Every church has a spirit and philosophy that permeates its people and ministries. It is the atmosphere in which all of church life is carried out, as well as the vision for what kind of church we want to be. At Johnston Chapel Baptist Church, we endeavor to cultivate the following spirit and carry out the following philosophy of ministry: 1 - A COMMITMENT TO GOD'S WORD We are committed to the proposition that the Bible is God's revealed truth and that it holds the answers to man's deepest needs. We want to clearly, consistently and with authority communicate God's truth from His Word in a spirit of love and grace. 2 - A COMMITMENT TO CULTURAL RELEVANCE We want to understand our current culture and adapt our methods to most effectively reach people for Christ and build them up spiritually. In our preaching and teaching, we want to speak in terms that people understand and to address the real needs that they face in today's world. In all our outreach and ministries, we want to address contemporary needs and issues with the timeless principles from God's Word. 3 - A FOCUS ON HEART COMMITMENT We want to call for a strong commitment from the heart to obedience to Scripture and a desire to honor Christ in all of life. At the same time, we want to allow for diversity in matters of Christian liberty, recognizing the legitimacy of differing convictions and not legislating the details of Christian living. We do not want to measure spirituality by conformity to a set of external standards but by evidence of heart allegiance to Christ. 4 - A WORSHIPFUL ATMOSPHERE We want to cultivate a worshipful atmosphere in our services where the focus is on the wonder of God Himself and where we respond to Him fervently and sincerely. We also want people to develop worship patterns outside of church services in their everyday personal lives. 5 - A CARING ATMOSPHERE We want to provide for people to get to know each other, and to care for each other's needs. We want to promote an atmosphere of love, acceptance, and openness so that people will feel that their needs are being met. We want to give specific support to people with special needs, as well as opportunities for growth for anyone who desires more intense Bible study. 6 - A PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY We want to have a ministry worthy of being an offering to the God of heaven rather than one characterized by shallowness, hypocrisy or disorder. We want to strive for excellence in all areas of ministry, including the quality and appearance of the facilities; the planning and implementation of all church ministries; and the professionalism, dedication, and spiritual warmth of staff members or lay leaders. We want to reflect integrity in the care with which we handle and report on church finances, the personal character and ethical standards of those who lead in ministry, and the manner in which the Word of God is handled. 7 - A COMPASSION FOR THE LOST We want to be motivated by a passion to see the lost come to know Christ. We want to exhibit the kind of lifestyle, both organizationally and individually, that will create a desire to know Christ in the hearts of the unsaved; to be well-equipped and faithful witnesses to people around us; and to spread the gospel throughout the world through an aggressive missions outreach. We will also strive to reach out to our community through ministries that demonstrate Christ's compassion in areas of need while offering Christ as the ultimate solution to all of man's needs. 8 - A VISION FOR MINISTRY We want to be guided by a clear sense of vision that is rooted in the Biblical mission of a church that constantly looks for new possibilities of ministry and that pursues them as God enables us. We want to direct our ministries in a way that will help us to achieve our vision, as well as set goals in a way that will increase our effectiveness in ministering to people. We want to constantly evaluate our ministries and goals in the light of our mission and the changing needs of people and to communicate our vision effectively so that it is shared by the entire church.