Pastor's Welcome

Let me introduce myself; my name is Joel, and I pastor Charleston Bible Church. On behalf of our church, I want to welcome you to our site; we're glad you're "checking us out." We hope the information you find here will encourage you to come visit us some Sunday. Please consider this my personal invitation to do so. 

Our stated mission at Charleston Bible Church is "to glorify God by bringing sinners to Christ and saints to Christ-likeness." This is really a restatement of Jesus' commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (NIV) 

We desire to see people follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, be built-up, equipped, and come to live lives that reveal the glory of Christ. 

One passage that guides us in the fulfillment of our mission is Colossians 1:28-29 where the apostle Paul wrote, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (NIV) We want to purposefully and passionately work to see people follow Christ and be transformed into his likeness. At Charleston Bible Church we are not interested in just getting by! 

Luke writes of the early church in Acts 2:42, "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (NIV) At Charleston Bible Church we emphasize Biblical teaching, fellowship (relationships), the exaltation of Christ (worship), and prayer. There are lots of other things we do but these four are central.

Let me conclude with our theme verse, it's found in Romans 15:13: "may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope." Our logo is a lighthouse; we want Charleston Bible Church to be "a beacon of hope" in our community and world. We're excited about Jesus Christ; He has filled us with hope, joy, and peace, and we desire to have revealed through our lives the glory of who He is. 

Sincerely,

Joel