Our Mission
The mission of South Ridge is for people to Experience Belonging, Embrace God's Grace, and Extend God's Love.
Experience Belonging
Because we have been created by a relational God, we are designed to seek connection, belonging, and relationship. We long to belong, and in our increasingly digital culture, authentic relationship and belonging are more important than ever. While our ultimate belonging is secure in Christ, we Experience Belonging as we gather, serve, and intentionally share our faith journey and life experiences with one another. Nothing promotes human flourishing like being fully known and fully loved by God and pursuing genuine and intentional connection with others.
Embrace God's Grace
Far from being a purposeless accident, each of us has been intentionally and purposefully created by God to know Him. The “good news” of the Gospel is that God has moved toward us in the person of Jesus. The most important decision a person can make is to personally Embrace God’s Grace by receiving Jesus as Savior and continuing to deepen their relationship with Him. Rather than moving on from the gospel, the whole of our lives is dedicated to moving more deeply into the gospel, allowing our relationship with Jesus and His grace and truth to permeate every aspect of our lives.
Extend God's Love
Rather than living as passive recipients of God’s grace to us through Jesus, we are called to partner with God by extending His love in our families, neighborhoods, communities, and world. As followers of Jesus, the natural outcome of embracing God’s grace is for us to Extend God’s Love. Rather than prioritizing self-comfort and pleasure, we prioritize loving and serving others in Jesus’ name. We also seek to invest our gifts, resources, and abilities as agents of God’s renewal in the lives of people and the world around us.
Our History
In May 1870, six Clinton residents were baptized in the South Branch of the Raritan River. They, along with 31 worshippers from the neighboring Bethlehem Baptist Church, became the original congregation of Clinton Baptist Church. The first pastor, Henry Westcott, was installed in March 1872. In August they moved into their first church home at 55 Leigh Street. Mr. J.G. Leigh donated the land, and the building was constructed for $10,500. For the next 94 years, the Baptists in Clinton worshipped in that building.
In the 1940’s, the congregation began to feel cramped in the Leigh Street building. A committee found and purchased seven acres of land on a hill outside of town, where the present church building is located. Those who did not share the vision left the church at that time, leaving only about a dozen families. These dedicated few, led by Pastor Sparling, took personal loans to build a modest structure with a seating capacity of 300. They did most of the work themselves.
When the new church was completed in 1967, the members brought several remembrances from the church on Leigh Street: the cornerstone and bell, which can be seen in the yard beside the present church building, an old Bible from the original church building, and a cross handmade by Pastor Earl Cook, which now hangs in the church balcony. The first service in the new building at the new location was held on May 7, 1967.
For several years prior to 2004, the church had periodically discussed the possibility of changing its name. While not changing its Baptist affiliation, it was sensed that there would be greater opportunity to reach the surrounding community without having the label “Baptist” as part of the church’s name. The congregation voted on the new name, South Ridge Community Church, on November 23, 2003. On Sunday, March 28, 2004, the church held its last services as Clinton Baptist Church and celebrated its rich history. On April 4, 2004, the congregation gathered for the first time as South Ridge Community Church.
While times have not always been smooth or trouble-free, the heritage of Clinton Baptist Church, now South Ridge Community Church, has always been a community that provides a firm foundation for those who desire to meet, know, and serve the Lord, experiencing belonging, embracing His grace, and extending His love, both in our community and to the world beyond.
Our Beliefs
We believe in the personal existence of the God the Creator who is infinite and perfect and has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind through creation, His Son, His Spirit, and His Word. God sustains His creation and orders the affairs of people and nations according to His sovereign wisdom and eternal plan.We believe in the personal existence of the God the Creator who is infinite and perfect and has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind through creation, His Son, His Spirit, and His Word. God sustains His creation and orders the affairs of people and nations according to His sovereign wisdom and eternal plan. God exists in a community of three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all of whom possess the attributes of God.
(Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Job 22:12; Psalm 33:13-17, 135:6-7, 139:7-19; Isaiah 5:16; Jeremiah 32:17; Romans 1:19-20, 5:8, 8:38-39, 11:33-36; Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 4:7-11)
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and became fully human through the miraculous process of the virgin birth. Jesus taught the way of God, lived a sinless life on our behalf, and voluntarily satisfied God’s justice by making full payment of sin’s penalty through death on the cross. Jesus physically and literally rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now enthroned as Mediator. He will return one day to take with Him all those who have been declared righteous through faith, and He will establish His Kingdom in the new heaven and new earth.
