At Graceland Church we are guarded by our elders, who give direction and leadership to our church family. We are guided by our staff under the leadership of our Lead Pastor, Dr. Nate Millican. We are served by our deacons who help with the physical needs of our church family. We are gifted by the body as Jesus works through us.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Bible is our first and final authority for beliefs, faith, and practice, and is truth without error.
“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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20
The New Testament pattern and order is to hear the gospel, believe in Jesus Christ and then to be baptized. The method of New Testament baptism is immersion, symbolizing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each Christian has also “died” to the power of sin and has been raised to a new quality of life in Christ – Romans 6:4
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Each Christian believer has a direct relationship with God and is responsible for using his or her gifts to serve Him in ministry. 1 Peter 4:10
We practice two ordinances – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper or Communion. One is not saved by being baptized and one does not receive God’s grace by partaking of the elements of the Lord’s Supper. We are saved by God’s gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. We obey Christ through New Testament baptism and celebrate His presence through the Lord’s Supper. – Acts 16:25-34 and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” – Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:18
See the example of the decision of the church to choose men to help with the distribution of food in Acts 6:1-6 and numerous other such instances throughout the New Testament.
While we are a part of the Southern Baptist Convention, no outside governing body dictates how we minister. In this sense, we are completely independent. We do cooperate with other churches locally and nationally for the purposes of missions and evangelism.
