Philosophy of Ministry
Dr. H. Gene Richards
Pastor

A PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

FOR

HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH

Introduction

Believing our existence as a church is ordained of God and desiring to fulfill our mission, we, the Hillcrest Baptist Church, reaffirm our support of the Baptist Faith and Message (1963) as a doctrinal statement. We further reaffirm our support of and cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention, Louisiana Baptist Convention, Washington Baptist Association and their respective causes and institutions.

Our Purpose

Hillcrest Baptist Church is a family of believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior gathering together for worship, for the study of God’s Word, for Christian fellowship and nurture, for the equipping of ourselves for ministry to the community and for the evangelization of our world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our Objectives

Having identified our purpose as a church from the mandates set forth in the Scriptures, we adopt the following objectives for our church:

1. To lead members to corporately and privately worship God as they grow in an awareness of His person, character and love.

2. To teach members the Scriptural principles of Christian living in a modern world through Bible-centered preaching and teaching programs.

3. To equip members for ministry to the world through the church by leading them to discover, develop, and utilize their spiritual gifts through responsible stewardship of time, talents and possessions.

4. To be a family of faith through shared experiences of fellowship and Christian recreation for the mutual encouragement and strengthening of members.

5. To attend to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of member and to encourage their participation in the life of the church.

6. To enlist and train members to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world by penetrating society with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through personal witness and influence.

7. To educate members concerning the local, national and world-wide program of missions carried out by the cooperative effort of Southern Baptist and to enlist personal involvement in mission opportunities.

Establishing Our Objectives

Worship

Corporate worship shall be a celebration of the Christian life and faith. Worship shall be directed toward God as the audience with the congregation as participants and the pastor, staff and others as worship leaders. In worship we shall seek to experience the presence of the Living Lord and to discover more of His attributes. Members shall be encouraged to prepare for corporate worship through the practice of personal devotions and quiet time during the week.

The congregation shall participate in the worship services through praying, singing, the giving of tithes and offerings, Scripture reading, and the sharing of personal testimonies periodically. Recognizing the diversity of our congregation, we shall maintain a balance between traditional and contemporary music, Scripture songs and gospel anthems in congregational music. We shall maintain a reverent, yet informal and enthusiastic atmosphere for worship.

Proclamation and Education

We shall lead our members to recognize the Scriptures as inspired of God, without error, and the authority for doctrine and practice of the Christian life. Generally, preaching shall be expository in nature with a balance between Old and New Testaments. Our Sunday School classes shall be age-graded and Bible-centered in content.

All members are expected to be involved in regular Bible study. Both the preaching and teaching ministries of the church shall guide members to discover Biblical principles and truths and how to apply them to daily living in a modern society.

Discipleship

We shall expect every member to grow in Christ, mature in the Christian faith, and become equipped for a lifetime of ministry which is every believer’s calling. Through our discipleship program members shall be taught basic theology, Baptist doctrine and polity, church history and Christian ethics. Each member will be encouraged to discover their spiritual gifts, talents and interests, and to become involved in a meaningful ministry utilizing those gifts. We shall teach members responsible stewardship of time, talents and possessions with the tithe as the minimum standard. Church staff, leadership and teachers should be models of Christian maturity to the congregation.

Fellowship

Christian fellowship shall be an important part of the ministry of the church as a means to strengthen believers, assimilate new members, and create a warm spirit of acceptance to visitors. The church shall be a spiritual family to its members, encouraging the weak, weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice and provoking one another in love and to good works. Christian fellowship shall be enhanced through planned activities of recreation, socials, and meals for the whole church. Small group and informal fellowships shall also be encouraged.

Shepherding

Attendance and participation in the life of the church is expected of all members. The church staff and deacons shall maintain a program of ministry and care for the congregation. Each Sunday school unit shall organize for care and ministry to its members. The church shall be concerned that the basic physical needs of all members be met, that members be visited in time of crisis, that the unfaithful be contacted and encouraged, and that the faithful be acknowledged.

Evangelism

Since the priority of Jesus was to seek and to save the lost, we accept His commission to make disciple of all peoples as a priority of our church. It is the responsibility of every Christian to be a witness for Christ in the context of daily living. Members shall be encouraged to learn how to effectively share their faith with the lost. Witnessing training shall be maintained as a part of the discipleship program of the church. We shall attempt to penetrate every segment of our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by discovering prospects and maintaining a regular program of outreach visitation.

Missions

Because Jesus said we should be witnesses unto the ends of the earth we shall promote and support the missionary program of the Southern Baptist Convention. The church budget shall include funds for the support of the Cooperative Program. We shall maintain a missions education program for members of all ages to keep the congregation informed about the mission fields, needs, and the progress of missionary work. Members will be encouraged to pray for missionaries on their birthdays. We shall promote special offerings for local, national and world missions. Members will be enlisted for personal involvement in short-term mission projects locally and internationally.

Conclusion

Hillcrest Baptist Church is committed to being a church with vision, nurturing believers in their commitment to Christ, and determined to have an impact upon its community and world for the kingdom of God. Hillcrest Baptist Church shall strive to fulfill its mission and purpose without regard to race, national origin, status or gender.

The philosophy of ministry shall help us focus in on our purpose, establish our priorities and guide us in planning our ministries and programs for the future.

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Last modified: 10/13/08

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