Welcome from the Pastor.
God is doing a very interesting thing here at Upper Merion Baptist. After experiencing some significant challenges last year, the Lord has been leading the members of this church into a period of regrowth and refreshing together with our brothers and sisters of the English-speaking congregation of the Evangelical Formosan Church of Philadelphia, an American-Chinese church serving the Asian community in the Greater Philadelphia area which also shares the use of our building.
Drawing upon the gifts and strengths of each congregation and being honest and open in facing our shortcomings, the Lord has an amazing work in progress here in the heart of King of Prussia. Two congregations, one family in Christ. Together, we’re eager to grow deeper in the knowledge of the word of God, deeper in our relationship and testimony of Jesus Christ, and deeper in expressing the reality of the gospel in our own lives, in our families, and in our communities in which we live.
We welcome you to spend time with our church family. Our Sunday service begins at 10:30am and feel free to dress up or dress more comfortably, it’s who you are that’s most important to us. There’s also a “Plan Your Visit” button that will connect you with one of our church leaders who will answer any further questions and meet you on the day of your visit. We look forward to sharing lives together!
Rev. Daniel Au
INTERIM PASTOR
Pastor Dan has been serving in the Philadelphia area since 1998. His original intention was to become a medical missionary, completing his undergraduate work at Northwestern University and later his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School. The Lord led him to study at seminary at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA before starting his residency, and it was during this time that he followed God's call into full time ministry stateside, completing his theological degree, and has since been pastoring in local churches in the Philadelphia area, with a focus on cross-cultural and cross-generational ministries in the Chinese-American setting. From caring for the human body to caring for the body of Christ, he enjoys seeing the healing and transforming work of Jesus Christ in the lives of those he serves.
The Interim Minister Search Team and Executive Committee called Rev. Daniel Au to be our interim minister in December 2021 for a year-long commitment that has been extended into a second year together. Pastor Dan is no stranger to UMBC. As we entered into our transition, Pastor Dan was proactive in helping fill the pulpit and offered to provide pastoral care for our members.
Throughout this time, Pastor Dan will continue in his role as pastor for Evangelical Formosan Church of Philadelphia’s English-speaking Ministry. UMBC and EFC Philadelphia will be holding combined Sunday worship services throughout this unique relationship together.
Our Core Values.
Family.
We start out as spiritual orphans in life, but through a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we’re adopted into the family of God, and we can call God our Father (Romans 8:15). This key relationship defines all other relationships, and we’re grateful to be gathered together as a spiritual family locally assembled here at UMBC. Come explore and live this new identity together with us!
Scripture.
The Bible and Jesus are at the center of all that we are and everything that we do because our Creator has revealed Himself to us through the written Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the Living Word (John 1:1-4, 14). Scripture is authoritative and indispensable to guiding us in our daily lives. As the Psalmist describes, God’s word is “a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Disciple-making.
To disciple means to share one’s life with another for the purpose of building up and strengthening each other for a worthy purpose. Our purpose is a life in connection with our Creator, restored, redeemed, and renewed by the saving work of Jesus Christ which we believe will have a transforming impact in our life, relationships, and outcomes.
Service.
Good things are not meant to be kept all to oneself! We naturally have a desire when we eat something good to share a taste with a family member or to share the experiences of our meal with a friend. It is out of thankfulness for what the Lord has done in our lives that leads us to serve our community and share our lives with our neighbors. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
What We Believe.
We believe that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory and we are in need of a Savior.
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, was given to humankind through divine inspiration. We therefore believe it to have been created without error, and it is the authoritative word of God. The scriptures contained in the Bible are designed to provide direction for our daily lives.
We believe that the Church in today’s society is a body of believers associated for worship, service, and the spread of the Gospel. The purpose of the Church is to challenge and encourage all believers to be faithful witnesses to all those we encounter and help proclaim the Gospel and the plan of salvation.
We believe that baptism by immersion of the believer in water, represents the essential fact in redemption - the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the believer's profession of their desire of death to sin, and resurrection to newness of life in Jesus Christ.
Our Story.
In the mid 1800’s, Bridgeport Baptist was founded as a member of The Philadelphia Baptist Association and sponsored many outreach and community events. The church outgrew its space and in 1959 farmland was purchased in Upper Merion Township, and a new church building was built. The church changed its name to Upper Merion Baptist Church and continued to impact the lives of many throughout the years. The purposes of saving souls and ministry had been established in Bridgeport and continues on with Upper Merion Baptist Church ever since.