Our Core Values

Worship:  We believe worship is central to the life of faith.  Through worship, we offer praise and thanks to God for who God is, what God has done, and what God is doing/will do.  Through prayer, we speak to God of the concerns of our lives and our world and listen for God's guidance.  Worship allows us not only to discover who God is, but to discover our own identity as God's children and gain insight for how we are to live as God's people in the world.

Spiritual Growth:  Growth is our response to God's grace over time.  Through worship and prayer, giving and serving, personal devotions and small group study, we allow God's Spirit to reshape us.  We call this progress "spiritual formation" - Christ being formed in us.  We believe biblical teaching provides the catalyst for life change and growth.  We are committed to living out the full implication of the Great Commandment which calls us to love God with "all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" and to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:30-31), and the Great Commission, which calls us to "make disciples...teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).

Missions and Evangelism:  Jesus instructed his followers to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).  This "Great Commission" constitutes a mandate for our church.  We believe that lost people matter to God, and therefore must also matter to us.  Through prayer, we learn to see others through the eyes of God and receive power for responding to their needs.  Through our worship services and our ministries we seek to provide help and hope through word and deed.  Through our financial gifts and volunteer efforts, we engage in global missions and local "hands-on" projects.

Caring Service:  Service is to be the mindset and the lifestyle of the community of faith.  Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant....For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (Mark 10:42-45).  We believe we are called to pray for, care for and lovingly serve one another, for it is by our love that we prove to be followers of Jesus (John 13:35).

Community:  The Bible calls it koinonia, which is often translated "fellowship".  But the word is richer than the notion of sharing time together and enjoying one another's friendship.  Koinonia implies a shared life, or a common life.  It suggests a spirit of cooperation and love that permeates all relationships and the work we share.  Koinonia is the gift of God's Spirit, Who unites us in a community of faith.

Spiritual Gifts and Leadership:  The Bible teaches that each believer has been gifted by God with a particular spiritual ability that God uses to build up and equip the church for its ministry.  We celebrate the unique blend of gifts in this congregation and recognize that God works through a variety of persons without respect to race, gender, cultural background, etc.

Creativity:  We believe the church should be culturally relevant while remaining biblically grounded.  We will constantly evaluate, and when necessary, alter our forms and methods to respond to the needs of people.

Excellence:  Excellence honors God and inspiries people.  We will seek to maintain a high standard of excellence in all the ministries of this church.

Baptist Heritage:  We treasure our rich heritage and history as Baptists.  We value the history of the Winter Park congregation in this community.  Our ministries and policies will seek to honor our heritage.