About Us

Our Mission

The mission of South Ridge is for people to Experience Belonging, Embrace God's Grace, and Extend God's Love.

Experience Belonging

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

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

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

The Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and without error as originally written.  The Bible is God's authoritative self-revelation that infallibly records the account of  God’s work of creation and creation’s fall as well as God’s plan for the judgment,  reconciliation, redemption, and restoration of His creation. The Scriptures, both Old  and New Testaments, are the final and supreme authority. 

Deuteronomy 28:58; Joshua 1:8; John 2:22, 5:39-40, 45-47, 7:42; 1 Corinthians  14:36-37; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19 

One personal, infinite, and perfect God exists in a community of three persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all of whom possess the attributes of God, and are  equally 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  

God the Father: God the Father is the Creator of all. He sustains His creation  and orders the affairs of people and nations according to His sovereign  wisdom and eternal plan. God the Father is the initiator in creation, the plan of  redemption, and in the new creation. John 6:27; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude  1:1

Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is eternally and fully God and became fully human  through conception by the Holy Spirit and the virgin birth. Being the  completely sinless God-man, Jesus satisfied God's justice through payment of  sin's penalty by death on the cross. Jesus physically rose from the dead and  ascended to heaven where He is now enthroned and from where He will return  to consummate His Kingdom.  Daniel 7:9; Matthew 28:5-7; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-4; John 3:16-18; Acts 1:11;  1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 2:14-  18; Hebrews 4:15-17; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Peter 3:10-13; 1 John  2:1-2; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 21:1-2; Revelation 22:1-7

Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is eternally and fully God. The Holy Spirit is active in  convicting the world of sin and applying the saving work of Jesus Christ to the  lives of those who repent of their sin. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer at  the time of salvation.  John 16:8-15; Romans 8:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Galatians 5:16-26;  Ephesians 3:16, 4:30, 5:18  

God created human beings in His image and likeness to have relationship with Him.  Every human being whatever ethnicity; whatever state of condition from conception  through natural death; and whatever physical and mental capacity is of inherent  and equal value and sacredness and should be treated with compassion, love,  kindness and respect.  

Psalm 139; Gen 1:26-28; Gen 2:15-25

Identity: God creates each person as either male or female with a beautiful  and unalterable identity that corresponds to his or her biology. These two  distinct, complementary genders reflect the nature of God and enable His likeness to be represented in the world.  Gen 1:26-27

Covenant Marriage: Marriage demonstrates God’s nature of unity in diversity by the exclusive joining of one man and one woman into life-long covenant union as a complementary whole. Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:18-25

Sexual Union: Sexual union is a gift provided by God to be exercised and enjoyed exclusively between one male and one female united to one another in the covenant of marriage. Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:4

While retaining the wonder, beauty, and value of being created in God's image,  every human being falls short of God's glory. All of God’s created order falls under  the curse of sin.  

Romans 3:9-18; 5:12; 5:18; 6:23; 10:9-10

Sin: Every human being is guilty of sin, deserving of death, and separated from  God. Without Christ, we are subject to sin's presence, power, and penalty and  incapable of meriting eternal life.  Jeremiah 17:9; Acts 3:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 15:56-57; Ephesians 2:1-9;  Hebrews 11:6  

Salvation: Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection is the only means of  salvation and is received by grace through faith in Christ. Salvation delivers us  from alienation, guilt, bondage, and death and brings restoration to fellowship with God, righteousness, and eternal life.  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  

Sanctification: Through salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit, whose work  enables believers to become new creations in Christ, resulting in a life of  increasing holiness, obedience, and love for God. Rather than merely being  saved from sin, we are saved to the good works that God has prepared us to  do.  John 17:13-23, Acts 26:15-18, 1 Thess 5:23, 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Peter 1:1-3

With Christ as its head, the Church is Christ’s body comprised of the universal  community of believers who are united to Christ through faith in Him. As a local  community of believers, the Church is called to gather and worship God, to serve  and love one another and, to carry the gospel of redemption to every part of the  earth.  

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: Spiritual gifts are given to Christ's Body by the Holy Spirit  through its members and made effective through His Power. Each person is  to utilize their giftedness to serve others and to demonstrate the grace of  God in various ways.  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: Baptism and communion are two practices commanded by  Christ that are to be faithfully observed by believers. 

  • Baptism symbolizes our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life.  Rather than securing salvation, believers baptism demonstrates we have  been cleansed by Jesus, and we are united to Him. We believe Baptism  through immersion best outwardly demonstrates this inward reality.  Matthew 3:5-6; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39, Acts 8:12-13; Romans 6:3-4
  • Communion is a symbolic memorial of Christ's death which paid the penalty for our sin. We practice communion in obedience to Christ as He calls us personally and corporately to live in the reality that we are justified by and united to Christ through His death and resurrection. Matthew 26:23-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

Prior to Jesus’ second coming, the spirits of all believers who die are present with  the Lord while the spirits of unbelievers suffer torment. We believe Jesus Christ will  physically return to raise the dead, judge all people, and consummate His Kingdom.  Those who have previously died and been declared righteous through faith will be  raised to everlasting life; receive new bodies; and live forever in the new heaven and  4  new earth. Those who have not received life in Christ will experience God’s  judgment in hell and will be eternally separated from God.

John 5:21-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 20:11-15

This Statement of Belief does not exhaust the extent of beliefs held by South  Ridge Community Church. Additional positions and interpretations of Scripture  held by the church are reflected in policies and position papers adopted by the  Board of Elders. In cases of doctrinal questions, the Elder Board has the  responsibility to provide additional clarity as is needed and helpful.  

Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22

In order to preserve the function and integrity of South Ridge Community  Church as a local Body of Christ and to provide a biblical role model to its  members and the community, it is essential for all members of South Ridge  Community Church to agree to and abide by this Statement of Belief. 

Our Staff & Elders

Learn more about our leadership.

Meet Our Staff & Elders