About US

The mission of First Baptist Church is to share the gospel with people and help them to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ.

Our vision as a church is to be known in Tupelo as a church taking the lead of Jesus . . . letting Him lead and empower us by His indwelling Spirit and using us as a servant people on mission to Tupelo, Lee County, the region, and the world.

We accomplish this through our core values.

Our Core Values:

FAITH

The Bible is God’s Word to us and the basis of our faith. For this reason, biblical preaching and teaching are vital. Living by grace through faith—trusting totally in the leadership and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit—is our means to the end of being a church God uses His glory. Prayer is the most important single ministry action of faith, leading and undergirding all else that we do.

TRANSFORMATION

Lost people—here and around the world—matter to God, and they matter to us. For the Christian, the goal of spiritual growth is becoming like Christ—exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit and being on mission with God.

GIVING

We believe that God loves “gracious” givers, those who give willingly, cheerfully, and sacrificially of their time, talents, and resources. We will be the kind of givers God loves.
Generosity—excelling in the grace of giving—is our goal.

RELATIONSHIPS

God calls for loving relationships among Christians, and these loving relationships must permeate every aspect of church life. No greater relationship within the larger church family exists than the home. We are called to strengthen marriages and family relationships.

AUTHENTIC WORSHIP

Worship is a matter of the heart—an experience of spirit and truth. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Worship is not about style; it is about Jesus, and Who He is, and what He has done for us. We honor God’s supreme value and worth in our personal lives and in our corporate worship.

COMPASSIONATE MINISTRY

God’s people are created for acts of service, calling us to love others as Christ loved us.
God loves the lost, the least, and the lonely—and so must we, touching lives and offering hope through Jesus Christ.

EXCELLENCE

We value excellence in everything we do. God deserves the best we have to offer. God is Himself a God of excellence—creating a perfect and beautiful world and then giving His best—His only Son. We embrace the call to do what we do “with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Excellence honors God and inspires people.

OUR BELIEFS

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the entire Bible, all 66 books, are inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings. Through the providence of God, the Word of God has been protected and preserved, and is the only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105

GOD

We believe there is only One true, eternally existent God. He exists in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The triune God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and is worthy of worship and obedience. Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31; Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 4:11

JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, shed His blood on the cross to pay the debt for our sins, was buried, bodily resurrected, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return literally, visibly, and personally in glory and power. John 1:1-3, 14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Acts 1:11

HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, co-equal and co-existent with the Father and the Son. He is the One Who convicts us of sin and the Agent of regeneration and sanctification. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer and empowers every believer to live a godly life. John 14:16-19; 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 8:9,11; Titus 3:5

SALVATION

We believe salvation is a free gift of God's grace apart from human works, based solely upon Christ's atoning death, received only through faith in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from death. Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21

THE CHURCH

We believe the church is the body of Christ and family of God. It is made up of saved and baptized believers who regularly join together for worship, fellowship, and ministry. Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Hebrews 10:25

EVANGELISM

We believe that it is the responsibililty and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek to make growing disciples. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8