1. The Bible We believe that: - The Bible is God's unique revelation and that every word was supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit as it was being written down by various human authors. - The Bible is our final authority for all matters of belief and behaviour. - The Bible is the written revelation of God’s nature and His will. - The Bible is the account of God’s plans, (past, present and future), for redeeming humanity, to the end of time. (2 Tim 3:16)
2. God We believe that: - There is only one God, who exists eternally as three distinguishable persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, each fully God yet each personally distinct from the other. - God is the creator of heaven and earth. (Matt 28:15-20, 2 Cor 13:14)
3. Creation of the World and Mankind, and The Fall We believe that: - God created the world and humanity perfect. - God originally put mankind in charge of His creation. - God made all people “in His own image”, and subsequently all people have tremendous potential to do good, and matter deeply to God. - Humanity succumbed to the temptation to live outside the will and authority of God and became a fallen creature. - This attitude of disobedience to God, known as sin, has produced consequences: it separated us from God, and it introduced death into the world and the loss of our eternal life with God. - It created the need for us to be saved from this situation: there is nothing we can do to attain right standing with God. - The whole creation became marred and subject to death. (Rom 5:12, 18)
4. Jesus Christ We believe that: - Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. - Jesus was and is co-equal with the Father. - Jesus was conceived as a human being in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. - Jesus lived a sinless human life. - Jesus is the Saviour of the world. - In His sinlessness, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. - Jesus rose from the dead after three days, demonstrating His power over sin and death. - Jesus ascended to heaven's glory. - Jesus will return again to earth to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords. (Matt 1:22-23, John 1:1-5, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Cor 15:1-7, 1 Thess 4:13-18)
5. The Holy Spirit We believe that: - The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Godhead, equal to the Father and the Son. - The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus. - The Holy Spirit lives in every believer from the moment of salvation. - The Holy Spirit gives believers power for living. - The Holy Spirit gives believers understanding of spiritual truth and guidance for doing what is right. - The Holy Spirit empowers believers with spiritual gifts with which to serve the church and a lost and needy world. (John 16:7-13, 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, 1 Cor 12-14, Rom 12:3-13, Eph 4:11-13)
6. Salvation We believe that: - Salvation is the process by which we receive the following gifts from God: Forgiveness of our sins. Removal of the penalty of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. Renewal of our inner being, through the entrance of the Holy Spirit into our life. Fellowship with God. Eternal life with God. - Salvation is a gift of God received through the following process: Repentance for our sins, asking God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Turning in faith to Jesus Christ, asking Him to become our Saviour and Lord. - Salvation can be obtained in no other way, (not by our own good works), and through no other person. - There is nothing we can do to make up for our sin through self-improvement or good works. (Eph 2:8 & 9, Heb 9:12 & 22, Rom 5:1 & 11, 6:23, John 17:3)
7. Baptism We believe that: - Baptism should be conducted by immersion in water, in the name of the Godhead, in order to fulfil the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 2:36-38, 19:1-6) - Baptism is not a prerequisite for salvation but is nonetheless an important public declaration by a person of their faith in Jesus Christ. - Baptism is a necessary step to be taken following salvation. - The public confession of faith in Christ which is involved in baptism is a vital means by which God releases blessing upon the believer. (Acts 8:8, 16:32, 18:8, Rom 10:10)
8. Baptism in the Holy Spirit We believe that - Baptism in the Holy Spirit as an important experience available to every believer, but is not necessary for salvation. - Baptism in the Holy Spirit may occur at the time of salvation or at some time afterwards. - The normal Biblical evidence of being baptised with the Spirit is the ability to speak in other languages or ‘tongues’. (Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46) - This ability is given for a variety of purposes: For personal edification. To enhance our prayer life. For worship. (1 Cor 14:1-4 & 15, Jude 20) To give us power to live our lives and to be witnesses for Christ, blessing others. - The baptism of the Holy Spirit is available for all believers to be used for their spiritual benefit, not as a mark of spiritual maturity.
9. Heaven and Hell and Judgment We believe that: - Human beings were created to exist forever, and each individual will spend eternity in one of these places. - Jesus has been appointed by God the Father to judge the eternal destiny of every human being. - To be eternally separated from God is eternal death, which is Hell. - To be eternally in union with Him, through forgiveness and salvation, is eternal life, which is Heaven. (Matt 25:31-46, John 3:16, 5:24, 2 Thess 1:9, Rev 20:10-15)
10. The Church We believe: - There is one true universal church made up of genuine believers from many denominations and churches. - In the principle of churches in various localities each exercising autonomous government under the headship of Jesus Christ. (Acts 15:22, Matt 16:18, 18:15-20) - In the five-fold ministry of prophets, apostles, evangelists, teachers and pastors who are raised up by God: To build up the members of the body so that they develop the fruit of the Spirit as mentioned in Galatians 5: 21 – 22. To equip them so that they can carry out the ministry of the church. (Eph4:8–13) - The purpose of the church is to glorify God and to express, exemplify and execute His will. - Each church member is an individual with distinctive gifts to contribute to the functioning of the church. - Christians should all become submitted to and part of the life of a local church body.
11. Holy Communion - We believe in the Lord's Table, commonly called “communion” or “the Lord's Supper”, for believers, and in regular observance of this command of Jesus. (1 Cor 11:28-32, Matt 26:26-28)
12. Gifts of the Spirit, and Healing We believe: - In the operation of the nine supernatural Gifts of the Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:4 – 11. - We believe in the healing of the body by God's power as practised in the early church. (Acts 4:30, Rom 8:11, 1 Cor 12:9, James 5:14)
13. The Devil We believe: - In the reality and personality of the devil. - In the reality of fallen angels and demonic beings with various levels of authority in the devil’s kingdom. - That it is part of the ministry of the church to set people free from oppression and control by these agents of the devil. (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:17 – 19 and Mark 16:17 – 18) - That the devil and his fallen angels will be judged and sent to the lake of fire. (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:14, 15)
