Our story
Temple Baptist Church opened its doors in 1973 and has been reaching people for Christ ever since. Our focus is to preach the Gospel, teach from God's Word, and to show an outpouring of love to our community.
A year later, in 1974, the church founded Temple Christian Academy, which still teaches students from K3 through 12th grade on our campus.
Temple hosts exciting events through the year: our annual Jubilee in June, following our Homecoming Sunday, and the Deep South Ladies Conference, which Temple proudly sponsors every other September.
Statement of faith
What Temple Baptist Church believes.
Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible, consisting of the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures, was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without mixture of error. We believe in the King James Bible.
The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit whose name is JEHOVAH, THE MAKER AND SUPREME RULER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: that He is glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in unity of the God Head there are three persons -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost -- equal in every divine perfection and executing distance by harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in holiness under the law of his maker but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defense or excuse.
The Way of Salvation
We believe that salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father freely took upon Him our nature; that being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, yet without sin, He honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and, is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.
Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing, which Christ secures to such as believe in Him, is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life that is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's Blood, by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us.
The Freeness of Salvation
We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel.
The Grace of Regeneration
We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again.
Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness and of the way of salvation of Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; and at the same time we heartily receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and rely on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His Holiness; that it is a progressive work and is begun in regeneration.
Security of the Believer
We believe that born-again believers are preserved by God for eternal life, that a person who is truly saved becomes a child of God at the moment of salvation, that God places us in His hand, and that no one can ever take us out of God's hand.
A Gospel Church
We believe that the Lord's Church is a visible body of scripturally baptized believers who can trace a succession of churches of like faith and order back to the days of Christ, and who are associated together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that it's only Scriptural officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe that Scriptural Baptism is done by the authority of a New Testament Church and is immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost. We believe that the Lord's Supper in which the members of the church by the sacred use of the bread and fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ. It is to be preceded always with solemn self-examination.
The Lord's Day
We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes by abstaining from all secular labor, except works of mercy and necessity.
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except for in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the kings of the earth.
The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is an essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only such as who are saved (accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior) are going to Heaven; and those who deny the Lord will go to Hell.
The World to Come
We believe that the end of this age is approaching. (I Peter 4:7). We believe in the personal imminent return of the Lord. (I Thess. 4:13-18) We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting punishment of the lost.
Our staff
Pastor and Mrs. J. Stephen Crane
Pastor
Pastor Stephen Crane was born into a pastor/evangelist's home, and as a young boy, helped his family plant and minister to over 20 churches throughout the Southeast. He holds a Doctorate in Theology, has served on the mission field in Romania, and has been serving the great people of Temple Baptist Church since 1997. Pastor Crane and his wife, Valerie, have four grown children and many grandchildren serving the Lord in many different ways.
Dr. Forrest Waldrop
Assistant Pastor
Bro. Jon Reimers
Administrative Pastor
Bro. Dave Williams
Missions Pastor
Bro. J. D. Wright
Assistant
Bro. and Sis. Patrick Conner
Youth Directors
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
John 12:32
It is the hope of Pastor and Mrs. Crane to be a blessing to others and a light for the people of Gulfport to see Jesus through Temple Baptist Church. They have a love for worldwide missions and claim John 12:32 for their ministry.
Our statement of faith
The full statement, ready to print or share.