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Get to Know Us
Friendship Baptist Church
We are a Fundamental, Independent, Bible Believing, Hell Hating Baptist Church! We use only the King James Version (KJV) of God's Holy Word which we believe to be the most complete and inspired Holy Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)
Our Church was established in the year of 1913 on the corner of Gulf Highway and Lincoln Road and was originally named Community Chapel. It was a meeting place for many different denominations. In 1982 the church name was changed to Friendship Baptist Church.
God has truly blessed our church throughout the years and we now have many different ministries and programs for all ages from toddlers to seniors.
We hope you can find a new home and new friendships here at our church and you can also experience why we call this
"The Greatest Church in America"
Our Beliefs
About The Scriptures
We believe that God's word is inerrant, infallible (John 17:17), and that the writings of the Old and New Testaments were verbally and plenarily inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Peter 1:19-21). God is the actual author of the Bible (Hebrews 12:2). We believe that God in His sovereignty preserved His Word and words for all generations (Genesis 1:3; Psalm 12:7; Deuteronomy 29:29; Luke 5:1; Mark 7:13; Hebrews 4:12). Therefore we have absolute confidence in the Greek testament known as the Textus Receptus from which our English Bible the King James Version was translated. The Bible is our only authoritative rule of faith and practice.
About the Trinity
There is only one God who exists as three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; Corinthians 13:14). Each person of the Godhead is identical in nature, eternal in being, equal in power, and possesses the same divine attributes (John 4:24; 1:1-2; 5:21, 23; 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the self-existent source of life and creator of all that exists (Exodus 3:14; Jeremiah 32:17; John 5:26; Colossians 1:16-17). God is absolutely holy. He is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and immutable (Leviticus 11:44-45; Psalm 139:7-10; Proverbs 15:3; John 3:20; Job 42:2; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).
God the Son - Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God (John 10:30; 20:31). He is eternal and was manifest in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). He is the second person of the Godhead and was not created, having neither beginning nor end (Micah 5:2). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23). He lived a sinless life on earth in the form of a man, and died voluntary, substitutionary, sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary to atone for the sins of mankind (Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 53:4-6; 1 Peter 2:24).
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God. Existing eternally as the third person of the Godhead. He is equal in essence with both God the Father and God the son (John 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Matthew 25:19). The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is that if indwelling, sealing, empowering, guiding, teaching, and filling (Romans 8:9, 11, 16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Acts 1:8; John 16:13; John 14:26; Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement (John 16:8). He sovereignly bestows spiritual gift(s) to every believer for the edifying of the body of Christ (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Ephesians 4:11-12. The temporary sign gifts of the Holy Spirit are not applicable to believers today since we have the completed written revelation of God's word (Mark 16:17-20; 2 Peter 1:20).
About Angels
We believe that God created a perfect host of angelic beings known as angels or "sons of God" (Job 38:4-7; Psalm 148:2; Genesis 1:31). The holy angels are ministering spirits who protect, guide, and deliver God's people (Hebrews 1:13-14; Genesis 19:11, 15-16; Psalm 91:11; Acts 8:26; 27:23-24; Danile3:28). They will carry the believers home after physical death and will be used as God's agents of judgment during the tribulation period (Luke 16:22; Revelation 7:2, 16:1). We believe that Satan, who was created as part of the perfect angelic host of angels was an exalted angel. Because of his pride, he rebelled against God's authority and was cast from heaven (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-19). Satan is a real, personal, evil spirit being who is the father of all lies, and the god of this world. He blinds the minds of unbelievers and is destined for eternal punishment in the lake of fire (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:7-10). In his rebellion, he led a third part of the angels with him. These fallen angels are now demons which cooperate with Satan in his efforts to hinder and destroy God's people and God's work (revelation 12:4; Ephesians 6:12).
