OUR VISION

 

 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

 

“To be a Spirit-filled House Of Prayer for Everyone bringing hope in Jesus’ name.”

 

“Understand what the will of the Lord is…be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:17-18

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations…”  Matthew 21:13

“There is the bringing in of a better hope by which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:19

“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17

 

OUR MISSION  

 

Grounded in LOVE in Sunday Worship…

“I pray that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all God’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17-19

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Growing in LIFE through small groups…

“We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly as each part does its own special work.” Ephesians 4:15-16

 

Going on MISSION with ministry teams.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem (Huddleston), and all Judea (Bedford) and Samaria (Smith Mountain Lake), and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

 

OUR BELIEFS

 

Palestine Baptist Church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of the Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in the year 2000. We believe that a Gospel Church is a company of baptized believers, voluntarily associated together to maintain the worship of God, and acknowledging no head but Christ, and no religious authority but the Word of God.

 

We Believe the Bible

The Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God and is the final authority for determining what we believe and how we live. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error.

 

We Are the Church

As Christians, we are a part of the "Body of Christ." We do not grow in isolation, but in community with other believers. The local church exists so we can gather to worship God, discover his plans for our lives, and live out his priorities of loving Him and sharing His Good News with others.

 

We Believe in God

There is one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being – the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God exists and reveals Himself to us in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

We Are Restored by Salvation

The first humans were created in God’s image, but because of sin, every aspect of God’s image in all of humanity has been greatly damaged. Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance of sins can one be restored to God and experience true life and fullness of joy.

 

We Participate in Baptism and The Lord’s Supper

Baptism is an outward display of your inward decision to trust Christ with your life. It is a public identification with Jesus Himself, rather than a specific church or denomination.

 

The Lord's Supper occurs as a body of believers gather to symbolically remember the atoning work of Christ on the cross through communion.

 

We Trust the Return of Christ

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all people in righteousness.

 

OUR CORE VALUES

 

PRAYER: Jesus said: “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Matthew 21:13 We value prayer in our personal lives, in our small groups, in our worship services, and throughout our community.

 

AUTHENTICITY: God desires truth in the inner person. We seek an authentic relationship with God and others. We value honesty and transparency as foundational to all healthy relationships.

 

LOVE: These three commands summarize all God requires of us.

“Love the Lord with all your heart.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 “Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34

 

EQUIPPING OTHERS: God gives a local church its staff of Missionaries, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers for one purpose: “To equip believers for the work of the ministry.” Ephesians 4:12

 

SMALL GROUPS: We desire, not to be a church with small groups, but a church of small groups.  New groups need to always be forming. Existing groups should always be multiplying.

 

TEACHING GOD’S WORD: God’s Word will accomplish all He desires. It makes us holy and sets us apart to God. We always start with the written Word of God. We also value the spoken word of God.

 

INSPIRING WORSHIP: We seek to be Spirit-led in all that we do, especially in our worship. “God is Spirit, and those who worship, must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

 

NEW CONNECTIONS: Every Sunday our congregation is sent out on mission to make new connections inviting others to “Come and See” and to “Follow Jesus,” as the Holy Spirit leads.

 

EXPERIENCING FREEDOM: God’s purpose for each of us is to walk in freedom personally, relationally, spiritually and financially. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1

 

OUR STORY

 

In 1850, Palestine Baptist Church started as a church plant of Staunton Baptist Church, meeting in a school house with just 20 members. Our first plot of ground was sold to the church for $20. Thanks to God moving and the generosity of one of our members, we purchased more land and eventually built the church we are blessed with today.

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OUTREACH!

 

Palestine Baptist Church is a church of the community! We are active with Agape Ministries, CarePortal, and the Staunton River Schools Outreach.

 

We participate with the Annie Armstrong Missions, School Supplies Backpack Drive, and Roadside Cleanup.