Why do we exist?

To make and train disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ for the glory of God.

We do this by bringing people to salvation in Christ and building them up towards maturity.

 

1.  What We Believe Concerning the Scriptures

 

We believe that all sixty-six books of the Bible were originally produced by the supernatural oversight of the Holy Spirit.   The Spirit of God  worked through the Bible's human authors in such a way that their own personalities and writing styles were apparent in what they wrote, but at the same time, every word they wrote was the exact word God wanted. Thus the entirety of Scripture is “inspired” or “God-breathed” in the original autographs.  Because the Bible is an inspired book, we believe it is without error in its teaching.  This would apply to issues of science, history, and ethics, as well as issues of faith.  We believe the Bible to be the true centre of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions must be judged.    2 Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Peter 3:15-16; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; John 10:34-35; 17:17; Matthew 5:17-18; Isaiah 8:20

 

2.  What We Believe Concerning the True God

 

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three Persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

Exodus 20:2,3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Mathew 28:19; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 4:11 

 

3.  What We Believe Concerning the Person of Jesus Christ

 

We believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. We believe in His virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.

 

Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38; John 1:1, 20:28; Romans 9:5, 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21–23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6–8 & 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16

 

4.  What We Believe Concerning the Holy Spirit

 

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son.  We believe He was active in the creation and that He continues to work in this world in order to fulfil the purposes of the Godhead.  We believe the Holy Spirit is the agent of the new birth; that He indwells all believers, that He seals, empowers with spiritual gifts, sanctifies, helps and intercedes for the believer.  John 14:16; 3:5-6; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; Acts 5:30-32; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9, 14, 16, 26, 27

 

5. What We Believe Concerning the Creation and Human Life

 

We  believe Genesis 1-3 provides a literal account of the creation of the universe and that this special act of creation occurred within six twenty-four hour days (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 11:3; John 1:3; Revelation 10:6). 

 

The Bible teaches that life is sacred, a gift of God, which begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5).  We believe men and women are created in the image of God, and as a result, human existence has greater value and dignity than that of any other part of God's physical creation (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8; James 3:9).  Thus we view as un-biblical and morally untenable any worldview or action which devalues the life of any human being, takes the life of the innocent (such as abortion).

 

6.  What We Believe Concerning Sin

 

Sin is a failure to trust and obey God.  In the Bible it is portrayed as rebellion against the character, commands, and promises of God (Genesis 3:1-19, Leviticus 16:21, 1 Samuel 15:23, Romans 3:9-18).   Sin entered the creation through the angelic and human creatures made by God.  Adam and Eve were created as perfect beings with the ability to make moral choices.  In exercising this ability they chose to disobey God (Genesis 3:1-6).  When they did this, sin contaminated their lives, and through them, it was passed on to the entire human race (Romans 5:12-21).  As a result all people are sinners in God's eyes (Romans 3:23).

 

The effects of sin’s contamination are numerous.  They include: physical and spiritual death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57;  Ephesians 2:1-3);  separation from loving fellowship with God (Colossians 1:21);  the loss of goodness and holiness (Colossians 3:10-12); and a darkening of the mind of unbelievers so they are unable to properly understand truth (2 Corinthians 4:4;  1 Corinthians  2:14).  The total moral contamination which resulted from Adam's original transgression places all people under the wrath of God, and destines them for everlasting hell (Romans 1:18; Revelation 20:11-15; John 3:18-21).  Sin also brought the whole world under the curse of death, pain, and trouble (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-22).

 

7.  What We Believe about the Saving Work of Jesus Christ

 

We believe Jesus Christ is the only source of salvation (Acts 4:12).  This salvation is possible because Christ died in the place of sinners on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).  This means that the punishment we deserved was poured out on Him; He became our substitute under the wrath of God (Isaiah 53:4-6).  As a result God is both JUST (enforcing the penalty against sin), and the Justifier (granting pardon to sinners, Romans 3:21-26).   We believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead in triumph over human guilt and sin (1 Corinthians 15:3 & 17).  This resurrection was a bodily resurrection which serves as proof that He is in fact the Son of God with the power to save all who call on Him. (Romans 1:1-4; 10:13). We believe that Christ’s perfect life of obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:7; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 1 John 3:5) and substitutionary death (Romans 5:8; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:31) provided the “righteousness from God” that provides complete salvation for every sinner who repents and receives by faith this gospel of salvation (Romans 1:16; 3:21-26).   

 

8.  What We Believe About the New Birth

 

We believe that in order to be in a positive relationship to God, sinners must be born again (John 3:3-7).  This means the sinner, who is dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1-4), is made alive by the Spirit of God.  This act of God is based upon the work of Christ and brought about through the grace of God alone (Ephesians 2:4-9).  The new birth is instantaneous and not a process (2 Corinthians 5:17).  It is not related to any ritual of the church though it is symbolized in baptism.  

