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Jesus washing feet

Who We Are

Calder Baptist Church is affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. We are a congregation with varied and diverse approaches to faith, but remain committed to the unity we are given in Christ. We are a community built around a shared life of worship, service, and fellowship. Here you will find a place to belong, a people to love, and a God who continues to surprise. 

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Our worship is what most would call "traditional." We utilize hymns, responsive readings, and follow the Church Calendar by using the Revised Common Lectionary. We simply see these as the gifts that God has given us to worship Him and be drawn closer to Christ.

What We Believe

We hold to historic Christian faith and belief, but we are a diverse people. This means that we think questions and doubts are part of faith, curiosity is better than judgment, and at the end of the day it is Christ who unites us through our diversity. However, we are Baptist by tradition and still believe that being Baptist can be a good thing today. Below is what that means for us.

Baptist Distinctives

Religious Freedom
Baptists are committed to freedom of religion, freedom for religion and from religion. This means for all people, not just Christians or Baptists. This belief has led to a strong position on the separation of church and state. We believe coercion is not what God would want of us since it is not how God relates to us.

Bible Freedom
The Holy Bible is central to encountering the Living God. Every follower is free to study the Bible and to interpret its teaching. This freedom does not give license, but does empower followers to interpret the Bible with one's own conscience, with the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God, and with the best academic study available.

Soul Freedom
Every individual has the right and the responsibility to relate directly to God without creed, clergy or government. Although most Baptists admire and respect their pastors, Baptists have historically claimed that followers of God relate directly to God with no intermediary except God's own Son, Jesus Christ.

Church Freedom
Baptists historically have championed the "gathered church." This is the church composed of individuals who have self-consciously and voluntarily made the decision to follow God. Such a group is free to determine its own membership, its governance and its worship style.

These tenets empower our community of faith and give us the freedom and flexibility to follow where God is leading us through ministry, mission, and discipleship. We invite you to explore a life of faith with us.

Leadership Staff

Picture of Brett Holmes, Bettye Phillips, Brian Abel
Brett Holmes, M. Div., (left)
Brian Abel, M. Div.
(right)

Associate Pastor, Youth and Congregational Life
Babel@CalderBaptist.org

Bettye Phillips
(center)

Pre-K/MDO Director

Bphillips@CalderBaptist.org

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