A welcoming family to all who enter
Denominationally, we are a Southern Baptist Church (SBC). That means that we are in friendly cooperation with other Southern Baptist churches. The principle areas in which this cooperation is demonstrated is in our united efforts for missions and theological education. While we do cooperate with non-SBC churches, the level of cooperation depends upon the level of our agreement on important theological and cultural issues. In other words, our level of participation will correspond to our level of agreement.
Theologically, we are a Bible-believing church. We seek to hold conservative beliefs while still being a loving and gracious people. We do believe that God’s Word is the only true and trustworthy guide for all areas of life. From the Bible, we derive our principles for living.
We ARE an independent church!
Every SBC church is completely independent. We voluntarily affiliate ourselves for the purpose of accomplishing the Great Commission. There is no denominational control or hierarchy, as there is in most other denominations. Each church is self-governed and determines its own affairs. For example:
- Every SBC church chooses its own pastor.
- Every SBC church owns its own buildings and assets.
- Every SBC church determines its own programs.
The advantages of affiliating with the SBC.
- It allows us to identify ourselves with other Christians around the world who are known for their commitment to the Bible. Unlike other groups, the SBC has no man-made creed… the Bible is our sole authority.
- It allows our church to participate in the largest missionary organization in the world. Through the SBC’s “Cooperative Program,” we help support over 9,000 career missionaries in 125 countries.
- It allows us to be a part of a tremendous mobilization of church members around the country. About 100,000 Southern Baptist each year participate in short-term mission and disaster relief projects, at home and abroad.
- It allows us to be a part of training, through our six seminaries, about 12,000 pastors and others each year who are called to vocational ministry.
- It allows us to be a part of the LifeWay Christian Resources, the largest publisher of religious materials in the world. Orders come from over 70 countries around the world.
Our Beliefs
Our methods may change, but our mission and beliefs never will. Our foundational beliefs are rooted in God’s Word, and they guide everything we do.
Holy Bible
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (2Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory (John 1:1,14, 20:28; 1Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1Timothy 2:5).
Redemption
Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Gen.1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).
Repentance
Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; 1 John 1:9).
Sanctification
Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).
The Indwelling of Jesus Christ
Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelations 3:20).
The Lord’s Supper
A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).
The Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).
The Trinity
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).
Virgin Birth
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 23-25; Luke 1:27-35).
Regeneration
For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (John 6:44, 65).
Salvation
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).
The Blood of Jesus
The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).
The Church
The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ great commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23).
Resurrection
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).
Our Staff
Rev. Joel D. Hunt, Pastor
Cell: (850) 426-0997
Office: (850) 564-0042
Joel Hunt is pastor of Floridatown Baptist Church in Pace, Florida. He has served as the Pastoral Ministries Director for the Santa Rosa Baptist Association, Santa Rosa County, Florida, and he attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, NC. Joel and his wife, Jane, have two children.
A Few of Our Team
Working on getting a short bio from each….