Who We Are
In November 1956, the Ardmore Baptist Missions, now known as Sweet Springs Baptist Church, was founded by Mr. Dyke Shannon. The first pastor of the church was Chester Jones.
In 1958 a 2/3 acre was purchased from Mrs. Cora Claunch, and the footing of the foundation of the church at its present site was poured on August 2. In 1961, an east wing extension was added to the church. In the early 70's a west wing, bathrooms, and a baptistry was added, along with bricking on the outside. The purchase of an additional 9 2/3 acres was made around this time to give the church a total of ten acres of land.
In 1982, after 24 years of faithful service to the church, Chester Jones resigned as pastor. Two months later, Ray Stewart became the new pastor. He served in this capacity for nine months at which he resigned to return to his native West Virginia.
In December 1983, Wallace Missildine became our pastor where he served for 8 years. Under his leadership, the church built a new pastorium in 1984. Soon after, in 1987, Sweet Springs added a new auditorium in which our congregation still meets today.
In 1991, Jerrold Myers became our pastor where he served for 3 years. He has since served as a missionary in Uganda, East Africa, and South Africa.
In 1994, Joel Logan became the pastor and continued in that capacity for 22 years until taking the pastorate of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. Under his leadership, the fellowship hall was converted to an educational building in 2005, a pavilion was added in 2007. In 2014, the pastorium was converted into a missions house, and has hosted many of God's finest ministers.
In 2016, Brent Logan and his family moved to Alabama in 2016 after having served the Lord previously as a pastor for 11 years in Virginia, then as overseas missionaries in Romania and Greece for 10 years, as well as church planters in the United States for 2 years. They are very thankful for the wonderful privilege of serving Christ at Sweet Springs Baptist Church, and they desire to be faithful servants of the Lord Jesus and those for whom He died.
We at Sweet Springs can look back over the years and see just how greatly the Lord has blessed us. We have grown not only in size and number but in faith and strength. We now support more than 140 missionary families; we have three van routes, provide two children's churches, and preaching services for the many seniors who are confined to our local nursing homes. It is easy to see how the Lord has blessed the church over the years, and with good and faithful members, we know that the Lord will continue to bless us even more.
What We Believe
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that God Himself is the Author of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe that its perfection extends to every word (Proverbs 30:5). We believe that God has preserved His word without error for English speaking people in the King James Bible (Psalm 12:6-7). God’s word is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
THE GODHEAD
We believe in one God Who is eternally existent and reveals Himself in three persons: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost (1 John. 5:7). We believe God to be the creator and sustainer of all things, visible and invisible. We believe the universe, and all that is therein, to be held together by the word of His power (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17).
JESUS CHRIST
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be…God manifest in the flesh - 1 Timothy 3:16, Philippians 2:5-8 Born of a virgin - Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23
Without sin - 1 Peter 2:21-22, Hebrews 7:26 The Savior of the world - 1 Timothy 2:5-6, John 14:6
Coming again to gather His church - Acts 1:11,1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Coming again to establish His kingdom - Revelation 19:11-16, Isaiah 9:6-7
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit. His work is to reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; to glorify Jesus Christ through the life of the believer; and, to guide the believer into all truth (John 16:7-14).
SALVATION
We believe salvation is available to all men, by grace through faith, in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from human work or merit of any kind (Rom 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-9).
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe the child of God is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ, kept by His power, and sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, until the day of redemption (1 Peter 1:3-9; John 5:24).
ETERNAL STATE
We believe that all men rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity in the conscious torment of a literal lake of fire,
created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41); while all those receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour will spend
eternity in heaven in the presence of God (Luke 16:19-31; Philippians 1:21-23).
THE CHURCH
We believe salvation makes one a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and that the members of this body
should gather together in a local church where they may minister for the Lord and to one another (Hebrews 10:25; 1
Corinthians 11:20a).
THE BELIEVER
We believe that all those saved by faith are the children of God, entailing both certain privileges and responsibilities (1 Peter 2:5-12; Ephesians 4:22-24). We believe that the child of God should be separate from the ways of this world, both inwardly and outwardly, and that righteousness does not come by the keeping of laws and commandments but by an inner change of heart (Romans 12:1-2; Titus 2:11-12).
ORDINANCES
We believe the ordinances of the local church to be two: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is both a picture our Lord’s resurrection and a public testimony made by an individual who has been born again (Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 8:37). The Lord’s supper is a commemoration of Christ’s death that provides an opportunity for believers to show the Lord’s death, examine themselves, and make remembrance of Him until He returns (1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 11:20-31).
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe government to be instituted by God. We, as Christian, are subject to such higher powers and are commanded to honor them, as long as such obedience does not conflict with the clear commandments of the Scripture (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29).
DOCTRINAL SUMMARY
While we do hold these articles to be true, we understand that they by no means exhaust our doctrinal position. It is also understood that we, as individuals and as a local church, are to conduct our temporal, as well as spiritual, business in strict accordance to our ultimate creed, the word of God.
