The heart of the Great Commission is a call to share the Gospel with those who have not heard about Jesus. The percentage of the world population that has little or no access to the gospel continues to grow.
Jesus told us to go to all nations and to share the good news about Him (Matthew 28:19-20). Immanuel Baptist Church is able to share Jesus with others through partnerships with other mission-minded agencies, as well as through the Cooperative Program.
After spending time in God’s Word we can’t help but see the Lord’s deep concern for the lost and our corresponding commission to them (Luke 15:7). Without outreach, all other activities at our church will fall short of their intended purpose. We cannot be disobedient in our task of evangelism and imagine that we are pleasing God. This is why our church is committed to investing time and resources in reaching people for Jesus.
We do not build unity as a church in order to socialize, have fun, and feel comfortable with our friends. While we do have fun and socialize, it is not our purpose. As a church, we are called to missions. We may not all be called in the same area or in the same way but we are all commissioned by Christ to spread the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Immanuel Baptist encourages every member to become involved in the many missions programs and projects planned throughout the year. There are opportunities for participation at the individual, family, organizational, and classroom levels. We are a church called to minister in our city, our nation, and our world (Acts 1:8). Will YOU come along side us?
Local Missions
God has placed our church in a strategic location in order to minister to our community. While many churches focus their mission efforts in other countries we believe that Tallahassee is also a mission field. We as believers in Christ are called to spread the gospel in every opportunity given to us by God, whether at work, amongst family and friends, or where ever our lives may take us. So we promote the idea that every church member is a missionary wherever they go.
Below are just some of the ways that we minister to our community:
Mary and Martha Missions Group
Nighttime Women’s Ministry Mission Group
· This group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Annex.
· This group has hosted a luncheon/tea for homeless women in Tallahassee (residents of the Shelter, Chelsea House and Hope Community).
· Last year they did a project of cutting and washing t-shirt strips and sent them to another state that was making various items with the strips to sell to help victims of human trafficking.
· They regularly pray for mission groups and send cards of encouragement to individuals while they are serving on mission trips as well as other mission supporting activities.
· They put together cookie tins at Christmas and distribute them to places like: homeless shelter, Florida Baptist Children's Home cottages, Chelsea House, Hospice House, Refuge House, etc.
A Women's Pregnancy Center - http://www.awomenspregnancycenter.com/
· A Women's Pregnancy Center is a non-profit organization that provides free and confidential services to women and men facing possible unplanned pregnancy.
· Join WALK for LIFE in raising funds so they can continue sharing the good news of Christ's forgiveness and the hope of a bright future with women and men facing crisis pregnancies.
State Missions
Florida Baptist Children’s Home - http://www.fbchomes.org/
· Florida Baptist Children’s Homes is a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides safe, stable, Christian homes for boys and girls who have been neglected, misdirected, abandoned, abused, or caught up in family turmoil.
· Offering received on Mother’s day for ministry
Cooperative Program - http://www.sbc.net/cp/
· Budgeted offering to support mission projects of the Florida Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention
Disaster Relief - http://www.flbaptistdisaster.org/
· This ministry encompasses two emphases. The first priority is the training of volunteer personnel and the readiness of equipment to respond to the aftermath of a natural disaster. Secondly, following a natural disaster, the team strategist coordinates the deployment of volunteers and support equipment to assist individuals and churches by providing emergency feeding, on-site clean-up and recovery services.
U.S.A. Missions
Annie Armstrong Mission Offering - http://anniearmstrong.com/
· Offering taken to support all the North American Mission Board and SBC missions in the USA
Mission Trips in the U.S.A
· Since 2001, Immanuel Baptist Church has sent individuals or teams to the following States
Litchfield, CN, Smyrna, TN, New Orleans, LA, Miami, FL, and Madison, Wisconsin
Builders for Christ - http://buildersforchrist.org/
· Builders for Christ, is a group of men, women and children serving our Lord Jesus Christ in the mission field of church construction. Our church members have gone to Tyrone, PA, Eua Clair, Wisconsin, and Smithfield, Virginia serving with Builders for Christ
International Missions
Through the International Mission Board we are part of 46,000 Southern Baptist churches focused together in one sacred effort to fulfill the great commission among all peoples.
Foreign Mission Trips
· May 2015, we will be sending another group on Mission to Cuba.
· Since 2001, Immanuel Baptist Church has sent individuals or teams to the following countries on mission: Honduras, Nicaragua, Romania, Kenya, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Nicaragua, Central Asia, Africa, Malaysia, Guatemala, Panama, Southeast Asia, Germany, India, and Cuba.
Operation Christmas Child
· Operation Christmas Child is a shoebox ministry of gifts to children around the world through Samaritan Purse Organization. Every year IBC partners with Operation Christmas Child by collecting and filling shoe boxes so they can be given to a child at Christmas who would otherwise receive nothing.