Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, details the purpose for People’s Baptist Church. All ministries of this New Testament church have as their goal the fulfilling of the Great Commission. Each member of the church is encouraged to participate in one or several of these ministries in keeping with the spiritual gift that God the Holy Spirit has bestowed on him or her at salvation (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12). The goal of the pastor is to minister in such a way that the saints are “perfected” or matured so that they might do “the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-13). Listed below are the ministries of the church with a brief description of that ministry.
Greeters
Greeters are friendly men and women who stand at the various entryways on Sunday morning and Sunday evening to greet visitors. They assist in making these guests feel at home, in locating the nursery or special classes, or in pointing them in the direction of any needed person or facility.
Lady Emissaries
This is an evangelistic ministry of the ladies of PBC. One of the main efforts of this group is to welcome newly arrived residents to Fayetteville. A welcome gift along with an invitation to the services of People’s Baptist Church is given to each new resident of Fayetteville.
Missionary Hospitality Committee
This is a group of members who realize that the small needs of missionaries are often overlooked and through thoughtfulness and hospitality seek to meet those needs as missionaries pass through the doors of PBC.
Men’s Prayer Fellowship
The need is great for Christian men to be accountable to one another and to have godly support in the daily spiritual warfare that we as well as our families and church face. Each Saturday morning at 9:30 and the first Saturday night of every month at 8:00 p.m. the men of People’s gather together at an old fashioned altar in the auditorium for a time of prayer.
Missions
Over the past years, many dollars have been sent to the mission field by this church. We host an annual Missions Conference where the cause of missions and the ministries of specific missionaries are promoted. Our church supports its missionaries in several ways: with financial support given through offerings and with prayer support encouraged by the regular prayer letters received and shared with the church in Sunday School.
Music Ministry
The music ministry is a vital part of every local church ministry. Such is the case here at PBC. Special music is presented regularly in nearly all the public services. This is made up of solos, duets, trios, quartets, and small ensembles.
Nursery
A well-equipped, well-staffed nursery is available for all public services of the church. The nursery is available for infants and toddlers through three years of age. The church nursery is located just off the fellowship hall and well within distance of the mothers who leave their children in our excellent care. Parents may be summoned to the nursery by a worker to care for their children in the case of a special need. The nursery provides a tremendous service for parents.
Nursing Home Ministry
This ministry began as a way for families of PBC to serve the Lord and give the residents of the nursing home an opportunity to worship in an organized worship service. God has blessed this monthly Saturday morning ministry and souls have been saved. This ministry is open to any church member who would like to serve the Lord and others in this way.
Personal Workers
At the conclusion of most of our church services, a public invitation is extended, giving people the opportunity to make a spiritual decision because of the sermon preached. Personal workers are men and women trained to use the Bible to help people with those decisions, especially with regard to a decision to receive Christ. Personal workers are trained, not only in the area of biblical counsel, but also in the invitation procedures and in the record keeping of those decisions made publicly during the invitation time.
Church Wide – Canvassing, Soul winning & Visitation
This special time of soul winning involves every member of PBC. Once a month the pastor invites each member, young and old to join us in canvassing our area and reaching out to the lost with the gospel of Christ. God has truly blessed this church-wide effort and many have been saved.
Community Outreach
Occasionally PBC participates in community events in order to establish the name of our church better in the community. Opportunities are given to reach out through the county fair, city bar-b-q cook offs and other occasions as they become available. We believe that if we are to reach our city with the gospel of Christ we must be prepared to spend and be spent for the cause of Christ. These efforts involve both time, physical labor and money but the benefits that have been reaped by them are well worth the cost.
Sunday School
On every Lord’s Day, Bible classes are taught for every age from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. We endeavor to teach with a balanced blend of sound Bible doctrine and practical training. These classes are taught by dedicated church members.
Tracts
Tracts are great tools for evangelism. We seek to keep a supply of Gospel tracts on hand and available on the display that is located in the back of the auditorium. This literature is free.
Ushers
The ushers are men of our church who assist the pastor and the congregation as a whole. They seat visitors and members, receive the offering, pass out literature, assist the nursery staff in locating mothers, help maintain order with children who are unattended by an adult, and a host of other important items.
Visitation
Fayetteville, our “Jerusalem,” must hear news of the Gospel of Christ! We desire to be more faithful at this important task. Our visitation ministry seeks to reach Fayetteville, Vander, Clinton, Stedman, and other surrounding communities with Gospel tracts and a friendly invitation to attend our church services. We have as a goal to present the Gospel to those who are willing to listen. We provide training on how to present the Gospel at annual soul winning seminars conducted by the pastor and his wife.
Women of Honor
This ladies’ fellowship meets on the second Tuesday of designated months in the home of one of the ladies. This ministry provides a place for our ladies to gather together for a time of Bible instruction prepared by one of our godly ladies. Discussion time and prayer time are regular facets of this special meeting, as well as food and fellowship.
