The First Baptist Church of Janesville Where Jesus Christ is Lord and the Bible Guides Our Faith
We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and that the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God that serves as the final written authority for living out the Christian faith. We celebrate that belief in Jesus Christ assures salvation and eternal fellowship with a loving God. The events of the first Easter week are the cornerstones of OUR faith: the death of Christ, in which He took upon Himself the sin of the world, and the Resurrection, which gave proof of His triumph over sin and death. Holy Scripture always has been for the US, the authoritative and trustworthy guide for knowing and serving the God who is revealed as Creator, Savior, and Advocate.
We partake of two ordinances: the believer’s baptism and The Lord’s Supper. Baptism, an act of full immersion following Christ’s example, is undertaken by those spiritually mature enough to understand its profound, symbolic significance: Resurrection to new life in Christ. Through The Lord’s Supper, the bread and cup that symbolize the broken body and shed blood offered by Christ recall God’s great love for us—just as they did for the disciples on the eve of Christ’s crucifixion.
We believe that the committed individual Christian can and should approach God directly and that individual gifts of ministry should be shared. We hold that all who truly seek God are both competent and called to develop in that relationship. They have rejected creeds or other statements that might compromise each believer’s obligation to interpret Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and within the community of faith. We also celebrate the special gifts of all believers, testifying that God can use each of US in ministry.
For the US, the local church is the fundamental unit of mission in denominational life. OUR Baptist roots date back four centuries to a people seeking the opportunity to worship God as individual members of freely organized and freely functioning local churches. Baptists always have maintained the need for autonomous congregations responsible for articulating their own doctrine, style of worship, and mission.
We take seriously the call to evangelism and missionary work. OUR worldwide mission work is a response to Christ’s call to “make disciples of all nations.” Through the efforts of our missionaries in partnership with others, ministries of evangelism, healing, education, and development have made Christ’s love known in the US and worldwide.