Welcome to the Inside Vision Lunch

Let’s face it. Any time you are trying to get connected at church or figure out if a church is for you, it can be intimidating. That’s why we have this INSIDE VISION LUNCH. It’s a way to help you in your first steps at Vision.

As you work through this material, recognize that our primary goal for you is that you begin the journey of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. We’ve structured this training to that end. Study it. Rest in it. And look to the Gospel, our source of hope as we ask great things of God and expect great things from God.

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do IN and THROUGH you. The best is yet to come!
History of The Church
December 24, 1989 - Vision Baptist Church began in the home of Millard and Martha Cates
June 1990 – Began meeting at East Wake Middle School
March 1990 – First Pastor was called – Larry King
Fall 1990 – Ten acres of land were purchased on Buffaloe Rd.
March 1992 – Reverend Claude Walker became the interim pastor
Fall 1992– First building was purchased (currently our Kids/Student Building)
December 1992 – First worship service held in the new building
December 1993 – First revival service
March 1994 – Reverend Jim Bates was called as pastor
October 1996 – Reverend David Kite was called as pastor
Fall 1998 – New worship center created in the building because of growth
January 2004 – New worship center purchased and added on to the current building
April 2006 – Dr. Alfred Wright was called as pastor
January 2012 – Current Church Building completed
August 2018 – Reverend Chris Pratt was called as pastor
December 2018 – BEYOND was implemented
January 2019 – LifeGroups begin
March 2019 – FOR919 was implemented; a week of intentionally serving our community
March 2019 – New Kids Worship Service begins
Easter 2019 – 270 people attended the Easter service
Christmas 2019 – 275 people attended the Christmas service (largest service ever)
Easter 2022 - Vision holds two services for Easter Sunday
Our Core Values
1. The Bible is our sole authority.
We believe that followers of Jesus should be Holy Spirit led and that everything we do must be
rooted in Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.”
John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
2. We are disciple makers.
We believe that God has called us to make disciples, so this will be our focus.
Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the
commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.”
3. We’re all in this together.
We believe every person has a story and every story matters to God; because of this we know
a unified church is a healthy church. We will worship together, study together, serve together
and be together.
Romans 12:4-5, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it
is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
1 Corinthians 1:10, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of
one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole
body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves,
and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share
the same Spirit.”
4. We are worshippers of God.
We don’t care who sees our worship and inside and outside of God’s house, we will worship
God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

5. Being generous isn’t what we do, it’s who we are.
We believe our time, our talents, and our treasures are gifts from God; we want to be known for
our intentional service, faithful stewardship and outrageous generosity.
1 Corinthians 16:2 “Each one of you, on the first day of each week, should set aside a specific
sum of money in proportion to what you have earned and use it for the offering.”
Leviticus 27:30 “A tenth of all you produce is the Lord’s, and it is holy.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and
whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have
decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful
giver.
6. We are bold in our faith.
We will intentionally share the Gospel with people and be bold with inviting people to see what
God is doing at Vision.
What kind of church is Vision? What denominations/organizations are you affiliated with?
At Vision, we believe the cooperation with larger fellowships of believers is profitable for kingdom work and in line with the desire Jesus expressed for his church (John 17:11).

We are a Southern Baptist Church and we adhere to the statement of beliefs found in the Baptist Faith and Message and a large portion of our mission’s efforts are done in cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention.

*See the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 (https://bfm.sbc.net/bfm2000/)
How is Vision governed?
We are a congregationally accountable church. We are led under the direction of the Holy Spirit, by our staff and our deacons. We also have a Board of Directors who oversees the finances of the church. Further, we are governed by our constitution and by-laws. Copies of these documents are available in the church office.

At the end of each calendar year, we have our annual family meeting. During this meeting, we review the year past, look ahead to the future, and vote on the budget for the upcoming year.
What is the Gospel?
The Good News
  • Romans 1:16; 1
  • Corinthians 15:3-4
  • Mark 1:15

1. GOD
God is the creator Genesis 1:1, 1:27
God is the righteous judge Exodus 34:6-7

2. MAN
Everyone has sinned. Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6
Sin results in death. Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23

3. JESUS
Jesus is fully God and fully man. John 1:1, 1:14, Philippians 2:5-11
Jesus is our righteous sacrifice. Romans 3:23-26, 1 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:21

4. RESPONSE
REPENTANCE Acts 3:19
FAITH Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1
Worship Services
Vision is a church that loves to worship together. Whether it’s Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, nights of worship, or special events throughout the year, we strive to provide powerful environments and experiences that allow you to come to Christ in worship.

Worship comes from the old English words, ‘Worth Ship’.

