FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH OF PORTLAND
Our Symbol... Its Meaning...
FREE
WILL
BAPTIST
Incorporates
Five Symbols:
The SHIP, The FISH,
The ANCHOR, The CROSS,
And The CIRCLE.
In the four corners of the ship's sail, the symbols
of earliest Christianity
are enhanced by modern emblems of a vital, living
faith :
the HOLY BIBLE, the LOAF
and CUP, the BASIN and TOWEL and
CLASPED
HANDS
The SHIP symbolizes the Church and represents all the members pulling in one direction, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Seeking to fulfill Christ's last command to the Church, Free Will Baptists unite in one purpose with one priority to proclaim the good news of the gospel throughout the world.
The FISH, represented in the symbol by the space between the bottom of the sail and the top of the ship's body, is one of the most popular symbols for Jesus Christ. Many believe that it was a secret symbol which identified Christians during periods of persecution. The word "fish" in the first century Greek (ichthus) is an acrostic for Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.
The ANCHOR on the bow of the ship symbolizes the Christian hope of salvation, "the sure, strong and steadfast anchor of the soul."
The mast of the ship in the emblem forms the most familiar symbol in the history of the world, the CROSS — an instrument of execution and death turned into a worldwide emblem of hope and love by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The CIRCLE around the logo symbolizes the commitment of the INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCHES to unite in extending the witness of Christ and the building of His Church throughout the world.
The BIBLE has always been at the heart of our life as Free Will Baptists, the centrality of the scriptures. Free Will Baptists adopt the Word of God as our only rule of faith and practice. We believe the scriptures to be inspired, inerrant, infallible and immutable.
The CUP and LOAF represent the Lord's supper, one of the gospel ordinances. This ordinance commemorates the death of Christ for our sins in the use of the bread which He made the emblem of His broken body and the cup the emblem of His shed blood. Participation in this ordinance expresses love for Christ, faith and hope in Him, and serves as a pledge of perpetual fidelity and faithfulness to Him.
The BASIN and TOWEL historically symbolize the service and outreach of the church, but for us it has an added significance of representing our practice of washing the saints' feet.
The CLASPED HANDS symbolize many things to us: fellowship, brotherhood and the warmth of our faith. Perhaps the most important thing symbolized by the clasped hands is our commitment to reach out to people around the world with the good news.
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Liberty Free Will Baptist Church Of Portland
Portland, TN 37148