WHAT WE BELIEVE
This is our statement of faith
1.
The Bible is the divinely-inspired Word of God and its supreme authority is fully trustworthy for faith and conduct. 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21
2.
The one true God lives eternally in three persons — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14
3.
The incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ — born of the virgin Mary, truly divine and truly human, yet without sin. 1 John 4:1-3; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 4:15
4.
The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, is the only means of reconciliation with God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Colossians 2:13-15
5.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 4:14-16
6.
The personal, visible return of Jesus Christ to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords, to bring judgement and to establish a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 21:1
7.
The presence and fullness of the Holy Spirit who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness. John 3:5-6; Acts 1:8
8.
The Church as the Body of Christ, the family of God, existing as a community empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill its mandate to be light to a dark world by using God-given gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Matthew 5:14
9.
Men and women were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him. Through sinful disobedience, the image was marred and the fellowship was broken. Men and women are incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by their own effort. Genesis 1:26-27; Ephesians 2:8-9
10.
The Christian covenant of marriage is sacred, defined by God in the Scriptures, remaining as a holy symbol of Christ and His enduring covenant with the church and as such cannot be redefined by man or any civil government but remains as a covenant between one male and one female. As followers of Jesus Christ this is what we mean when we use the word “marriage”. This differentiation from other types of unions is not one of condemnation or judgement but one of devotion to Christ, the Scriptures, and the community of the Holy Spirit. Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:22-23