First Baptist Church of Woodlawn               

Here, on the Beliefs page, are some of the convictions we hold about our Christian faith and experience, convictions about the Church and its ministry, and other topics:

• God:  God is and forever will be the one and only true God.  God is both our creator and our sustainer.  He is our Father and the Lord of all He has created.  His awesome wonder is revealed to us through His Holy Word, the life of His son, Jesus Christ, and the witness and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the mission of the Church.  He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient.

• Jesus Christ:  Jesus Christ is God's Son who was with God before creation, born to human life and crucified, buried, and rose to life again for our sins.  Jesus is both fully human and fully divine.  He was sent to earth as an act of God's grace to those who would believe in him, bringing them a purpose in this life and a promise of eternal life.  Jesus became flesh that we might become holy.  Jesus is our Savior and Lord.

• The Holy Spirit:  The Holy Spirit is a free gift available to all who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit is alive, indwelling all believers.  Through the Holy Spirit we gain both comfort and strength in our spiritual journey in this life.  The Holy Spirit is available to ANYONE who believes and accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The Holy Spirit reveals to us the nature of God and teaches us God's Word through aiding in revealing the Scriptures' truths.

• The Bible and Its Use:  The Bible is the story of God's faithfulness and love toward His people and remains the promise of God's faithfulness and love for us today.  It is God's inspired word revealed to us through His wisdom.  The Bible is a guide for the Christian walk throughout life and is for instruction, inspiration, reproof, and correction that we may learn and grow in God's will for us.

• Baptism:  Baptism is an ordinance observed by our Church.  We believe that while baptism alone does not bring salvation, it is an outward reflection of an inward action.  Believer's Baptism by immersion symbolizes our desire to be obedient to Jesus Christ, to be buried and arise again in newness of life with Christ.  As the public baptism of Jesus was an acknowledgement of submission to the Creator's will, so the Christian's baptism is a public acknowledgement of submission to the judgement and will of God.

• The Lord's Supper:  The Lord's Supper is a second ordinance which our Church practices.  It is a memorial meal in which we, as a congregation, join together to remember the foundation on which we all stand, the cornerstone of which is Jesus Christ.  The "meal"  is a reminder that we are bound together and are not isolated individuals, each in search of God in their own way, but individuals who share in the fellowship of the Spirit.  The Lord's Supper is a constant reminder to each of us that Jesus Christ suffered and died that we might have everlasting life.

• The Role of The Pastor:  The role of the Pastor is to be the "shepherd" of the laity, caring for their spiritual needs and encouraging and exhorting their Christian walk.  The Pastor is an enabler of the laity, preparing them for ministry through preaching, teaching, and helping to identify and build up their gifts for ministry.  The Pastor is also to participate in the administration of the Church by collaborating with boards, committees, etc.  The Pastor is seen as a representative of the Church in the community.