What We Believe
Our Purpose
The body at Charity Baptist Church is bound by a three-fold purpose:
First, the primary purpose of this body is to glorify God. Just as Jesus Christ bestowed every spiritual blessing upon the church for the purpose of glorifying God, so should the church conduct all its activities with this same goal in mind (Ephesians 1:3, 6, 12, 14). Whether gathered together or scattered throughout the week, the chief purpose of the body of Charity is to bring glory to God (I Cor 6:20, 10:31; Col 3:17; Rom 12:1-2).
Second, the purpose of this body is to edify the saints. Edification is the building up of one another in love, unity, spiritual maturity, and the knowledge of Christ (Eph 4:12-16). This purpose is primarily achieved when the church is gathered together; therefore, each activity—worship services, Sunday School classes, revivals, conferences, dissemination of literature and other God-glorifying activities—should serve to edify the saints present at the gatherings.
A critical aspect of edification is equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. The pastor and elders are tasked with equipping the church body so that they can effectively serve one another and minister to the lost (Eph 4:11-12; I Pet 5:1-3).
Third, the purpose of this body is to evangelize the lost. Evangelism is primarily carried out as the church scatters, rather than when the saints are gathered. The church is to go and make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all things commanded by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Mt 28:18-20).
When gathered, the Body of Charity shall carry out its purpose in the following ways—preaching and teaching (1 Tim 4:13; 2 Tim 4:2), praying (2 Tim 2:1-3), singing (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16) partaking in the Lord’s Supper (I Cor 11:33-34), administering discipline when necessary (Mt 18:15-20; I Cor 5:1-13), and giving financially to the Lord (I Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 9:7). There is some flexibility in the execution of these elements under the guidance of the pastor and elders.
Our Distinctives
These are biblical convictions and ministry priorities that shape us as a local church:
Expository Preaching & Teaching.
Our preaching and teaching center on verse-by-verse exposition of God’s Word so people hear what God actually says — not what merely sounds good. This approach emphasizes the text, its context, and practical application. We do sometimes preach & teach topically, yet even then, the text and context remain supreme. We believe this approach most faithfully honors Scripture as our final authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 4:1-2).
Elder-led Congregation
We affirm the biblical model of church leadership, which establishes a plurality of elders—godly men equal in authority—who are appointed to shepherd the flock, oversee the ministry, and provide spiritual guidance (1 Peter 5:1-4, Acts 20:17-36, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Timothy 3:1-7).
Emphasis on Community
Scripturally, the local church is not a club, a crowd, or a loose collection of individuals. It is a community of believers who know one another, hold one another accountable, commit to one another, and faithfully meet together (1 Corinthians 12:1-31, Hebrews 10:19-25, all the church letters). Scripture goes so far as to describe the local church as a family (Ephesians 2:19; 1 Timothy 5:1–2, Galatians 6:10). Therefore, we emphasize community as a faithful expression of God’s design for the local church.