Visiting Stepney Baptist
Welcome!
We’ve assembled a few questions to help prepare you for visiting Stepney Baptist.
What kind of church is SBC?
We are a Christ-following, Bible-believing church with a relaxed and inviting culture. When you visit on a Sunday, you’ll be surrounded by a friendly, vibrant group of people of varying ages and backgrounds. Our motto is Passion for God and Compassion for People. As a smaller church, Stepney is a place where you can make personal connections on day one. Outside Sunday service, we have several Bible studies and Community Groups where you can go deeper and make lasting friendships.
What is a typical Sunday service like?
Our service begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends around 11:15. We are blessed with a gifted contemporary music team, which leads in expressive worship. After collecting weekly tithes and offerings, kids (K-5th grade) are dismissed for Sunday school. Our pastor teaches messages rooted in Biblical text. Our goal is to always make the Scriptures understandable in their original context, while illuminating their relevance for today.
What is available for kids during service?
Nursery for newborn through age 5 is available during the entire service. K-5 kids have a Sunday school program which meets during the pastor’s sermon. We provide a weekly children’s bulletin with crayons to help keep younger minds engaged. All our children’s and nursery workers are all trained in child safety and have passed a background check.
What happens after service?
Immediately after church, we enjoy “coffee hour” just downstairs from the sanctuary. We serve delicious, amazing, and locally roasted “Pour Mikey’s” coffee. There are always some snacks to nosh on as well. Coffee hour is a great time to meet people and make new friends.
What should I wear?
We are a casual church so come as you are.
How often do we share Communion?
We celebrate Communion on the first Sunday of each month. Christ instituted communion so we’d remember His great sacrifice for us on the cross. It also reminds us that He is coming back for us some day soon.
But wait…I’m not a “Baptist!”
Our church members come from a variety of backgrounds; Catholic, Protestant, and no affiliation at all. For many, this is their first experience in a Baptist church. We don’t make too much emphasis about our denomination. Our focus is getting to know Christ as we grow in understanding the Bible. Stepney is affiliated with American Baptist Churches, USA. The Baptist tradition emphasizes the autonomy of the individual and the local church. We don’t receive theological directives from ABCUSA, rather, we are congregationally governed and hold unswervingly to the truth of Scripture. We do practice full immersion baptism, as an outward sign of our inward faith transformation.