Bangkok City Baptist Church, like all churches, is filled with sinners redeemed by the work of Jesus Christ. As redeemed sinners, there are certain priorities that we aim for as a church. As redeemed sinners, however, we know that we will sometimes fail in our aims. Relying on God’s Spirit, we prayerfully and humbly strive to be characterized by the following priorities:

1. Clear Gospel:

 In 1 Corinthians 15:2-3, Paul wrote what was “of first importance” emphasizing that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.”

 At Bangkok City Baptist Church, we desire to imitate both Paul’s emphasis on the gospel message and his clarity on what that message is. The gospel is the good news that God rescues sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This gospel is a simple message, yet one that will nurture praise towards God for an eternity. We need the gospel to grow as Christians just as life needs water. Therefore, BCBC emphasizes the gospel, proclaiming it clearly, and trusting the Lord to nurture us as we dig deeper into this powerful message.

2. Biblical Preaching:

Repeatedly, the Bible claims to be God’s Word and demonstrates how God’s words change people. Timothy, for example, was a man who was “acquainted with the sacred writings” from childhood. Paul reminded Timothy that the Scriptures are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” He went on, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in Righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

At BCBC, we desire a deep acquaintance with God’s Word. We also believe that preaching verse by verse through any book of the Bible is the way to hear God speak. Our goal is to make the point of a passage the point of the sermon. As we become more and more familiar with God’s Word, we pray that he will transform us so that we will be equipped for every good work.

3. Persistent Prayer:

What did Jesus do on the night he was betrayed and killed? He spent the night calling out to God in prayer (Matthew 26:36-46) What was the first thing that Jesus’ followers did after the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven? They devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 1:14). What is the final verse in the Bible? It is a prayer for the Lord Jesus to return and for the Lord’s grace to be with God’s people (Revelation 21:20-21).

In the Scriptures, we find God’s people praising him in prayer, confessing sins to him in prayer, thanking him in prayer, and making requests known to him in prayer. At BCBC, prayer is not something we do during a transition from one point in the service to the next. Rather, we love to pray; and we incorporate all the different kinds of prayer we find in Scripture into our morning service. Moreover, in our Sunday afternoon prayer service we boldly make our requests known to God and trust him to answer as he sees fit. We also urge members to pray for one another throughout the week.

4. Deliberate Simplicity:

When Paul instructed early churches on their corporate worship, he commanded, “all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). Paul’s point was to foster an environment in which God is glorified and people are built up through clear preaching and loving service towards others without distractions.

 At Bangkok City Baptist Church, we deliberately aim for simplicity in our gatherings, pouring our efforts into nurturing a culture of evangelism, discipleship, and hospitality. Our corporate gatherings center on the normal means that God has always used to build up his people. We sing God’s word, preach God’s word, pray in accordance with God’s word, and see God’s word displayed through baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

5. Deep Discipleship:

Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Bangkok City Baptist recognizes that persevering in the faith and growing in godliness is a team effort. Christians are meant to walk together in the context of a local church. If we want to flourish in our faith, we need to help one another grow in our knowledge of Scripture and theology. Such growth begins and is energized through our Sunday morning worship and Sunday afternoon prayer gatherings. It continues through one-on-one discipling relationships, Sunday school classes, Bible studies, and other opportunities the Lord may give.

6. Sacrificial Hospitality:

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another” 1 Peter 4:8-10.

As Christians, we know we do not deserve the waves of mercy and grace that God steadily provides. Though we have sinned against our Creator, he has lovingly rescued us from our sin, forgiven us, and adopted us into his own family. As recipients of such unique generosity, we desire to be generous to others. We work to creatively care for one another’s needs. To be sure: our meager attempts at hospitality cannot live up to the abundant grace that we receive from him. Even so, we strive to remember what we were without Christ, what we have received in Christ, and how we can help others in the name of Christ.

7. Diverse Unity:

Ephesians 2:19-20 reminds us: “You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

As a church in a global megacity, our church is made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds. Our ethnicities, social classes, ages, and personalities may all differ, but unity around Jesus is a gift given by God to His people. Bangkok City Baptist Church is committed to work and pray for the preservation of such unity.

8. Urgent Mission:

The Lord Jesus gave his church an urgent mission followed by a reassuring promise: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We do not think it is an accident that the Lord has called our church to gather in a region of the world often considered “the least reached.” Nor is it an accident that our church is in a global city that attracts people from all over the world. Therefore, we desire to leverage this providential placement for the glory of God and the good of people. We seek to proclaim the gospel in the spheres that God has called us. We do not begrudge the transient nature of Bangkok or our church, preferring instead to invest over and over again in those who may soon leave us for countries all over the world. And, though we are an English-speaking church, we desire to partner with and serve Thai churches and other churches in our city to advance the gospel. Indeed, every week we pray for the success of other churches who also seek to obey the mission that Jesus has given us.