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WE’RE EXCITED FOR YOU! We are so glad you have decided to put your faith and trust in Christ. Your decision to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior is just the beginning! The Bible describes your decision this way: You have turned (repented) from your sin and put your faith (believed) in Jesus to experience forgiveness, the free gift of salvation, and peace with God. At Red Dam, we are using the following diagram to help you understand the Christian life:

1. God has a design for our lives. 2. Each one of us chooses to depart from God’s design. The Bible calls that sin. 3. Because of our sin, we are separated from God and find ourselves in brokenness and begin to experience guilt, shame, etc. We really do not want to stay in brokenness. Many times, we try other things to relieve the pain, guilt, shame, etc. 4. At some point we begin to think about turning in a different direction. Ultimately, we realize we need to turn, to change and express that we are sorry for our sin. 5. As we hear or choose to receive the message of the Gospel, and believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sin, was buried and rose again for us to be free from our guilt, we receive eternal life. 6. Because we believe the Gospel, now we can begin to recover and pursue God’s design for our lives. And, you are not done... following Jesus is a constant adventure! You will continue to repent, experience His grace and forgiveness, be able to recover peace with God and pursue His design every day of your life.

As a new believer, you can begin to take steps that Christians have taken all over the world for more than 2000 years. The Bible teaches us to take these “next steps” with a local church body. We are ready to help as your church family!

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THE FIRST STEP IS BELIEVER’S BAPTISM We want to make sure that you understand the meaning of baptism and know how to prepare for this special time. For steps on how to prepare for your baptism, see page 7 of this booklet. Baptism is obedience to the Bible Baptism is mentioned 70 times in the New Testament. Jesus Himself was baptized as an example for us (Matthew 3:16-19) and He commands all believers to be baptized (Matthew 28:19). Baptism is for believers Salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Belief in Jesus Christ is what makes you a believer, not baptism. Baptism is for believers AFTER they have put their faith in Christ. Every person baptized in the book of Acts did so after he/she believed. Baptism is by immersion The word baptism means “to immerse.” Every description of baptism in the Bible indicates that immersion was the common method. Through descriptions such as “plenty of water” (John 3:23), “came up out of the water” (Mark 1:10), “went down...came up out of” (Acts 8:36) and others, it is clear that immersion was the practice. The symbolism of baptism as described in Romans 6 can only be fulfilled through immersion. Baptism is symbolic Baptism is a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It is a visual picture that we 2

have died to an old way of life without Jesus and are alive to a new life in Christ. It demonstrates that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again, giving us the hope and promise of eternal life in Him. It identifies us with Christ and with His body, the church. (Romans 6:3-9 and Ephesians 4:4-6) Baptism is a public testimony to the church In our church, believer’s baptism (immersion) is required for membership. The Bible gives account in the book of Acts when the believers were baptized. These were the first baptisms on record and they took place with the local body of believers. When a believer was baptized, they were joining a church. The church family witnessed and celebrated this together. Because believers all over the world practice baptism, this ties us to Christians of all times all over the world! Baptism is for believers, but it is not for infants. In some churches, infant christening or infant baptism is practiced for children. Though many times this represents a decision by parents to raise their children to know God and follow God, it is important to note that infant baptism is not connected to the child’s own personal belief. While we recognize the good heart and benevolent intent of infant baptism or christening, it is our practice to wait until a person is old enough to articulate their own personal faith in Jesus before allowing them to be baptized.

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Parent/Child Dedication We certainly recognize the desire of parents to commit to raise their children to know God. We want to partner with parents and we encourage parents to participate in the journey of faith with their kids by celebrating milestones along the way. For that reason, we practice “Parent Child Dedication” as a celebration and milestone for parents and families as well as our church family. For more information, please contact the church office. ALONG WITH BAPTISM IS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP In the Bible, being a part of a church family was a big deal. The New Testament describes the very first churches that were established by the apostles. There are several examples of Peter, Paul, Stephen and others gathering “those who believed” to worship, receive instruction, and live in community with one another (Acts 2:41, 2:47). Throughout Paul’s letters to pastors and churches, he gives instructions about leadership, accountability, conduct, offerings, etc. Throughout the New Testament, we are instructed to “assemble” together (Hebrews 10:24,25) and to use our gifts to build up our church family (Ephesians 4:15,16). We are told that pastors are to exercise leadership (Hebrews 13:17) and that churches are to exercise discipline within the church family (I Corinthians 5:1,2, Matthew 18:1520). The Bible clearly teaches that every Christian should be connected with a church family. 4

