Here at FBC Soperton, our spiritual values are non-negotiable.
While culture, trends, and styles change, our values don’t. In Matthew 28:19-20 – the Great Commission – Jesus not only gave us the purpose of the church but also the values we should promote as the body of Christ:
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ ”
Therefore, what we’re all about at FBC Soperton is summed up by the following vision statement, based on the Great Commission, the very purposes of the church, and the values we hold dear. Our heart-felt desire as a body of growing believers is to be:
“Christ-Centered, Gospel-Driven, Family-Focused”
And so we always want to reflect the following values and purposes:
Christ-Centered
Everything we do as a gathered body is about Christ and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), and three biblical purposes flow from this:
Christ-Centered Worship (Purpose #1)
Jesus Christ is always at the center of our worship services. We aren’t concerned as much with style and human tradition as we are about making Christ the center of all things worshipful in order to bring glory to Him. The gospel message never changes, and worship must become a lifestyle. Every week we’re privileged to join with fellow believers in corporate worship to exalt the name of Jesus.
Christ-Centered Preaching (Purpose #2)
Our services also center on preaching Christ and Him crucified. Why? Because the preached Word of God saves (Romans 10:17). We won’t compromise when it comes to preaching the whole of God’s truth in the midst of an ever-changing world.
Christ-Centered Prayer (Purpose #3)
We value prayer and believe it should be at the forefront of everything we do as a church. Yes, we’re committed to moving ahead to accomplish great things for the Kingdom but only after seeking the Lord first and foremost. Our collective prayer is that we rely on Him alone and not our own gifts and abilities. Why? So that we can carry out everything He’s given us to do successfully and in ways that honor Him.
Gospel-Driven
Every activity and program we promote here is about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We want the “good news” that Jesus saves to drive and motivate everything we do. We want to please the Lord by our obedience to this most important matter of all — to share the gospel with every man, woman, and child we encounter, seen best in the following biblical purpose:
Gospel-Driven Missions & Evangelism (Purpose #4)
The Lord gave us the command to “Go”! In other words, share the gospel “as you are going.” Therefore, we want to always be on the “Go”! We do this best by being on mission in our homes, in our community, at our jobs, in our state, nation, and world. To apply Acts 1:8, we want to be “witnesses” for Christ in Soperton (Jerusalem), in Georgia (Judea), in the United States (Samaria), and even to other nations themselves (the uttermost part of the earth)!
Family-Focused
We’ve all heard the saying, “If the family goes, so does the church!” Here at FBC Soperton, we’re all about the whole family getting involved in God’s work. We offer something for every family member. Why? Because the church is obviously made up of families. The local church is not a building but a people, and at least two biblical purposes illustrate this further:
Family-Focused Discipleship & Equipping (Purpose #5)
Jesus very simply told us to make disciples. We want to attract, reproduce, and send out maturing believers to be on mission for God (Ephesians 4:12). We do this best in and through our Sunday School hour (9:45 a.m.), a profitable time of teaching and instruction from the Scriptures. Getting involved with Sunday School but also Wednesday evening Bible Study helps us to remember that God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. As the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12: “I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”
Family-Focused Encouragement & Fellowship (Purpose #6)
Let’s face it, life is hard. That’s why it was never meant to be lived alone. We’re called not only to believe but to belong. Our leaders and church members will encourage you to walk with God as a family. So as members of God’s family, we live life together, and this only happens as we get involved in the life of the church and the lives of its people too. Since it’s so important to be a community, opportunities for fellowship come in the form of several church ministries here.
As an effective, God-honoring church for the Kingdom, then, our vision statement is best summed up by three values – Christ-Centered, Gospel-Driven, Family-Focused – and the six purposes that reflect these values – Worship, Preaching, Prayer, Missions/Evangelism, Discipleship/Equipping, and Encouragement/Fellowship.