As SBC of Virginia marks 20 years of Gospel partnership, five principles have been a providential and proven foundation for our work together. They serve as a basis for how we work together in a cooperative effort to reach regionally, nationally, and globally in the saving name of Jesus. They are the basis around which we build and do ministry.
FOUNDATION. Our foundation is the Word of God. The Baptist Faith and Message 2002 states, “The Bible has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error for its matter.” Our partnership of churches was founded upon the belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Even though the currents of culture may change, our foundation is solid.
FELLOWSHIP. Our fellowship is built on healthy relationships. The SBC of Virginia model of regionalization, decentralization, and personalization is becoming a model for the rest of the Southern Baptist Convention. Our fellowship knows that our relationships have a purpose—the advancement of the Gospel of Christ. Our fellowship is about Gospel partnership.
FOCUS. Our focus is strengthening the local church. As our purpose statement reflects, the entire purpose of the SBCV is to assist the local congregations in their task of fulfilling the Great Commission. The individual in the local body is the vessel that God uses in bringing the lost to Himself. Therefore, strong local churches are imperative to the success of the Gospel in our mission field and, as such, is an emphasis of the SBCV.
FUNCTION. Our function is to assist churches in the mission of making disciples. Our goal is to aid churches with the resources, support, and assistance to reach those ends. Churches are made up of Christians who are empowered and equipped to know Jesus and make Him known.
FUTURE. Our future includes church planting and church revitalization. We see church planting as a key strategy to make disciples of Christ. We also know that churches may need revitalization. Our ultimate mission is to make disciples. We believe that church planting is a vital part of that mission. We also recognize that churches can be strengthened, mobilized, and revitalized to make disciples.
Because nations still need to be reached and the Gospel still needs to be preached, let’s continue to work together in Gospel partnership. Not alone!