Worship has been defined as, “To set the mind’s attention and the heart’s affection toward God.” - Bruce Leafblad

We believe one of the best ways to KNOW GOD and LOVE JESUS is through weekly worship, preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Be intentional about being with God’s people and expectant about worshiping God together. Yes, we carry the presence of God wherever we go, but
it is important to set aside a time to be in God’s house, with God’s people, to praise and worship God.

Baptism

What is baptism?
The New Testament word for “baptism” means to immerse, dunk, or plunge. There is no debate among scholars that to baptize means to put someone completely under the water. Jesus demonstrated this act by being baptized while on Earth. (Matthew 3:13-17)
Why should I be baptized?
Baptism is important because it identifies the Christian with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. It symbolizes laying down the old life before Jesus and coming up out of the water to walk in newness of life (after trusting Jesus). It also identifies us with all Christians for all times in both the local and universal/historical church. (Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Baptism is an act of obedience and a public declaration of faith.

Obedience to Jesus shows we believe and follow Him. (1 John 2:3). Because Jesus went public
about His love for us, we can go public about our love for Him. Being baptized shows that we turn
away from a life of sin toward Jesus, the only one who can change us (Acts 2:38-41).
Who is a candidate for baptism?
New Testament or “believer’s baptism” has only one prerequisite – conversion. You must be born
again. (John 3:3) You are to be baptized after you have been saved (Acts 8:12).
Should I wait to be baptized after I understand the Bible better or have a certain feeling?
No, you should be baptized after you have believed and received. It is very clear (Matthew 28:19) that Jesus told His disciples to baptize others who commit their lives to Him. Being baptized immediately fulfills all that Jesus expected. There is no reason to wait.

What’s the difference between immersing, sprinkling and other ways of baptizing?

Baptisms in the Bible were by immersion. The original word for baptism most often referred to being immersed or submerged in water. Jesus was baptized by being immersed in the water and rising out of it (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10).

Submersion in the water symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Being submersed underwater represents our death to sin and old way of life, and being raised out of the water is a picture of how Jesus raised us and gave us a fresh start in life (Romans 6:3-5).
I have questions or I’m ready to be baptized. What do I do?
Contact any of our Vision staff by completing a Connect Card or filling out our online form on our website or app.
Do I need to be baptized again?
If you haven’t been baptized by immersion since you decided to follow Jesus, we want to help you
take your next step of being baptized. Once you’ve taken that step, there’s no need to be baptized
again.

God never asks us to take a next step that isn’t good for us. He always gives us more than we
deserve or can imagine, including the joy we receive from listening to Him and doing what He says.

Church Membership.


Joining a church can be a huge step, and it’s one you shouldn’t take without seeking God’s direction in prayer. In order to be a member of Vision Baptist Church, you must be saved and baptized.

Why should you become a member?

1) It Reflects the Gospel:
Church membership is essentially the outward demonstration of the
spiritual reality of being united to Christ and his body. Being a part of Christ’s body means that we identify with other disciples, learn the Scripture, submit to God’s authority structure, and serve others. Church membership openly demonstrates the reality of the Body of Christ.

2) It Follows the New Testament Pattern:
While it is true that the term “membership” is not explicitly used in the NT it is certainly inferred. Remember that most of our NT books were written
to people who have chosen to self-identify with a group of people in a local community. The ministerial structure established in 1 Timothy and Titus presuppose pastors and members who are in community together. Consider that needs and numbers were kept track of (Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4),
shepherds knew who they were accountable for (Heb. 13:17), widow-roles were kept (1 Tim. 5:9); and formal discipline among members was practiced (1 Cor. 5:12-13).

3) It shows that you are not ashamed to identify with Christ or his people. This world is hard and it is tempting to retreat into a shell of personal discouragement. Church membership reminds you of the fact that you are not alone, the value of Christ, and the priority of faithfulness to him.

4) It undermines independent, non-committal Christianity.
Accountability to one another,
submission to biblical authority, and practice of the “one-anothers” are all elements of a church united upon Christ and his gospel (Heb. 10.19-25; Matthew 18.15-20).

5) It is a context for using your spiritual gifts.
The local church is the community of believers who are aiming to live faithful to Christ. It is in this context that we serve one another according to God’s gifting. God uses this service, in and through the local church, to build up the body of Christ into maturity (Eph. 4.11-15; 1 Cor. 12-14).

What is expected of members?

When you become a member of a local church, there are some expectations.

1. I will worship. We expect people to attend worship services regularly,
and we expect them to worship with the heart, the mind, and the will.

2. I will mature. We expect people to grow spiritually through LifeGroups.
We desire for people to have a sense of belonging to our church.

