Gospel Light Baptist Church
About Us
Gospel Light Baptist Church is an Independent, Fundamental, King James Bible Believing Baptist Church located at 627 Boone Lane Jackson, Tennessee. Our church is easily accessible from anywhere in Jackson.
Our church was started in 2001 and we have been at our present location since 2003. We have a vision of reaching our city for Christ and strengthening marriages and homes so that we can better honor our Lord Jesus Christ. We have a strong desire to impact the next generation for Christ.
There are more than 15,000 independent Baptist churches in America and at least 10,000 independent Baptist missionaries serving on mission fields worldwide.
Every independent Baptist church is an autonomous congregation. We are self-governing and self-supporting. The head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice. It is our desire to be a truly New Testament church.
At Gospel Light Baptist Church, we have one message-the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, and one ministry-the ministry He has given us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
SERVICE TIMES
Sunday School: 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 a.m.
Sunday Evening Worship: 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday Evening Prayer Service and Bible Study: 7:00 p.m.
"Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concernthe Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence..."
Acts 28:31
Faith Statement
The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Bible, "as it is in truth, the Word of God..." (I Thessalonians 2:13). We believe in verbal, plenary inspiration in the original writings, and God's preservation of His pure words to every generation (II Timothy 3:16, Psalms 12:6-8).
The Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Received Text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) are those texts of the original languages we accept and use; the King James Version of the Bible is the only English version we accept and use. The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice.
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14).
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; 7:14; Philippians 2:5-8; Galatians 4:4-5).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Person who reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling all believers and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; II Corinthians 3:6; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14).
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayer of believers for physical healing (II Corinthians 12:12; I Corinthians 13:8; Hebrews 2:3-4; Mark 16:17-20; I Corinthians 1:22, 14:21-22).
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image and is mindful of him, and in that Christ died for man; therefore every individual possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. (Psalm 8:4-9; Colossians 3:9-11).
The Way of Salvation
We believe that the clear message of salvation is "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). We believe that salvation is "by grace" plus nothing minus nothing. We believe that men are justified by faith alone and are accounted righteous before God only through the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that eternal life is the present possession of every believer (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 1, 2).
The Church
We believe that the New Testament church is a local assembly of baptized believers who have voluntarily joined themselves together to carry out the Great Commission. The Lord is doing His work in this world through local churches. The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. Christ is the only head of the church (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9,16; 5:4-7,13; I Peter 5:1-4).
The Ordinances of the Church
We recognize the ordinances of baptism by immersion in water and the Lord's Supper as a Scriptural means of testimony for local churches in this age (Matthew. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26).
Biblical Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1, 2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
The Return of Christ
We believe the "Blessed Hope" of our Lord's return is literal, personal, visible, imminent, premillennial, and pretribulational. Believers will caught up to be with the Lord prior to the seven years of tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation Christ will return with His saints to establish His thousand-year reign on the earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; I Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)
Our Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13).
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:4-6; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What should I wear?
A. Modest apparel. Remember, we are gathering to worship our Lord and Creator. Some people wear a suit and tie, and others wear jeans and a polo shirt. We want you to feel comfortable, and make us your Church home.
Q. What should I expect of a typical Sunday morning worship service?
A. We typically start our services by singing a few hymns, then we take a few minutes to go around and fellowship with our friends and visitors. Then we usually sing another hymn or two before we take up an offering, which is sometimes followed by special music. After that, our Pastor or special guest will usually deliver the message. An altar call will typically follow the message.
Q. Am I expected to sing hymns with the congregation?
A. Only if you want to. There are very few of us (if any) who could be considered professional, so if you can't carry a tune in a bucket, you'll be in good company. However, when we sing praises to the Lord, we strive to "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise". Psalm 98:4
Q. Do I have to walk around and visit with everyone?
A. Only if you want to. We are all God's children and we just want you to to feel welcome.
Q. Am I expected to put money in the plate as it is passed around during the offering?
A. No. We provide an opportunity for our members (or anyone) to give their tithes and offering for the Lord's work. No one will pressure you or expect you to give anything, and if you do, no one will be impressed or depressed by the amount you give. This is our opportunity to give back to the Lord, not a contest.
Q. What version of the Bible does the Pastor use?
A. We use the King James Version of the Bible. We have very specific reasons and they are beyond the scope of this FAQ, but to sum it up, we believe the King James Version of the Bible is the inspired Word of God and was faithfully translated from the original texts.
Q. Will I be expected to participate in the altar call?
A. Only if you feel like you are being led by the Holy Spirit. The altar is a special place to spend time talking to God, to begin your relationship or strengthen your fellowship with God.