Our Beliefs
Shandon Baptist Church statement of purpose:
To help as many as possible know, love and enjoy
the Living God and each other.
This mission is the ultimate focus of the five basic ministries of the church. These five basic ministries are: (1) evangelism and outreach, (2) worship, (3) nurturing, teaching, (4) service and (5) stewardship.
OUTREACH
Outreach includes all ministries of the church designed to lead people to unite with a local church. Shandon is committed to the expenditure of the time and money necessary to have a weekly systematic program of outreach.
Evangelism is a specialized expression of outreach, which is defined as sharing the gospel with non-Christians for the purpose of leading them to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and trusting the results to God. Shandon uses the most effective methods available to equip all parts of the church body for evangelism.
WORSHIP
Worship is the corporate and individual encounter of the believer with God that deepens his faith and strengthens his commitment to God’s intentions for his life. Corporate worship at Shandon is purposefully warm, evangelistic, exciting and designed to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. It includes music to which all people can relate. Preaching represents the “whole Counsel of God” in a way that emphasizes contemporary application and personal decision.
The church leads its members to engage in private worship. Church members are taught and encouraged in daily Bible reading and prayer. Shandon also allocates necessary resources for an organized prayer ministry that trains and involves its entire membership in regular intercession for the needs of people.
NURTURING/TEACHING
Nurturing is the spiritual feeding and development of individuals within a Christian fellowship that leads toward Christian maturity. The Sunday School performs its nurturing task through the most viable approach to small groups. Regular contact is made with Sunday School members for the purpose of meeting their personal needs.
The Bible teaching function of the Sunday School utilizes sound orthodox explanation for scriptures and contemporary application and the best available methods of instruction and motivation in order to lead class members to understanding and decision. Teachers are carefully recruited and trained so the Bible is effectively taught and organizational intent of the church is followed.
SERVICE
The church must always follow the Lord’s example and command to serve if it is the body of Christ. Service includes acts of self-giving love designed to meet human needs within and without the church fellowship. The ministry of service must be expressed through the organized work of then Deacons, the Benevolence Committee, the mission action efforts of the mission’s organizations and other organizational structures as it is deemed necessary. Service is also expressed through Sunday School class organizations and through class members meeting the needs of fellow class members.
STEWARDSHIP
A steward is a person who manages someone else’s property on the owner’s behalf in accordance with the owner’s will. Christian stewardship is the process of a Christian learning to manage all areas of his life, which is God’s property, in accordance with God’s will. This includes stewardship of spiritual gifts, money, time and the responsibilities, which God gives every Christian.
Shandon works regularly to teach all its members to obey God’s commands regarding their finances so all may receive the joy and blessing of obedience. Shandon believes that God’s intent for all Christians is that they give at least one-tenth of all they earn to the Lord’s work through the local church and that out of love they learn to give sacrificially above the tenth.
