and dads as they embark on the lifelong journey of parenting. We pray that each Parent/Child Dedication Event is a memorable occasion for all those who participate.
Baptism
What is baptism?
The word baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo, meaning to dip or submerge. It was used to describe the process of making pickles or dying cloth. Baptism was a common practice in many ancient religions as part of ceremonial washings. During the life of Jesus, John the Baptist baptized people to symbolize that they needed to change their lives and begin obeying God from the heart. In its original context, baptism symbolized cleansing from an old, wrong way of acting or thinking and identifying with a new, God-honoring lifestyle. The baptisms also took place in public places so everyone in the community could see the difference Jesus had made in the person’s life.
In Romans 6:1-4, the apostle Paul explains the symbolism of Christian baptism: as Jesus died and was raised from the dead, we have died to our old way of life and have been raised to a new life as a result of trusting in Jesus.
Why does FBC do baptism?
One of Jesus’ final instructions to His followers was to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
We baptize people today because Jesus tells us that after a person has become His follower (or disciple), they’re supposed to be baptized. The purpose of baptism is to show people in both the church and the community that they’ve become a follower of Jesus.
Baptism will not cause God to forgive them – or help them get into heaven. The Bible does not teach this and we’re shown by example as well. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the thief hanging beside Him asked, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” There was no opportunity for the thief to be baptized but Jesus told the thief that He would see him in heaven that very day (Luke 23:42,43).
When should someone be baptized?
Baptism should be done after a person has trusted in Jesus for forgiveness of his or her sins. Jesus tells us to make disciples and baptize; FBC believes He meant it to be done in that order. That’s also the pattern seen in the Bible in places like Acts 8:38.
If you were baptized as an infant or at any time before you trusted in Jesus for forgiveness of your sins, you are encouraged to be baptized again. If the Lord is drawing you to the enjoyment of this full obedience “through faith,” we encourage you to contact the church office (304-842-4044) or speak with any one of the Elders.