Just before His death, Jesus proclaimed, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32).

The lifting up of Jesus is the climax of world history. Scripture further testifies that in the lifting up of His Son, God has glorified Jesus (John 12:23), triumphed over sin, the devil, and evil (12:31), and begun reconciling all people to Himself (12:32).

The Greek word for "lifted up" may also be translated "exalted."  The Church has therefore equated Jesus' being "lifted up" in His death and resurrection to His being exalted by the Father as King of the universe, victorious over evil, and glorious before all people.

God's mission of redemption is thus achieved by exalting Jesus. When Jesus is exalted:

• The love of God is displayed.
• The destructive patterns of the world are judged.
• The powers of sin, evil, and the devil are condemned.
• The lost are drawn into a life with Jesus and with one another.
• The Spirit forms God's people in Christlikeness.
• Eternal life with God is secured.

For this reason, our desire as a church is not to "create" our own vision of life, but to align our sense of purpose with the purposes of God. To this end, the vision statement of Elkins Lake Baptist Church is Exalting Jesus for the Sake of the World.

We are committed to personal spiritual formation into the image and likeness of Christ.

We hold worship services that are Christ-centered, Spirit-led, and classically structured.