Preamble We declare and establish this constitution to preserve and secure the principles of our faith, to govern the body in an orderly manner, to preserve the liberties of each individual church member and to preserve the freedom of action of this body in relation to other churches.    

 

 

Part A. Name The church body shall be known as the First Baptist Church of Aransas Pass, Texas. The church was organized October 17, 1909, and is currently located at 627 South Houston Street, Aransas Pass, Texas 78336.    

 

 

Part B. Objectives We strive: To be a dynamic spiritual organism empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible in our church, community, and throughout the world. To be a worshiping fellowship, experiencing an awareness of God, recognizing His person, encouraging and raising up all those called for ministry and responding in obedience to His leadership. To experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers. To help people experience a growing knowledge of God and man. To provide opportunities for development and improvement of mission and outreach skills. To be a church that ministers unselfishly to people in the community and the world in Jesus’ name. To be a church with the purpose of being Christlike in our daily living by emphasizing total commitment of life, personality, and possessions to the lordship of Christ.

 

 

Part C. Statement of Basic Beliefs The basis of our basic beliefs is the Holy Bible as the inspired word of God. We subscribe to the doctrinal statement of The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963. We voluntarily band together as a body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind. We affirm that the ordinances of the church are believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper.             Our Beliefs About Marriage We believe marriage is a biblical institution established by God as described by Scripture (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:22-24; Malachi 2:14-15; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:22-33, ESV.) We believe biblical marriage can only occur between one biologically born and presenting male and one biologically born and presenting female. First Baptist Church recognizes that marriage is the uniting of one biologically born and presenting male and one biologically born and presenting female in covenant commitment. Accordingly, the Pastors and staff of First Baptist Church of Aransas Pass will not officiate in same-sex marriages or same-sex unions, nor will its property or resources be used for such purposes, as set out and governed by our Wedding & Building Use Policy.

 

 

Section 1. Having been led as we believe by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

 

Section 2. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, doctrines, and discipline; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations.

 

Section 3. We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to protect the sanctity of marriage and the home; to religiously educate our children in the precepts of our faith; to seek the salvation of our relatives and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our commitments and responsibilities, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all gossip, slander, profanity and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to use our influence to combat gambling, pornography and the abuse of drugs; to promote the sanctity of life; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.

 

Section 4. We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy and Christian curtesy; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the command of our Savior to secure it without delay.

 

Section 5. We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we shall as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

 

 

Section 1. The government of this church is vested in its body of believers. Persons duly received by the members shall constitute the membership.

 

 

Section 3. This Church is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Southern Baptist churches. Insofar as is practical, this church shall cooperate with and support the local Baptist association, the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and the Southern Baptist Convention.