(Matthew 28:5-7; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-4, 3:16-18; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:15-17, 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Peter 3:10-13; 1 John 2:1-2, 3:8; Revelation 21:1-2, 22:1-7)
Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God. The Holy Spirit is active in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and applies the saving work of Jesus Christ to the lives of sinful human beings who repent of their sin. The Holy Spirit provides assurance of salvation, strength, guidance into truth, comfort, and instruction for living. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the time of their salvation and equips them for Godly living and service in the church and in the world.
(John 16:8-15; Romans 8:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 3:16, 4:30, 5:18)
We believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and without error as originally written. It serves as God’s communication concerning His dealing with creation, the fall of mankind, and His plan for reconciliation, redemption, and restoration. The Scripture teaches us the truth regarding the realities of life, living, death, and judgment and it teaches us that God’s plan of redemption and restoration are ultimately fulfilled and accomplished through His Son Jesus.
(Deut 28:58; Joshua 1:8; John 2:22, 5:39-40, 45-47, 7:42; 1 Corinth 14:36-37; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
We believe that human beings were created in the image of God and are designed to have a personal relationship with the Creator. While continuing to possess the wonder, beauty, and value of being created in God’s image, every member of the human race, apart from God’s power, is morally guilty before God, subject to sin’s power, inclined towards disobedience, and deserving of sin’s death penalty.
(Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-3:24; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 5:12, 18, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57; Ephesians 2:1-9; Hebrews 11:6)
We believe that salvation is made possible only by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it is available to all, and that it must be personally received. Salvation means that our debt of sin has been paid and that we have received the righteousness of Christ through personal faith. Salvation is deliverance from alienation, guilt, bondage, and death; as well as restoration to fellowship, righteousness, freedom, life, and the redemption of all things. Through salvation we become new creations in Christ resulting in a life of increasing holiness, obedience, and love for God.
(John 1:12-13, 5:36-38, 10:7-10, 14:6; Romans 5:1-2, 6-11, 8:1-39; Galatians 2:20-21; Ephesians 1:11-13, 2:4-10; Colossians 1:19-20)
We believe that the church is the body of Christ with Christ as its head. As a universal community of believers, the church is comprised of all those who have been united to Christ and to each other through the power of the Holy Spirit. As a local community of believers, the church is called to gather together to worship God, grow in service and love for God and one another, and carry the gospel of redemption to every part of the earth. The church is to glorify God by influencing a lost and dying culture toward His wisdom and love.
(Gen 1:26-28, Matthew 16:18, 28:18-20; Acts 2:40-47, 4:32-37, 5:12-14, 10:44; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-23, 3:8-11, 14-21, 4:1-5:2; Col 1:18, 24; 1 The 1:3-10)
Spiritual Gifts: We believe that the fullness of God is reflected in the gifting of Christ’s body, the church. Spiritual gifts are given to members of Christ’s body at the sovereign discretion of the Holy Spirit and made effective through the power of God. Each person is to utilize their gifts to serve others and demonstrate the grace of God in various ways. The gifts must conform to the parameters set forth in Scripture and are intended to bring glory and honor to God, strengthen the lives of believers, and draw unbelievers toward God.
(Psalms 37:4; Romans 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11, 18, 21-26, 31, 13:1-3, 14:1, 12b, 18, 15:10; Ephesians 2:8-10, James 4:3, 1 Peter 4:10)
Ordinances: We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are two practices commanded by Christ that should be faithfully observed.
- Baptism: Baptism is a public demonstration and pronouncement of our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life in Christ. Rather than procuring salvation, baptism is an act of obedience to God that symbolically communicates that we have been cleansed by Jesus and that we belong to Him. We believe that Baptism through immersion best outwardly demonstrates this inward reality.
- The Lord’s Supper: The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death for us, a reminder that our sins are forgiven only through His work, and a symbol that our spiritual growth and life are sustained by His work. In addition, the Lord’s Supper reminds all followers of Christ that they will one day reside with Him eternally in His Kingdom. In the same manner as Baptism, participation in the Lord’s Supper is an outward representation of a spiritual reality and does not procure one’s salvation.
(Matthew 3:5-6, 26:23-29, 28:19; Acts 2:38-39, 8:12-13; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Luke 23:39-43)
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. (1 Timothy 4:15 & 16a)
We believe that Jesus Christ will physically return to raise the dead, judge all people, and consummate His Kingdom. Jesus will take with Him to heaven those that have been justified by faith and the bodies of those that have previously died and been declared righteousness through faith will be raised to everlasting life. All believers will receive new bodies and live forever in the new heaven and new earth. Unbelievers both living and dead will be judged and eternally separated from God’s presence in hell. Prior to the coming of Jesus, the spirits of all believers who die are present with the Lord while the spirits of unbelievers suffer torment.
(John 5:21-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 20:11-15)
Our Staff & Elders
Learn more about our leadership.