HOW DO I JOIN? Steps for Membership 1. Attend the Next Steps Event This is the front door to our church family. You will learn about the history of our church and how to get connected, growing, and serving. This class happens every few months – sometimes monthly, sometimes every two to three months. You will get a chance to meet your pastor, some leaders, and others like yourself who are taking steps towards getting connected. This one-time class is a requirement for membership. If you would like to register for Meet the Pastor, simply call our church office @ 843-784-6083. 2. Share your faith story with us First, in order to join our church, you should be able to tell us about how you understood you needed to turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus. If you have never done that or if you are not able to articulate your story well, we will help you! Then, share with us your baptism experience. If you have never been baptized by immersion, we will be glad to help you! We can schedule an appointment to talk through your story with you to plan and celebrate your baptism. Note: In addition to your story, if you have been a member of another church, we will be glad to follow up with your church to officially transfer membership records. 5

THEN, WE INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER 1 Corinthians 11 As explained above, after putting your faith in Christ, baptism is the next step that demonstrates publicly you are a believer. In the Bible, people who believed were baptized (Acts 2:41). As we attempt to stay as faithful as possible to the teachings in Scripture, we understand that all believers were baptized and became members of a church (Acts 2:42-47). As a part of that church family, they would participate in the family meal together. The Lord’s Supper or Communion is practiced in the “assembly,” meaning the organized local church body. As explained in I Corinthians 11: 23-26, the Lord’s Supper is patterned after the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples. It is symbolic in nature and should be taken regularly, with baptized believers, in the context of a church family. The bread or cracker represents His body that was broken and the wine or juice represents His blood that was 1 for us. It is a time of remembrance of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross and the relationship we have in Him. It is a time to reflect in our own hearts as we consider our relationships with one another. And, it is a time of looking forward to that glorious day when He comes again and will make all things right.

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PREPARING FOR YOUR BAPTISM Step 1: Prepare your faith story As we meet with you, we will help you clarify any questions that you may have and help you to clearly and simply share your story. Your story and how God has transformed your life could possibly lead someone else to trust in Christ. The questions below will help you to think through your story and help you write it down. What is your story or background of growing up in church, not in church, etc.? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ What was your understanding of God or Jesus back then? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ How did you come to or what made you think about he fact that you had sinned against God or were guilty before God and separated from God? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 7

__________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Identify the time/place/point where it “all came together” and you understood the Gospel. Describe:__________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ What is your personal understanding of believing in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ What is your understanding of how Jesus Christ has overcome/removed your guilt before God and separation from God? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Were there people who influenced your decision to trust in Christ? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 8

__________________________________________ __________________________________________ Why do you want to be baptized? __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Now that you have thought through your responses, combine them into a simple paragraph. After you have prepared your story, you may bring it with you or send it to the staff member who is helping you prepare for your baptism. Step 2. Make an appointment There are several ways to make a baptism appointment: • Call the office (843-784-6083) and ask to be called by a Pastor to be placed on the schedule. During this appointment, you can set up a time to be baptized that works best for you and for the church. It is a great celebration and you will want to think about the people in your life with whom you want to share this time. We baptize in the church at Red Dam.

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Red Dam Baptist Church Constitution PREAMBLE TO CHURCH CONSTITUTION Revised July 15, 2016

We place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, believing in the teachings of the Holy Bible, and the teachings and practices of the Baptists and in those great distinctive principles from which they are derived. And having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ. We, therefore, establish this Constitution to preserve and secure the principles of our faith, to govern the body in an orderly manner, and to provide these members a vehicle for carrying out our Lord's Great Commission as delineated in Scripture (Matt. 28:19-20). Article I. Name and Location This body shall be known as the Red Dam Baptist Church (hereinafter known as RDBC), located at 488 Red Dam Church Road in Hardeeville, South Carolina 29927; and shall include its Euhaw campus located in Ridgeland,

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SC and any future campuses consistent with Christ's Great Commission. Article II. Purpose The purpose of RDBC shall be the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It shall seek to attain this end through public worship of God, the preaching of the gospel, consistent Christian living by its members, personal and mass evangelism, missionary endeavor and Christian education. RDBC shall be a fellowship of Christian believers united in and committed to the principles of love, humility, forgiveness, and exhortation led by the Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ as its authority. The fellowship shall seek to carry out its purpose by: praying, witnessing, preaching, teaching and training, exhorting each other in Christian love, and being willing to follow, seeking to assist each other to meet the needs of others, and the sharing of time, talents and monies. Finally, to be a dynamic spiritual organism, empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Jesus Christ with those in our Church, community and throughout the world.

