STATEMENT
OF FAITH
GOD THE FATHER
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the creator and sustainer of the universe and everything in it. He has no beginning and no end. He has the power and absolute authority to do anything except He cannot sin. He is all knowing and present in all places at all times.
God the Father is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Time, space, distance and circumstances do not confine Him. He is perfect, holy, wise, merciful, loving, truthful and just.
JESUS CHRIST
God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He was and is both fully God and fully human. He is our saviour, healer, baptiser and coming King. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. His sinless life on earth was the perfect demonstration of God’s immense love for humanity.
The revolutionary nature of Jesus’ ministry led directly to His arrest, trial and condemnation to death. Jesus was crucified as the atonement for the sin of the world. Belief in Him is the only means by which we may be forgiven and restored to God.
The sacrifice of Christ redeems and cleanses us from sin and makes us acceptable before God.
After His death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead in order to confirm His status as God. He ascended to heaven and now has the supreme place of honour there, where He intercedes on our behalf. Those who believe and entrust their lives to Jesus will join Him in heaven for all eternity. Soon Jesus will return to judge everyone on earth as to how we have responded to Him in our lives, to overthrow forever the power of sin and establish His everlasting Kingdom.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the third person of God. He is active in convicting people of their need to seek God’s forgiveness and commit their lives to Him. He comes to live in each person who becomes a follower of Christ and fills those who ask Him.
He came in power to the early Church on the day of Pentecost and continues to equip, anoint and empower people whom God uses in His service. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, guide, teacher and helper who leads us all into truth as we study the Bible and seek to follow God’s will for us as individuals and as a body. He enables us in our prayer lives and worship, bringing us closer to God as we yield to Him.
The Holy Spirit is the sanctifier and unifier of the Church, producing a holy life evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit (‘…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ Galatians 5:22-23).
The Spirit distributes gifts to the Church, which are used to build up the body of Christ and extend the Kingdom of God. These gifts are available to all believers who obey the commands of God.
THE BIBLE
The Bible, as originally inspired by God and written by human beings, is the pure Word of God. It is the record of God’s revelation of Himself to the world, and the principal means through which God communicates.
The Holy Spirit helps us to understand and apply it practically to our situations. The Bible is the ultimate point of reference and authority for our lives, and its commandments take precedence over any man made authority or institution.
SALVATION
Salvation and eternal life from the power and penalty of sin are the gift of God alone through His grace towards us. It is freely and lovingly given to those who repent of their disobedience, ask for God’s forgiveness and put their trust in Jesus Christ.
Our own efforts to please God and earn His forgiveness are pointless. God wants us to put our faith in Him and trust that He will meet all of our needs. As the Holy Spirit fills and works within us our lives are characterised by a desire to obey and please God. The fruit of the Holy Spirit becomes evident in the way we respond to God and how we treat our fellow human beings.
CHURCH
The universal Church is the living body of Jesus Christ. It is comprised of all those believers throughout the world, united in their acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
The Bible describes the followers of Jesus as a royal priesthood and heirs of God’s Kingdom. The Church’s role is to be instrument for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. As a body, our primary identification should be with Jesus Christ and with other believers before any other allegiance.
All members of the Church are brothers and sisters in God’s family and should live in peace, love, harmony, trust and fellowship with God and each other. They should seek to support, strengthen and enable each other in the power of the Holy Spirit. In its relations with the world, the Church should seek to take the message of salvation through Jesus to all those who do not yet know Him and to encourage them to come to faith in Christ.