About Sandy Acres Baptist Church
A church that loves everyone.
Our Pastor
Bill Bailey
Pastor Bill has spent more than four decades preaching God's Word, a calling that began after he surrendered his life to Jesus at fifteen and soon felt drawn toward ministry. Shaped by faithful mentors and a lifelong experience of God's faithfulness, he leads with humility, integrity, and a deep respect for shared leadership. Since becoming pastor of Sandy Acres on October 30, 2022, he has brought a casual, practical preaching style that uses relatable stories and plain-spoken truth to help people grow in faith and recognize God at work in their lives. Outside the church, he enjoys fishing, cooking, crafting, and holds the unexpected title of Tennessee State Whistling Champion. Above all, Pastor Bill hopes Sandy Acres continues to grow as a welcoming, family-like church where people feel loved, young families are supported, and everyone is reminded that God is still faithful.
What We Believe
Our Purpose
Sandy Acres exists to love people back to life by practicing unconditional compassion, sharing hope and faith, serving selflessly, and building meaningful relationships, because eternity is forever.
Scripture
We believe the Bible is divinely inspired and is God's trustworthy revelation of Himself to humanity. It is the supreme standard for faith, conduct, doctrine, and Christian unity, and all Scripture ultimately points to Jesus Christ.
God
We believe there is one living and true God who created, sustains, redeems, and rules the universe. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present, and perfectly holy. He exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons who are fully and equally God.
God the Father
God the Father lovingly rules over creation and provides for His people. He becomes Father to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ and demonstrates fatherly care toward all humanity.
Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived without sin, revealed the will and character of God, died on the cross for humanity's redemption, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Jesus is fully God and fully human, the only mediator between God and humanity, and the living Lord who dwells within every believer.
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully divine. He inspired Scripture, reveals truth, points people to Jesus, convicts humanity of sin, and brings new life to those who believe. He lives within believers, develops Christlike character, provides spiritual gifts, offers comfort, and empowers the Church for worship, service, and sharing the Gospel.
Humanity
We believe every person is created in the image of God and possesses dignity, value, and worth. Humanity was created with freedom of choice but chose sin, resulting in separation from God. Every person is affected by sin and needs the grace and redemption available through Jesus Christ.
Salvation
We believe salvation is offered freely to everyone who places personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus provides complete redemption, including regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Regeneration
Regeneration is the work of God's grace through which a person becomes new in Christ.
Justification
Justification is God's gracious forgiveness and acceptance of those who repent and believe.
Sanctification
Sanctification is the lifelong process of spiritual growth through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Glorification
Glorification is the final and eternal state of all who have been redeemed.
Grace
We believe grace is the undeserved favor of God. Salvation is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, leaving no room for pride and calling believers to lives of humility, gratitude, and service.
The Church
We believe the local church is an autonomous community of baptized believers joined together through faith in Jesus Christ. The Church gathers for worship, observes baptism and communion, exercises spiritual gifts, serves others, and shares the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, and both men and women are gifted for meaningful service within it.
Baptism
We believe Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism does not provide salvation but publicly symbolizes a believer's faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and their commitment to walk in new life.
Communion
We believe communion is a symbolic act of obedience in which believers remember and honor the sacrifice of Jesus through the bread and the cup.
Missions
We believe every follower of Jesus is called to participate in making disciples. The Gospel should be shared through our words, our actions, our relationships, and a life that reflects the love and character of Christ.
Stewardship
We believe everything we have comes from God. Christians are called to faithfully and generously use their time, abilities, resources, and knowledge to serve Christ, care for others, support the Church, and advance the Gospel.
Cooperation
We believe Christians and churches should work together whenever doing so strengthens the mission of God without compromising loyalty to Jesus, Scripture, or Christian conscience. Such partnerships remain voluntary and do not exercise authority over the local church.
Marriage
We believe marriage is a lifelong covenant between one biological man and one biological woman, both over the age of eighteen. We believe this covenant is the biblical setting for sexual expression and that both spouses possess equal worth before God. Sandy Acres recognizes and officiates marriages consistent with this belief.
Church Governance
We believe the responsibility for governing the Church belongs to its members under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. All ministries and organizations established by the Church remain accountable to the congregation. While Sandy Acres is autonomous, it may voluntarily cooperate with other Baptist churches and Christian organizations when those relationships support the Church's mission and convictions.
Our Covenant
As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to growing together in Christian love, supporting the worship and ministry of the Church, giving faithfully, sharing the Gospel, caring for those in need, and encouraging one another through prayer and service. We seek to live with integrity, humility, purity, compassion, and grace, remaining quick to pursue reconciliation and faithful to the teachings of Jesus wherever life may lead us.