Our Objective
The church’s objective is to be a Christ-centred, Word-founded, Spirit-empowered, prayerful community of redeemed sinners delighting in God and seeking to share His love with one another and the world, all for His glory.
We seek to achieve this through:
(a) The proclamation of the truths of the Bible by all means so that people experience salvation. (Romans 10:8-15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
(b) To encourage all who are part of this church to meet together regularly for public worship, in small groups and in the daily walk of life. (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16-17; Hebrews 10:24-25)
(c) Teaching, training and discipling all who come to faith in the Lord Jesus so that they grow together in love, unity and maturity in Christ under the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 2:18-22, 4:11-16; Colossians 2:2-3)
(d) Proclaiming the sole Lordship of Christ Jesus in the lives of the members of the congregation and seeking to fulfil His desires in applying the gospel in word and deed by the power of the Holy Spirit in their families, the life of the community, the nation and the wider world. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:12-15; 1 Peter 2:9-12)
The Basis of Our Beliefs
This church shall hold to the following evangelical doctrines:
The Nature and Unity of the Godhead
There is one God who is eternal personal and spirit. He is infinite in power, wisdom, holiness and love. God is Triune in nature and revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (1 Chronicles 29:11; Isaiah 9:6-7, 44:6, 45:21-22; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:16-20; John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:8)
The Deity and Humanity of Christ
Jesus Christ as the second person of the Godhead is eternally one with God the Father and is the exact expression of His person and glory. In being made like us He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, the nature of God and human nature, were united in one Person; truly God and truly human. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6-7; Colossians 1:15-19; Hebrews 2:14-17)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead is eternally one with the Father and the Son, yet He is sent by Them to achieve the divine purpose in the world and in the Church. (John 14:26, 16:7; Acts 5:3-4; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2)
The Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures
The Scriptures, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, are the infallible Word of God. They were written by people of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and in their original writings have supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:9, 105, 160; Proverbs 30:5)
The Sinfulness of People
People were made in the image of God and for fellowship with God. By transgression of God’s command mankind fell from fellowship with God and their nature was corrupted. As a consequence, all people are spiritually dead under Satan’s dominion and control and subject to God’s wrath and condemnation. Therefore, apart from God’s grace, people are helpless and hopeless. (Genesis 1:27, 2:16-17, 3:6; Romans 3:23, 5:12; 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4)
Christ’s Atonement for Human Sin
In order to redeem people from the guilt, penalty and power of sin, Jesus Christ became human and died a sacrificial death on a cross as our substitute. God’s acceptance of His atoning death was demonstrated by His resurrection. This atonement is sufficient for the whole world, but effective only in those who receive it. The sinner is justified and reconciled to God, not through any personal merit, but solely on the basis of God’s gracious gift of salvation in Jesus Christ received through faith. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26, 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 1:4-5; Hebrews 7:24-28, 9:24-28; 1 Peter 3:18)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation
The ministry of the Holy Spirit is necessary for the acceptance of God’s provision of salvation. The Holy Spirit convinces sinners of their sinfulness, leads them to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and so brings them to spiritual birth as God’s children and to fellowship in Christ. Working within the life of believers the Holy Spirit makes real the presence of Christ, bears witness to their relationship with God, leads into truth, bestows gifts for effective service and enables holy living. (John 3:5-6, 16:7-15; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14, 12:4-11; Galatians 5:16-25; Titus 3:4-7)
The Church
The Church is the body of people whom God has set apart from the world through faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. All who have been born again are members of the universal Church of God which takes local form wherever groups of believers unite for worship, fellowship and service in accordance with scriptural principles. All believers are called to a priestly ministry in the offering of spiritual sacrifices and to live in the world as His witnesses. God calls individuals to positions of oversight and leadership within each local church. (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:1-6, 11-16; Colossians 1:13-14, 18; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10; Matthew 18:15-17)
The Baptism of Believers by Immersion
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a public declaration of a person’s faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Baptism is conducted through full immersion, as described in the New Testament, which symbolises the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, the forgiveness of sins and the believer’s commitment to live and walk in step with the Spirit in newness of life. (Matthew 3:13-17, 28:19-20; Romans 6:1-7; Colossians 2:11-12; Acts 2:38)
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ, instituted by Him to be celebrated with the elements that represent His body and blood, by believers in Christ, until the end of the age. It commemorates and declares our thanks for the Lord’s substitutionary death and celebrates our fellowship with the risen Lord Jesus Christ as members of the Body of which He is the Head. (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-26; Colossians 1:18)
The Return of the Lord Jesus Christ
At the end of this age, according to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in His glory to the earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom of God awaits His return. (Matthew 24:21-44; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The Resurrection of the Dead
At the end of the age, there is to be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous. After death people’s bodies return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God – the righteous to be with Him and the unrighteous to be reserved for the final judgement. (Daniel 12:2; Luke 23:43; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Rewards and Punishments in a Future State
God has appointed a day of final judgement for the world. At that time, Jesus Christ will judge every person and each will receive reward or punishment according to their deeds. Those judged righteous, through the blood of Christ, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and will dwell forever with the Lord. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:19-29; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12)