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Article Ill. Articles of Faith We believe in one true and living God, and that there are three persons in the Godhead Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; John 10:15; Eph. 2:18; II Cor. 13:14) We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inherent and infallible Word of God and the only rule of faith and practice (II Tim. 3:14-17; II Peter 1:29-20). We believe in the doctrine of election as taught in the Old and New Testaments. It is not the will of God that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 1:19-20; I Tim. 2:4). We believe that all men are born in sin and none seek God. It is only through God's grace and His subsequent call that man can be redeemed (Psalms 51:5; Eph. 2:2-3; Romans 3:9-11, 18, 5:19-12; 1 Cor. 2:14). We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:29; Romans 5:19; 1 Cor. 1:30-31). We believe that God's elect are called, regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-8; John 16:7-11; Rev 22:17). We believe that the saved are preserved forever and never lose their salvation (Romans 8:28; Phil. 1:6, 2-12; John 10:2629). We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that these are the only ordinances instituted by Jesus.

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a. Baptism: Only New Testament believer's baptism is to be practiced. Baptism is in testimony of the personal salvation experience and there is no salvation apart from belief, repentance, and total commitment unto the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. We believe that the only accepted form of baptism is by immersion. We believe that baptism is only administered by the authority of Jesus Christ, and the New Testament church. (Matt. 3; Matt. 28:19; Romans 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:38) b. The Lord's Supper: We believe that the Lord's Supper is a time of examination and holds no saving power (I Cor. 11:23-31). We further believe that only believers, of like faith and order, are entitled to partake of the Lord's Supper together with the church (Matt. 26:26-29). 9. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe in the judgments as taught in the New Testament. We believe in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as taught in John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; and in the church as the bride of Christ, and the return of the Lord in the air to claim His bride, the church (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13; II Cor. 5:10). 10. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and in the eternal judgment of those not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life. This resurrection and judgment of the dead will be separate and apart from the resurrection and judgment of the believers in Christ. The 13

eternal punishment of those not found written in the Book of Life will be in a literal hell that was prepared for Satan and his angels (Rev. 20:12-15; Rev. 20:4-5; read all of Rev.20; Matt. 25:46). 11. We affirm biblical, traditional, natural marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime (Gen. 2:18-24; I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:22-33; Matt. 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). 12. The office of Pastor. We believe the bible uses three different words to describe the same position within the church. The term Pastor is referred to in scripture as Elder/Overseer/Shepherd (all referred to the same office). • Elder - Speaking of a man with experience • Overseer - Speaking of a man having general oversight • Shepherd - Speaking of feeding and protecting the flock Our church will use these terms interchangeably throughout this document, as well as, other documents as appropriate (1 Peter 5:1-5; Titus 1:5, 7; Acts 20:17-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Hebrews 13:17). Article IV. Governance and Relationship The governance of RDBC is vested in the body of born again believers who comprise it. Its governance is the congregational body, which is led by a plurality of Pastors.

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RDBC is subject to the control of no other ecclesiastical body, but recognizes and sustains the obligation of mutual counsel and cooperation, which are common among Baptist churches. In so far as is practical, RDBC will cooperate with and support the Savannah River Baptist Association and the South Carolina Baptist State Conventions affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Article V. Church Covenant We engage by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of RDBC in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrine; to contribute our tithes and offerings cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expense of the church, the relief of the poor and the spread of the gospel through all nations. We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to faithfully educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our behavior. Article VI. Officers of the Corporation The corporate officers of RDBC are the Senior Pastor, Church Clerk, Church Treasurer, and the stated Pastors of the church.

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Article VII. Amendments All proposed changes to this Constitution shall be presented at a special called meeting of the church body where due written notice of thirty (30) days was given. Any such change shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of active members voting where a quorum is present. Article VIII. Definition of Quorum A total of forty (40) active members voting shall constitute a quorum for all called meetings of the church body.

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