WHAT WE BELIEVE

1. About God

There is one unique and eternal God, who exists in an everlasting loving relationship of Father, Son and Spirit—one God in three persons (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14).

God is sovereign in all things: including creation, revelation, redemption, judgement and the establishing of his kingdom (Psa. 103).

As sovereign loving creator and redeemer, he is worthy of all glory, honour and praise (Rev. 4:11).

2. About humanity

Men and women together are created in the image of God, and therefore are equal in worth and dignity. Men and women together have dominion over the created order. Our gender is part of God’s good design and is not interchangeable (Gen. 1:26-28).

Tragically, human nature is universally sinful since the Fall and all are guilty before God (Gen. 3). This leaves us under the wrath and condemnation of God (Rom. 3:9-11). We are unable and unwilling to turn ourselves to God, without the prior work of God’s Spirit who gives us new birth (Rom. 8:5-8; Jn 3:3.5).

3. About the Bible

The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are God’s Word. 

There is no other way to know God except that he reveals himself to us. The Bible is God’s revelation to us. The words of the Bible are divinely inspired and infallible, as originally given, and have supreme authority in all matters of faith, conduct and experience (Matt. 5:18; 2 Pet. 1:20; Jn. 16:12-13).

The Bible is sufficient for knowing God (Rom. 10:13-17). It is not only central to the wellbeing of the church but is able to thoroughly equip the Christian community for life and godliness (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

4. About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

He is both fully God and truly human. 

He lived a perfect and sinless life but died on the cross in our place as a once for all sacrifice for our sins, turning God’s wrath away from us (1 Cor. 15:1-8;  2 Cor. 5:21). On the third day he was raised bodily from the dead and now reigns in heaven as Lord of all. From there he will return to judge the living and the dead and usher in the new creation (Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-19; 1 Pet. 3:18).

5. About salvation

It is only through Jesus Christ that humanity can be saved from the guilt, penalty, and power of sin (1 Tim. 2:5). 

A person is saved when the Holy Spirit works within a person to lead them to be born again. By his power they repent of their sins, place their faith in Jesus Christ and surrender to Him as Lord (1 Thess.1:8-10).

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, not by good works (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:5). The final goal of salvation is the bodily resurrection from the dead of all God’s people so that they might live and reign eternally with Christ in a new creation (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:6). 

6. About the Spirit in the believer’s life

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son, and indwells all who have been born again and saved (Jn 14:25-26, 15:26, 16:7-11).

He brings glory to Jesus and illuminates hearts and minds to hear and obey God’s Word (2 Cor. 3:12-18).

He produces holiness and good works in God’s people (Rom. 8:5-13). 

He empowers and gifts all believers for service and ministry, for the building up of Christ’s body, the church, and as a witness to the world (1 Cor. 12).

7. About church

The church is the gathering of God’s people around the Lord Jesus (Matt.16:18; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22-23, 3:10-11). The local church is the visible expression of the heavenly and universal church, and as the body of Christ is key to God’s saving purposes for his world and to the growth and flourishing of his people (Matt. 28:18-20.

The local church submits to Jesus as its Chief Shepherd, and is governed by God’s Word and Spirit through its own converted, baptised, and committed members, while overseen and led by a plurality of biblically-qualified elders (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11-16). It meets regularly for worship, prayer, hearing of God’s Word, mutual edification, the sacraments of baptism and holy communion, and church discipline, in order that

God’s people might be sent into the world for the purpose of service and mission (Acts 2:42-47).