What is the Mission of Boulevard Baptist Church?
Our Mission Statement : Loving God…Loving People…Changing Lives
The above Mission Statement serves to both define and guide Boulevard Baptist Church. The statement defines us as a Great Commandment Church (Matthew 22:37-39) and a Great Commission Church (Matthew 28: 19-20). It also guides us in all aspects of ministry.
The Great Commandment
Loving God
“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.”
- Matthew 22:37-38
Loving People
“And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39
The Great Commission
Changing Lives
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
To fulfill our mission and to define our functions, BBC seeks to develop loving, maturing, reproducing followers of Jesus Christ by:
Glorifying our Savior as Christ ~ Worship
Growing the Saint in Christ ~ Discipleship
Giving Our Service to Christ ~ Ministry
Gaining the Seeker for Christ ~ Evangelism
The Functions of Boulevard Baptist Church:
Worship
Glorifying our Savior as Christ
God created us for the singular purpose of worshipping Him. Worship is honor and adoration directed toward God, praising Him for who He is and what He has done. Worship is a personal and individual experience, as well as a corporate event, experienced by the body of Christ as a whole when they come together weekly.
I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. - Psalm 34:1
Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. - Psalm 95:6-7
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. - Romans 12:1
Worship involves the following:
1. Prayer (Matt. 6:33; 1 Thess. 5:17-18; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)
2. Praise (Deut. 10:21; Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9-11)
3. Confession of sin (1 John 1:9)
4. Confession of faith (Romans 10:9-10)
5. Scripture reading and study (Luke 24:27-45)
6. Preaching (Romans 12:1-2)
7. The Lord’s Supper and baptism (1 Cor. 11:26; Acts 2:41)
8. Offerings (Philippians 4:15-17, 19)
The purpose of worship is to come before the Lord in obedience to praise Him, to hear from Him, to confess to Him, and to commit our lives to Him. Worship (whether personal or corporate) should be an encounter with the living God, that transcends our feelings, desires, and even our own ability to perform.
Discipleship
Growing the Saint in Christ
The word “disciple” simply means follower. Therefore, discipleship is progressively becoming a better follower of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is a process, not a one time event, which begins at conversion and continues throughout the believer’s life. It also involves a changing of one’s perspective on life. Genuine discipleship involves integrating biblical truth into ones total fabric of life (heart, mind, will and actions).
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:2
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity… - Hebrews 6:1a
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… - 2 Peter 3:18a
Ministry
Giving our Service to Christ
Ministry is the use of gifts, abilities, and resources to meet the needs of others in Jesus’ name. It is an extension of what it means to be a Christian. The function of ministry is directed toward those inside the body as well as those outside. Whenever we meet a need in His name, we are expressing the unconditional love of Jesus.
…whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. - Matthew 20:26-28
And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. - Acts 2:45
Evangelism
Gaining the Sinner to Christ
Evangelism is proclaiming in word and life (actions) the Good News of Salvation to all people. Evangelism is not restricted to ministers and evangelists, but is the fundamental responsibility of all Christians. God has placed each believer in strategic locations and careers to reach the lost with the gospel.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. - Acts 1:8
And all that we do is girded in…
Prayer
Prayer is communication with God. Every Christian has a direct line of communication with God that is available at all times. Prayer is much more than words, however. It is an opening of the heart to God, allowing the believer to express love, thanksgiving, praise, confession, and need (both spiritual and physical). There is also a corporate element to prayer. Within the local body of Christ (the Church), prayer must saturate every one of the above mentioned functions of the Church.
Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things… - Jeremiah 33:3a
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. - Matthew 6:6