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“Serving God and One Another in the Spirit
of Excellence”
PURPOSE
To glorify God, evangelize the lost and
make disciples that make a difference,
in the name of Jesus and with the power of
the Holy Spirit
GOAL
To add new souls to the Kingdom, equipping
and empowering each person to
find and fulfill
their God-given purpose.
VISION
A church...
...that is on fire for God
...with powerful and meaningful preaching
and teaching
...reaching out in love to everyone
...providing great opportunities for
children and teens
...preparing each person to fully use their
gifts
...celebrating and supporting each family
member
...serving and impacting our community and
world
...effectively managing God's money and
resources
VALUES
• Love &
Compassion
• Integrity & Accountability
• Word-Centered and Spirit-led
• Prayerful
• Progressive with a Spirit of
Excellence
• Community Leadership
• Social Responsibility |
MISSION AREAS
•
Spirit-filled Praise, Worship & Prayer
• Proclaim the Word
• Evangelize the Lost
• Equip & Empower
• Fellowship & Encouragement
• Serve our Church, Community &
World
• Financial Stewardship & Giving
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Mission
Statement:
The Salem Baptist Church is a Word-centered
ministry designed to evangelize the lost,
equip and empower the people of God, and
provide holistic ministry to our community
as well as the world.
As Christ loves ALL PEOPLE, our purpose
is to reach out in love to everyone,
impacting
the Omaha community with a multi-ethnic,
multi-cultural ministry.
As Christ ministers to the TOTAL PERSON,
we strive to become an oasis of hope, addressing
spiritual, emotional and physical needs
in a tangible way.
As Christ is EXCELLENT IN ALL HIS WAYS,
we commit ourselves to the “spirit of excellence,”
seeking the highest, the finest, and the
best God has for us, serving Him and one
another in this spirit.
Our foundation is the Word of God; and
we believe it in its entirety. We believe
we can do what it says we can do, be who
it says we can be, and have what it says
we can have.
(Matthew 28:18-20; 25:34-50;
Galatians 3:26-29; Philippians 1:9-11;
Hebrews
4:12)
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On Sunday, April 9, 1922,
a small group of Christians led by Reverend
J.S. Williams assembled in what was commonly
known as Father Wagnor's Church (the Interdenominational
Church), located near 26th and Franklin
Streets, for the purpose of organizing a
church. The following ministers were called
to serve on the council to establish the
policies according to the Baptist doctrine:
Reverend C. Cobb, Reverend E. Green and
Reverend Z.E. McGhee, who then was the Pastor
of Pleasant Green Baptist Church.
After developing
the church policy, they named Reverend J.S.
Williams as pastor and proceeded with the
invitation for membership on that same day.
The following persons and ten others (whose
names are not known) united with the church:
Brother Bob Alexander, Brother and Sister
W.C. Morris, Brother and Sister M. Green,
Sister Carrie Gardner, Brother and Sister
Isaac Swille, Sister Mary Alexander, Brother
C.B. Saffold, Brother Richard Turner, Brother
Cain, and Sister Lucinda Crowder.
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Rev. J.S. Williams
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Pastor
& Mrs. J.C. Wade, Sr.
Pastor
Maurice Watson
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In 1935 the U.S. Government slummed
the area which included Salem's building.
Knowing a move was inevitable, the
church purchased property at 2741
Decatur Street and built a frame structure
in 1936.
During the first twenty
years, Salem saw a succession of pastors;
however, in 1944, Reverend J.C. Wade
Sr., pastor of the Riverside Baptist
Church of Memphis, Tennessee, accepted
the position as senior pastor and
was installed in July of that same
year. Under Pastor Wade's leadership,
the membership grew from 250 to over
1,000. In March of 1971, the structure
at 3336 Lake Street was built. The
church was completed in April 1972
at an approximate cost of $380,000,
with a seating capacity of over 650
in the church sanctuary.
Pastor Wade led the
church faithfully for over 40 years,
but due to failing health, retired
as senior pastor in 1987. On August
30, 1999, he went home to be with
the Lord. In loving memory of his
tireless leadership, the new church
fellowship hall was named in honor
of Pastor Wade along with his devoted
wife, Mrs. Mary Wade.
Reverend Maurice Watson,
Senior Pastor of St. Mark Baptist
Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, accepted
the position of Senior Pastor of Salem
Baptist Church in November of 1988.
It was under his leadership that the
need for a second and third worship
service on Sundays became eminent;
by this time membership had grown
to over 3,000.
In January of 1995,
Salem embarked on the "Vision To Victory"
campaign to fund a new worship center
and educational facility. On April
19, 1998, Salem's vision was realized
with a groundbreaking ceremony, which
was held at 3131 Lake Street. This
land, formally Hilltop Housing Complex,
is now an 'oasis of hope'.
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The new
church sanctuary has a seating capacity
of 1,300. In addition, Salem has classrooms
that can accommodate 375 people, a
nursery, a multi-purpose fellowship
hall, an administrative wing and ample
parking. On January 23, 2000, the
Salem family marched from 3336 Lake
Street into their new church home
located at 3131 Lake Street.
After
leading the church for over 15
years, Pastor Maurice Watson was
called to be Senior Pastor of
Beulahland Bible Church in Macon,
Georgia, in March of 2004. We
thank God for him and his family.
God used him in a mighty way to lead
Salem to unprecedented growth!
Pastor Wade and Watson help position
Salem for the future. From
relative obscurity in 1922 to a $7.2
million facility today,
the Salem Baptist Church has evolved
to the forefront of spiritual leadership
in this region.
Rev.
Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus was called by
God to be Senior Pastor of Salem
Baptist Church in July of 2005.
Pastor Bachus preached his first
sermon as the new senior pastor on
Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005. He has
hit the ground running already,
helping to save souls, change lives
and impact our community and nation
in new ways. His passion for
God, love for people,
community-based mindset, and focus
on reaching out to the unsaved is
leading Salem to a whole new level
of ministry. We're preparing
to "walk in the promises" even more.
We are thankful to
God for our past and our present,
and we look with great anticipation
to our future.
"Our best days are
ahead!"
-
Pastor Selwyn Q.
Bachus
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