Our Beliefs

What We Believe

...NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY

"Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent."
[2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.]

We are not brought into a relationship with God by rituals, creeds, ceremonies, forms or by belonging to a particular denomination, but by the power of Jesus Christ.
[Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.]

We are Christians only, but not the only Christians.
[1 Corinthians 1:10 - I appeal to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you.]

...PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS

 We have no distinction between clergy (paid church workers) and laity. Lay people may preach, celebrate the Lord's Supper, baptise, and share in pastoral ministry and church leadership. Clergy wear no distinctive clothing.
[1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.]

...UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS

 The Church is essentially one - no creed but Christ. In things essential, we value unity. In things non-essential, we value liberty. In all things, we value love.

...SIMPLICITY IN WORSHIP

 We celebrate the Lord's Supper each week. This is open to any who love Christ. (1 Corinthians 11)

We deliberately have a lack of rituals, liturgy, bells, incense, creeds, etc.

...EVANGELISM

 We believe that people must know about Jesus Christ so that they can trust their lives to Him. We aim to tell others the good news of Jesus in many ways, and there is a continual stress on evangelism.

...BAPTISM BY IMMERSION

 We do not practise infant baptism, as we believe it is God's intention for baptism to be the way in which a person responds to Him in faith.
[Matthew 28:18-20 - Then Jesus came to them and said: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."]

 

What We Value

  1. An unwavering belief in the Lord God Almighty, and a passion for a holy God.
  2. An unwavering belief in the authority of the Bible - no other basis.
  3. An unwavering belief in Jesus Christ as the centre of our faith and life. Our whole faith is based on Him. He is God fully revealed, and our Saviour. His character and life is our example. We measure all teaching and theology by Jesus Christ.
  4. Integrity and honesty.
  5. Spiritual gifts - all Christians have them, and all should use them.
  6. Unity - in our own fellowship, and in community with other churches.
  7. Prayer - we are called to develop our faith, our spiritual lives, and our spiritual authority.
  8. Outreach - people matter to God.
  9. Discipleship - this means basics like Bible study, prayer, stewardship and other spiritual disciplines.
  10. Family - we respect parents, marriage and children.