A Commitment to Relevant Bible
Exposition
We believe the Bible is God's inspired
Word, the authoritative and trustworthy rule of faith and practice
for Christians. The Bible is both timeless and timely,
relevant to the common needs of all people at all times and to the
specific problems of contemporary living. Therefore, we are
committed to equipping Christians, through the preaching and
teaching of God's Word, to follow Christ in every sphere of
life.
A Commitment to
Prayer
We believe that God desires his people
to pray, and that he hears and answers prayer (Matt 7:7-11; James
5:13-18). Therefore, the ministries and activities of this
church will be characterized by a reliance on prayer in their
conception, planning, and execution.
A Commitment to Lay
Ministry
We believe that the primary
responsibility of the pastor(s) and teachers in the local church is
to "prepare God's people for works of service" (Eph 4:12).
Therefore, the ministry of Shaw Heights Baptist Church will be
placed as much as possible in the hands of non-vocational
workers. This will be accomplished through training
opportunities and through practices which encourage lay initiation,
leadership, responsibility, and authority in the various ministries
of the church.
An Appreciation for Creativity
and Innovation
In today's rapidly changing world,
forms and methods must be continually evaluated, and if necessary,
altered to fit new conditions. While proven techniques should
not be discarded at whim, we encourage creativity and innovation,
flexibility and adaptability. We are more concerned with
effectiveness in ministry then with adherence to
tradition.
A Commitment to
Excellence
We believe that the God of our
salvation deserves the best we have to offer. The Lord himself
is a God of excellence, as shown by the beauty of creation; further,
He gave the best He had, His only son, for us (Rom 8:32). Paul
exhorts servants, in whatever they do, to "work at with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Col. 3:23).
Therefore, in the ministries and activities of Shaw Heights Baptist
Church we will seek to maintain a high standard of excellence to the
glory of God. This will be achieved when every person is
exercising his or her God-given spiritual gift to the best of his or
her ability (I Cor 12).
A Commitment to
Growth
Although numerical growth is not
necessarily a sign of God's blessing, and is not a sufficient goal
in itself, we believe that God desires for us to reach as many
people as possible with the life-changing message of Jesus
Christ. Therefore, we will pursue methods and policies which
will facilitate numerical growth, without compromising in any way
our commitment to Biblical truth.
Call Shaw Heights Baptist Church at (803)
499-4997 today! | 
