First Baptist Church of Vineland, NJ

Welcoming, Witnessing & Winning for the Kingdom of God

OUR BELIEFS

The purpose of this church shall be to worship and glorify God and to proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, for the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  It shall seek to attain this end through the public worship of God, the preaching of the Gospel, the teaching of the Word of God, consistent Christian living by its members, personal evangelism, missionary endeavors, and Christian growth.

American Baptists partake of two ordinances exemplifying obedience to our Lord's commands:

  Believers' baptism.  We follow the biblical example set by Christ by full immersion in water, outwardly expressing the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior and symbolizing the cleansing of our sins through the shed blood of Christ.  Baptism is not necessary for salvation and can only be administered to those who have the maturity to understand its profound significance: resurrection to a new life in Christ.   

The Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, commemorates the sacrifice of our Lord. The Bread and Cup symbolize the broken body and shed blood offered by Christ.   All who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior are welcome to partake.   

Baptists recognize believers of other denominations as "brothers in Christ" and cooperate with them in those things which can be better accomplished together than separately.  However, local autonomy is still a cherished mark of Baptists.  Though inter-dependence is accepted, and local congregations maintain relationships with other churches, each local congregation is fully independent and governs itself.

The priesthood of all believers tenaciously held by Baptists is often misunderstood as meaning that each Christian is his own priest.  It is more accurately understood that the priestly function of bringing people to God and God to people belongs to every follower of Christ.  The pastor's role is more the instruction and encouragement of the people of God in ministry than to be himself the "minister."  The concern of Baptists for one another and for the whole world springs from this understanding of the priesthood of all believers. (1 Peter 1:9, Ephesians 4:11-12)

As would be expected from adherence to the priesthood of all believers, Baptists have given witness to the love of God in Christ all around the world.  Baptist missionary policy has been to develop strong indigenous churches, most of which now function without missionary assistance and even carry out missionary endeavors of their own.  This, coupled with institutional service (schools, hospitals, special ministries), has built up a strong family of Baptist Christians around the world.