Contact Information:

Calvary Baptist Church
1422 Washington Ave.
Alton, IL 62002
Phone: (618) 462-8816
Fax: (618) 462-3604

Church Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

The Bible urges believers not to “forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). Spirit-led affiliation gives a sense of belonging, loyalty, commitment and accountability. It helps us to know who we can count on for service and leadership.

How Do I Make Calvary My Church Home?

You become a member of Calvary in one of four ways:

By public profession of faith in Christ as your Savior and as a candidate for believer’s baptism

By believer’s baptism if you have professed faith in Christ at an earlier time

By transferring your membership from another Southern Baptist Church

If coming from a church that is not Southern Baptist, by statement that you have already professed faith in Christ and received believer’s baptism

What Response Do I Make to Become a Member of Calvary?

Whenever Christ called people to follow Him, He urged a public response. Near the end of any worship service after the Pastor’s message, you will be invited to the front of the auditorium. A pastoral staff member or an encourager will already be there and will prayerfully assist you with your membership decision. This is when you will make your public commitment to salvation, believer’s baptism or membership transfer by letter or statement. If you do not feel comfortable walking forward during the invitation time, you may fill out the guest card located in the worship folder you received and place it in the offering plate or one of the tan boxes located in each of our lobbies. You may also e-mail a request for more information or share a decision to adobson@calbap.org.

What is “Believer’s Baptism?”

The Bible teaches that baptism must be by immersion, after a conscious decision to follow Christ, and as a symbol of the change that Jesus has brought into your heart.

Connect Class

These classes are designed to introduce the new and prospective member to the ministry of Calvary. This ministry is led by a faithful group of our laypeople, and the class is taught by our Pastor. These classes are designed to allow both new and prospective members to get a glimpse of the DNA of Calvary Baptist Church. These classes are being held on selected Friday nights, with a light dinner at 5:30 p.m. followed by the class from 6:15 - 8:00 p.m. Classes for Students Grades 6-12 and Children Grades K -5 are also offered at the same time. Child care will be provided for preschool age children.

GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

The Father – He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe, and the flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.

The Son (Jesus) – Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus has eternally existed and became man at His incarnation. He lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He bodily arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Holy Spirit – He is the third person of the Trinity. He guides men into all truth, exalts Christ, convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, bestows spiritual gifts by which believers serve God, and seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the lives of believers is the assurance of God to bring us into the fullness of the stature of Christ.

HUMAN BEINGS

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation. All of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

SALVATION

Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

And we are eternally secure.

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose ” your salvation. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

SCRIPTURE

The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it has salvation for its end and is truth without any mixture of error.

EVANGELISM

It is the duty of every born again follower of Jesus Christ and of every church to endeavor to make disciples of all men everywhere. It is the command of Christ for every believer to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

ORDINANCES

Baptism by Immersion – We believe that scriptural baptism must be: (1) by being completely immersed under the water and (2) after salvation. Jesus was immersed, and all baptisms in the New Testament were by immersion. These two facts sets the standard for baptism today. Baptism has no saving power but is the first act of obedience symbolizing (1) the believer’s faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, (2) the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to walk anew in Christ, and (3) the Christian’s belief that he will die, be buried, and that Jesus will resurrect him from the dead.
The Lord’s Supper – The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus and anticipate His second coming. The bread is symbolic of His body and the juice represents His blood.

GIVING TO THE CHURCH

We believe in giving the tithe – ten percent of our gross income (not net income) - as the biblical standard of giving. The tithe is to be given as an undesignated offering to the “storehouse” ministry of a local church. According to the Scriptures, we are to give cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.

THE CHURCH

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by their common faith and fellowship with Jesus. A local church is to observe the two ordinances: (1) baptism and (2) the Lord’s Supper. The church should exercise their God-given gifts and extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. The church is an autonomous body serving under the Lordship of Christ. All members are equally responsible as they serve with the scriptural officers of the church, the pastors and deacons.

UNITY

To live in harmony with other believers is clearly the teaching of the New Testament. It is the responsibility of each believer to endeavor to live in fellowship with each member of the congregation. It is further the responsibility of each member to bring all gossiping and backbiting to an end.