In order to glorify God and encourage our people, South Side Baptist Church has five priorities. We want to:
Inspire a heart for God: According to Jesus, God's number one priority is that His people love Him with everything they've got (Mk. 12:30). Thus, we're committed to magnifying the Lord Jesus in such a way that people are motivated to worship and serve Him. With Preaching: Nothing presents
Jesus more vividly or with more power than clear teaching and preaching from the Bible. That is why New Testament examples of worship always focus on the preaching of God's Word (1 Cor. 14:24-25). Since we desire to inspire a heart for God, the emphasis in every service is given to the ministry of the Word. With Music: South Side also features a traditional music service crafted to help people to think great thoughts about God. David said, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Psalm 34:1-3). We believe that scriptural, Christ-exalting music can truly touch hearts for God. Include people in the church family: Our second priority is to include people in the life of the body. People need a place where they are loved and where they belong. At South Side we try to include people in two ways:
Through membership: The Bible teaches that every person should be included as an identifiable member of a local assembly. Membership is accomplished in two basic ways: (1) through salvation and believer's baptism; (2) if someone has already been saved and baptized they can join by statement of faith in Christ. Through fellowship: At South Side we believe membership should be more than having your name on the roll. This is place for you to plug in; it's a place to find friends and to invest emotionally. We want every member to make the transition from viewing church as an organization to which they belong to viewing it as a family of which they are a part. Instruct people from God's Word: Our third priority is to teach people what God has to say. Through biblical teaching: Every Christian needs to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." That's why at South Side we encourage people to be a part of an adult Bible class where they can be taught and challenged to become a mature Christian. Through personal discipleship: One-on-one mentoring is a great way to learn. So for those who are enrolled in an adult Bible class, "Daily in the Word" personal discipleship is often the best way to take it to the next level. Involve people in ministry: Our fourth priority is serving. Once an individual has grown in God's Word, the biblical objective is to involve him or her in ministry. Just as there are no useless parts in a physical body, there are no members whose sole purpose is to sit and soak. At South Side our motto is, "every member a minister; every saint a servant." Impact our world with the gospel: The Great Commission is the most important responsibility in the world today. That's why our fifth priority is to impact the regions of our world with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Opportunities for evangelism are available almost every day.
