"We exist to showcase the glory of God by being and making disciples of Jesus. We do this by living in light of the gospel through worship, community, and mission."

Why do we exist?

The world is a theater to display God’s glory. This is the end to which everything was created. God made humanity to glorify him and enjoy him forever. It comes as no surprise then that the church exists to display the glory of God. God redeemed his people so that they would showcase his beauty and holiness to the world. This is why Ephesians 3:21 states, “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” God’s glory is what compels the church to fulfill its purpose.

What do we do?

Since God is most glorified through his redemptive plan, the primary way the church displays God’s glory is through advancing the Great Commission. The Great Commission is Christ’s command to the church to be and make disciples of all nations. This is the church’s singular objective. Thus, when the church makes mature disciples of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God is glorified.

How do we accomplish our purpose?

Our strategy for being and making disciples for the glory of God involves three steps. We have captured this in a concise statement: “Living in light of the gospel, through worship, community, and mission.”

Below is a diagram and an explanation of each of these components.

Living in Light of the Gospel

Before we discuss what the church should do, we must begin with what God has already done. God has redeemed his church from the penalty and power of sin through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. The gospel is not merely a message that changes our eternal destiny; it transforms everything about us. All of our conduct and ministries are to be done as a result of the gospel. When we understand and grasp what God has done for us through his Son Jesus, our response is to live out the implications of this gospel both individually and corporately. Apart from the gospel, everything we do as a church is dead and futile.

Step one: Worship

The gospel affects both our eternal residence, and it changes what our hearts desire. When the gospel is correctly understood, embraced, and applied, our idolatrous tendencies are replaced with authentic worship of God. Therefore, the church meets regularly to reflect on and rehearse the gospel and respond to God in praise, faith, and obedience. We also gather together corporately to be instructed and equipped for ministry through the preaching and teaching of the Scriptures.

Step two: Community

God has designed and instructed Christians to do life with a group of believers, who can admonish and encourage one another in faithfulness and obedience. The gospel enables and empowers Christians to develop intimate relationships with one another, as it frees us from having to disguise our sins and short-comings. While there are many ways to build community, one of the most effective ways is through small groups, which we call “Community Groups.”  The focus of Community Groups is to build gospel centered relationships intentionally with other church members for the purpose of encouragement, accountability, and spiritual maturity.

step three: Mission

As the church grows in its understanding of the gospel, it is transformed into an open-handed community of people who give freely of their time, gifts, and resources. Put simply, the gospel turns a church’s focus outward, to the concerns of others. The church focuses outwardly, by communicating the gospel through both words and actions. To neglect either one of these is to seriously hinder the advancement of the mission. Therefore, the church must proclaim the gospel as well as meet the needs of others. It is important to note that people can only receive salvation through the verbal proclamation of the gospel and not by observing the church’s good deeds.

Church Planting Partnerships

LBC is proud to partner with the Pillar Network, a network of Baptist churches across the world who are like-minded in how we think about the church and how its design is laid out in God’s Word. When LBC begins planting efforts, the Pillar Network will help resource, fund, and guide us. Likewise, our financial support, prayers, and partnership with this network help support the planting of healthy churches within the network.