About Man
The creation of man was a direct act of God on the sixth 24-hour day of God's creation as recorded in Genesis 1 and 2. God took the dust of the ground, formed Adam, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, therefore man's origin is not the result of an evolution process (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7). Man was created in the image of God possessing a moral not a physical likeness to God (Genesis 1:26) and in a state of innocence, but willfully sinned by disobeying God's command (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6) . As a result of this single act of sin all humanity became subject to sin and death, therefore all men are sinners, born with a sin nature, condemned, and without excuse (Romans 3:10, 23; 5:12, 19; Psalm 51:5; John 3:19; Romans 1:20).
About Sin
Sin is the transgression of God's law (1 john 3:4). It is the innability to conform to God's standard (Romans 5:6). It is a "missing of the mark" (Romans 3:23). Every human being is born with an inherited sin nature as a result of Adam's disobedience in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12), therefore making all men sinners. All men are condemned to death (physical, spiritual, eternal) because of this sin nature (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11, 15).
About Salvation
Salvation is a free gift of God that cannot be merited on any basis of good works (Romans 6:23b; Titus 3:5). It is wholly by God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) on the merit of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-26). The elements of salvation are repentance and faith (Acts 2:38; 20:21). Once an individual turns from his sins to God and places his faith in Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:9), he is eternally secured and can never lose his salvation (John 3:16, 36; Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 5:11-13). At the point of salvation a believer is justified (Romans 5:1). He is sanctified positionally (Hebrews 10:10), and he is sanctified progressively as he continues to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Peter 3:18).
About Hell
Hell is a literal place of everlasting punishment. It was prepared for the Devil and his angels, but all those who reject the salvation offered through Christ will spend their eternity in Hell (Matthew 25:41, 46; Luke 16:19-31 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). Man will suffer in hell according to the evil he has done in his present world (Luke 12:47-48).
About Heaven
Heaven is an actual place where God dwells (Matthew 6:9). The Lord Jesus Christ is presently preparing it for all who have put their faith in Him for salvation (John 14:1-3). Heaven is the place from which Christ descended and to which, after the completion of His earthly ministry, He ascended after His resurrection. He now sits in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father where He makes intercession for the saints. All believers immediately go to God's presence in Heaven upon death (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:11 Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1, 2:2 Corinthians 5:8).
About The Church
The church that Jesus established is a local, organized, sovereign assembly of regenerated, baptized believers (Acts 18:8), voluntarily united together for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20.
About The Ordinances Of The Church
Believer's baptism is by immersion in water under the authority of the local church (Acts 8:36-39). Baptism is an outward expression of the believer's identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:4-5; 1 Peter 3:21), and unites that believer to the particular local church in which he is baptized (Acts 2:41, 47). The Lord's Supper (Communion) is a memorial picturing the broken body of Christ that was sacrificed on the cross and his blood that was shed to pay for man's sin (1 Corinthians 11:23-30). Acts 2:41-42 sets a pattern for those eligible to partake of the Lord's Supper, i.e., those who believed, were baptized, and belonged to the church.
About The Offices Of The Church
The offices of the church are pastor and deacons. The qualifications for these offices are clearly defined in the Scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9; Acts 6:1-7).
About The Organization Of The Church
The church is an autonomous, self-governing, self-propagating, self-supporting organism with Jesus Christ as its Head (Matthew 18:15-17; Acts 13:13; 15:23-28; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:1, 18). No hierarchy of individuals or organizations, religious or political, either within or outside of the church, has any authority over the local church (Matthew 22:1-21).
About The End Times
We believe in the imminent, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3). Jesus' return will be to receive unto Himself all those who have trusted in His shed blood to wash away their sins (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 1:5). Christ's return will be followed by seven years of tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 13:5), at which time Jesus will return to earth to destroy all wickedness (Revelation 19:21). A thousand year reign of Jesus Christ will follow this event which will terminate with the destruction of Satan and all his evil forces (Revelation 20:4, 10). At the end of the thousand year reign, all lost sinners will be judged at the Great White Throne judgement (Revelation 20:12-15). The new heaven and the new earth will be prepared for God's saints for all eternity (Revelation 21).
About Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman, as determined by biological sexual gender at birth (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:1 ; Ephesians 5:22-23). We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).