Vision

Our vision is simple and straightforward:

We are disciples of Jesus Christ who live to make other disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures that impacts our thinking:

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen

Strategy

Learn the Word

Since the Bible is our supreme authority (Josh 1:8; 2 Tim 3:16), nothing is more critical than knowing God’s Word. As we learn God’s Word, we will discover how to love God the way He wants to be loved (John 14:21, 23; 15:14–15). One way to learn the Word is by listening to biblical preaching and teaching at First Baptist. You also are encouraged to listen, watch, and read other preachers and teachers who can help you learn the Bible. In doing so, you must examine the Scriptures personally to ensure the teaching is biblical (Acts 17:11). Moreover, with the privilege of owning a Bible comes the heavy responsibility of learning to feed yourself. This must include a steady diet of reading, memorizing, and studying God’s Word (Josh 1:8; Ps 119: 9, 11).

Live the Life

We strongly believe that you haven’t really learned the Word until you live the Word. As James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (Jas 1:22). Thus, we will immerse ourselves in Scripture, not merely for the sake of information, but with the goal of application and transformation. We must ensure that God’s Word is continually changing our lives, for information that doesn’t result in transformation can lead to an unproductive life (2 Pet 1:8–9). To live the life is to “. . . put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4:24; cf. Col 3:10; Rom 13:14). It means that our thoughts, words, and actions are “conformed” to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). This happens when we take the Bible and apply it to our lives. As a church family, we live the life when we serve in an area of ministry and join a Sunday school class for the purpose of spiritual growth and community.

Love the Body

One of the final truths that Jesus shared with His disciples was this: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35). The future of First Baptist Church rests on this commandment. The greatest testimony to the world is when the body of Christ unites and loves each other. When the world sees Christians loving each other, Christianity becomes nearly irresistible. Paul sums up this third step of our strategy when he writes: “. . . the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5). We learn the Word and live the life so that we can love the body. When Christians draw close to Christ, they draw closer to one another. This leads to a loving unified church that can be summed up with this catchy slogan, “A church with one heart and one mind will make for a won world.”

Lead the World

Jesus said that His disciples are “salt and light” (Matt 5:13–16). This means that as a church, we are called to flavor our society and strive to make people thirsty for the “living water” that God freely offers (John 4:10; cf. Rev 21:6; 22:17). Furthermore, we are to walk in the light and shine light into the darkness (Eph 5:8–13; 1 John 1:7). By living our lives in accordance with who we are, we will display “good works” that will glorify the Lord. Jesus’ expectation is that we will show God off to a world that so desperately needs Him. One of the ways that we can glorify God and lead the world is by seeking to introduce others to Jesus Christ (John 1:35–45). As individual members of First Baptist, we take responsibility to share Jesus with our neighbors, coworkers, family members, friends, and acquaintances. As a corporate body, we reach out to people who are in need of God’s good news. We do this through serving Grayson County, local children and youth outreaches, short-term missions, and ongoing support for vocational missionaries and para-church workers. As we faithfully obey God’s command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19–20), we are fulfilling His call to lead the world.