 

We believe in God's electing grace, (Romans 8:29-30).  This means the salvation of a sinner results from the grace of God, and in no way depends upon, or results from, any human merit or ability (Titus 3:5).  The blessings of this salvation are offered freely to all people in the gospel (Romans 10:11-13; Revelation 22:17).  No person who turns to Christ in genuine repentance and faith will be turned away (John 6:37).

 

We believe that repentance and faith are the only saving response a person can make to the gospel (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 24:45-47; Acts 2:37-41; 3:19).  They are produced in the heart by the life giving Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:25-26).  Repentance involves deep conviction of one’s guilt before God and a sense of the danger and helplessness that has resulted from this guilt.  Faith is confidence in God's promise to save on the basis of Christ's death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  Such faith is described as confessing Christ as Lord and believing God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-11).  

 

This saving faith is itself a gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) and is effectuated by the convicting and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11; 1 Peter 1:1-2) through the living Word of God (Romans 10:17; Hebrew 4:12).   We believe that all who are truly born again are kept eternally by God the Father for Jesus Christ. They cannot under any circumstance lose their salvation (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:29-30, 35-39; Jude 1; 1 John 5:11-13).

 

9.  What We Believe Concerning the Church

 

We believe in the universal church of Christ.  This universal Church is a spiritual organism of which Christ is the head and all true believers are members. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-32  

 

We believe the local church must be a redemptive community where grace governs all relationships (Ephesians 4:1-5; Galatians 5:14-15; Romans 12).  It is a community with one goal: to live like sons of God in the midst of this dark world (Ephesians 5:8-17; Hebrews 2:10).  It is a community where sinners and saints, without partiality (Matthew 11:28-29; James 2:1-9), are received with love and compassion and where believers are challenged to more fully surrender to the Lordship of Christ over the whole of life (Ephesians 4:12-16; 1 Peter 3:15).  It is a community committed to living and proclaiming the good news of God's grace and forgiveness in Christ (Romans 1:16-17). It is the only institution of divine origin given the responsibility of caring for God's people on earth. 

 

The membership of this community is made up of believers who have committed themselves to the requirements of membership in this local church.  The members of the church have complete authority over the affairs of this church (Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 5:4-5; 6:1-8). In the exercising of this authority, they are to be free from the interference of any outside hierarchy (1 Corinthians 1:24-25).

 

10. What We Believe Concerning the Ordinances of the Church

 

We believe the Lord has commanded the local church to administer two ordinances.  These are Baptism and the Lord's Table.  These ordinances are not sacraments, but rather emblems which have the ability to teach and remind the believer of the central features of his or her faith.  When they are properly observed, they are a result of grace, and not a means to grace.  

 

Baptism is a picture of the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, and of the believer's identification with Him. (Colossians 2:12).  Believer’s Baptism is the command of our Lord (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

The Lord's Table is a commemoration of our Lord's death until He returns   (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).  The fruit of the vine symbolizes the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sin (Matthew 26:26-29).  The bread symbolizes the body of Christ killed on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world (Mark 14:22).  

 

11. What We Believe Concerning the Leadership of the Church

 

We believe that the local church has two leadership offices (1 Timothy 3:1-13).  They are the offices of pastor and deacon.  These offices have separate and distinct roles and responsibilities within the body, and are ordained by Christ in order to provide for the care of His people.   

 

12.  What We Believe Concerning the Financial Support of the Church

 

We believe God's people (those who are born again) should support the work of God.  Each member of a local assembly has a responsibility to give proportionally from their income to the financial needs of that assembly.  Christian giving must be voluntary, and without constraint.  It should be liberal, and in accordance with the pattern of giving found in the Bible.  A believer's giving should demonstrate loyalty, sacrifice, and commitment to the local church of which he or she is a member.  Galatians 6:6; 2 Corinthians 8-9     

 

13.   What We Believe Concerning Tongues, Signs and Wonders

 

We  believe the Scriptures teach that in the opening years of the Church Age the Holy Spirit  gave special spiritual gifts to individual believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-31).  Among these were the gifts of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, healing, prophecy, and knowledge (1 Corinthians 12-14).  These unique gifts had an important but temporary role in the transitional period between Old Testament Judaism and the Christian Church.  By the close of the first century AD, and in conjunction with the completion of the New Testament, these sign gifts ceased. 

 

We believe the gift of tongues was the ability to speak real human languages (Acts  2:1-12) and was a sign of judgment against the generation of Jews who rejected Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah (1 Corinthians 14:20-22; Isaiah 28:11-12).  Other miraculous sign gifts were the fulfilment of Old Testament promises concerning the credentials of Messiah (Luke 7:18-23; Hebrews 2:3-4).  They were given for the benefit of the faithful as an endorsement of the new message referred to by Paul as a “mystery” (Ephesians 2:20-3:6).  These gifts ceased to be necessary once that generation had passed (Acts 13:44-52; 1 Corinthians 1:22).

 

14. What We Believe Concerning the Return of Jesus Christ

 

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgement, the eternal joy of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.

 

Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; Revelation 20:4–6,11–15