First Baptist Church of DeSoto exists to make disciples by exalting Christ, equipping the church, and engaging the world for the glory of god.
WHY DO WE EXIST?
The world is a theater to display God’s glory. This is the end to which everything was created. God made humanity to glorify him and enjoy him forever. By grace, God redeemed his people so that they would showcase his beauty and holiness to the world. This is why Ephesians 3:21 states, “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” God’s glory is what compels the church to fulfill its mission. Because God has been gracious to us in by extending salvation to his people, we seek to be a people filled with grace, who, by the power of the Spirit, make disciples of Jesus. All of this we do for the glory of God.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Since God is most glorified through his redemptive plan, the primary way the church displays God’s glory is through advancing the Great Commission. The Great Commission is Christ’s command to the church in Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This is the church’s singular objective. Thus, when the church makes mature disciples of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God is glorified.
HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH OUR Mission?
Our strategy for making disciples for the glory of God involves three steps: exalting Christ, equipping the church, and engaging the world.
Below is a diagram and an explanation of each of these components.
living out the gospel
God has redeemed his church from the penalty and power of sin through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. The gospel is not merely a message that changes our eternal destiny; it transforms everything about us. All of our conduct and ministries are to be done as a result of the gospel. When we understand and grasp what God has done for us through his Son Jesus, our response is to live out the implications of this gospel both individually and corporately as a church.
STEP ONE: Exalt Christ
The gospel changes what our hearts desire. When the gospel is correctly understood, embraced, and applied, our idolatrous tendencies are replaced with authentic worship of God. Therefore, we gather together corporately every Sunday to worship in song and praise, in individual and corporate confession of sins, in prayer, in giving, in the instruction of the Scriptures, and in the regular observance of the ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
STEP TWO: Equip the Church
God has designed and instructed Christians to do life with a group of believers, who can admonish and encourage one another in faithfulness and obedience. The gospel enables and empowers Christians to develop intimate relationships with one another, as it frees us from having to disguise our sins and short-comings. While there are many ways to build community, two of the most effective ways are through Bible Study Groups and our Grace Way Gathering family ministry.
The focus of our Bible Study Groups is to learn from the Scriptures for the purpose of being prepared to live in the world as faithful disciples of Christ.
The focus of our Grace Way Gathering family ministry is to equip individuals, parents, students, and children with a biblical worldview so they may be grow in their faith and live in the world as faithful disciples of Christ.
STEP THREE: Engage the World
As the church grows in its understanding of the gospel, it is transformed into an open-handed community of people who give freely of their time, gifts, and resources. Put simply, the gospel turns a church’s focus outward, to the concerns of others. The church focuses outwardly, by communicating the gospel through both words and actions. To neglect either one of these is to seriously hinder the advancement of the mission. Therefore, the church must proclaim the gospel as well as meet the needs of others. This means serving one another, the church, and the world.