3. I will serve. God created us to serve. He gifted us to serve. And He commands us to serve.
Every member should function in the body, and this functioning happens through service.

4. I will give. Mature believers have a generous spirit. We expect all members to give their tithe,
time, and resources for the mission of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

5. I will seek unity. We have a wonderfully unified body of believers.

6. I will pray. All members should pray corporately and privately.
Above all, they should pray for gospel fruit.

7. I will sacrifice. Membership means serving first.
Sacrifice means putting Gospel work above your preferences.

Now what?

We’ve planned this Inside Vision Lunch with the intention of giving you all the information you
need to move forward at a comfortable pace. When you’re ready to take the next step, here’s what
you need to do and what you can expect from us.

1. Let us know you are interested in becoming a member.

You can do this in one of two ways. You can complete the form today, at this INSIDE VISION
LUNCH, before you leave. Or you can complete it online, with a form that will be sent to your email
(more information below). The form lets us know that you’re ready to proceed.

2. Watch for a follow-up email.

Once you’ve signed the covenant, you’ll receive an email outlining what happens next. Usually this
will happen within the week.

Everyone will fall into one of three categories:

Baptism and covenant membership: for anyone who needs to be baptized by immersion as a
believer in Jesus. We will schedule your baptism with a day that works for you. You will become a
member of Vision on the same weekend you’re baptized.

Covenant membership only: for anyone who has already been baptized after conversion, by
immersion, either at Vision or in a church of like faith and practice. You will also be scheduled for a
membership date, which will fall on the same weekend as our baptism celebrations.

No next step: you may choose to put the brakes on your baptism/ membership process for now.
In that case, it will be your responsibility to reinitiate the conversation at the time in the future
when you are ready. Simply contact our staff and let them know you’ve already attended the Inside
Vision Lunch, and that you’re ready to become a member.

LifeGroups


We believe spiritual growth is vitally important and we challenge every person to do life together
with other believers in a LifeGroup. Joining a LifeGroup is the next step in discipleship.
A LifeGroup is an environment of biblical community (8-16 people) and is the starting point
for relationships, spiritual growth, and service both inside and outside the church. LifeGroups
are where people can feel welcome and accepted (BELONG), encounter Christ and His Word
(BELIEVE), and make disciples and group multipliers (BECOME). Our groups spend time in God’s
Word through sermon-based curriculum, and each group is encouraged to study the Bible weekly,
hang out together monthly, and serve together quarterly. Groups meet in various locations all
throughout the week.

We are not a church WITH groups but a church OF groups. You were created for community with
God and others by a God who is in community Himself.

How To Join A Group

1. Fill out a connect card and let us know you are interested in a group.

2. Our staff will reach out to you and talk to you about what groups are open and may be a
good fit.

3. Decide which group you would like to check out. Commit to going for one of our
sessions and see if it’s a good fit.

4. At the end of the session, you can choose to switch groups, start a group,
or stay in your current group.

Serving

Some churches have the Pastors and staff doing the work of the church. At Vision, we believe
every person in the congregation should be doing the ministry of the church. Every believer is
gifted to serve the church and the community, and it is the job of the pastoral team to equip the
church for the work of the ministry. See the difference? It is not the pastors who are doing the
ministry of the church; they are instead equipping you to do the ministry. We want to encourage
you in your ministry to those around you. There are great places to serve at the church and in the
community. We are excited to work with you to help you get started!

Saved to Serve

4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.
Romans 12:4-5

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10

Why Serve?
26 It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:26-28

9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
1 Peter 4:9-10

5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.
Colossians 4:5-6

Eight Blessings from Serving

» Serving allows us to discover and develop our spiritual gifts.
» Serving allows us to experience life transformation and see God at work.
» Serving allows us to give out of the overflow of what Christ has done for us.
» Serving helps us to become more like Jesus. We serve because Jesus first served us.
» Serving allows us to be around other Christians who challenge and encourage us on our
walk with Christ.
» Serving increases our faith.
» Serving encourages us as we provide encouragement to others.
» Serving is good and helpful for your soul.

May I _______ before I join?

Many people ask if they can check out a LifeGroup or serve or give before taking the formal step
of membership. There’s certainly nothing wrong with “kicking the tires” on a new church, making
sure that the relational structure is in place to take you farther in your Christian walk.
You can certainly join a LifeGroup and some ministry teams before becoming a member. However,
we ask that you do that as you pursue membership, not in place of membership.

Giving

How do you view giving in the local church? As I listen to what Christians say and read what they
write I get the impression that many people think of giving simply as paying another bill.

Giving is more than this, much more. Rather than simply being mechanical, giving is a spiritual
discipline that tangibly expresses our faith in God to provide for us and to use what we give for his
work.

Consider what is really going on when we give.

Each week we gather together for worship on Sunday morning. During the service we take time
to give. This is an act that we do together as a church family in our corporate worship service. It
demonstrates that we are a single church body. We are a family that comes together united by the
same faith in the same Savior. We share the same hope, joy, goal in life, and burden for the nations and our neighbors. And we are a family that is working together for the advancement of the gospel.

When we give we are also communicating that we as a church share in this work together. We sup-
port the work of the gospel both in our community and across the world together. When we give

we are saying that we want to see the gospel speed ahead. We desire to see God use what we give
to glorify himself through the ministry of the Word.

Also, in this giving there is a calculated bit of trust. In order to give money we are saying that we
trust God to provide for our needs. We know that God does not need our money, but he uses it.

God is our Father and he cares for us, looking after our families individually and the church col-
lectively. We are also saying that we value the ministry of the Word in such a way that we want to

give cheerfully, sacrificially, thankfully, and generously for it.
Giving then, together as a church, should be an expression of our faith in God to provide and to
use what we give for the advancement of the gospel. When we read 2 Corinthians 9, we see there

is far more invested in the giving than just paying a bill. There is personal examination, contempla-
tion of the need, consideration of what and how God provides, evaluation of what they are giving towards, and an occasion to give thanks to God.

“So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for
the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The point
is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having
all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He
has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.””
(2 Corinthians 9:5–9)

Ways to Give

Electronically

Many of our members choose to give electronically. It is very simple and secure. Members can
give a single gift, or schedule recurring giving using your checking account, debit, or credit card.
Scheduling a recurring gift makes sure that you always give to God first. You can access our giving
online through our website or the Vision App.
Another way you can give is text giving. To give subsequent gifts through text giving, text
“GIVEVBC” to 206-859-9405. The text is not case sensitive.

In-Person

Also, you may choose to give in person during our worship services. We have several drop boxes
in our worship center where you can drop your gift before, during, or after the worship services.

Mail

Finally, you can mail your gift to the church office. The address is: 7633 Buffaloe Rd. Raleigh, NC
27616

Need Title Here.

Disciple making is intentionally entering into someone’s life to help them know and follow Jesus
(evangelism) and to teach them to obey His commands (discipleship).

Evangelism is sharing the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ with someone to help them know
and follow Jesus as Lord through repentance and faith.

Discipleship is intentionally equipping believers with the Word of God through accountable
relationships empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to replicate faithful followers of Christ.

D-Groups

These are gender-exclusive groups of 3-5 people who meet for 12-18 months. These groups
meet once a week, either in person or virtually. People in a D-Group are already committed
to a LifeGroup, but want to grow deeper. They memorize scripture, read scripture and journal
with their group, and read discipleship books throughout the year. The group holds each other
accountable and asks tough questions that are provided.

Missions

We know the Gospel came to us but it needs to go to others. There are millions of people who
need to hear and experience the love of Jesus Christ. Whether it’s local or foreign, we desire to
reach all people with the Gospel of Jesus. We take mission trips, provide outreach opportunities,
support missionaries and think outside the box when it comes to missions.

Stepping Out

What is God calling you to next? Could it be beginning a non-profit business? Could it be starting a new ministry at Vision? Leading a ministry at Vision? Is God calling you to full time Christian service? Would you like to attend seminary? Maybe it’s something more. Whatever it is, we want to help as you step out.

For919 &
SERVE SATURDAYS

We believe that the church is not a place to go, but a people to belong to. YOU WERE CREATED FOR GOD AND FOR OTHERS. EACH YEAR, WE CHOOSE ONE WEEK TO INTENTIONALLY LOVE THE “919”COMMUNITY. WE CALL IT FOR919. This is a week dedicated to saturating the 919 community. As a church, WE CHOOSE RANDOM ACTS OF GENEROSITY TO NOT ONLY TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS, BUT TO SHOW PEOPLE THE LOVE OF JESUS THROUGH SERVING THEM. We partner with nonprofits, throw block parties, buy people’s groceries & gas, help people financially, and show the love of Jesus Christ in radical ways. FOR919 is one of the biggest outreach & mission opportunities we provide each year.

Serve Saturdays The same idea as FOR919,  SERVE SATURDAYS happen once per quarter. It’s like a mini FOR919, just on a Saturday. We host 2-3 different serving opportunities for people to serve the 919 community. We partner with nonprofits, schools, organizations, and neighborhoods to serve people and show them Jesus!

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