God

We believe that there is one true and holy God eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God the Father is the term we often use in referring to the person in the trinity revealed in the first words of the bible, "In the beginning, God...".

Jesus Christ

The second person of the trinity, the word that came to us in human form, "by whom all things were made", was crucified, raised to life on the third day and ascended to heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father. He was immaculately conceived and lived a perfect life. Through him his death we have atonement for sin, through his resurrection the hope of new life. In his life a model for Christian life and ministry. He is ever present with us through his Spirit and will come again to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.

Holy Spirit

The third person in the trinity, the Spirit of God who hovered over the waters at creation, who came upon certain individuals at certain times, the counsellor who Jesus promised. The spirit who - in response to our belief in Christ - comes to dwell in us thus fulfilling the Father's promise to take a law written on stone and to write it in our hearts. He indwells, comforts and empowers us to be and to do. He brings unity and enables us to be the people of God.

The Bible and its use

The bible represents God's words to us. It is inspired by him and is inerrant in the original manuscripts. The 66 books we have represent the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and no other writings are similarly inspired by God.

The bible therefore should be the authority in all matters of preaching, teaching, study and counsel.

Baptism

Baptism is an act of obedience, required by our Lord who knows the value of such symbols to demonstrate the spiritual reality of death to self and life in Christ. It is an outward act symbolising an inner reality. The promised Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us at our point of belief however, a hunger for more of him in response to greater surrender can frequently lead to a greater experience of him and indeed times of refreshing. Whilst we do not espouse a theology of "2nd baptism", we see the need to constantly "be filled" with the Holy Spirit as Paul encouraged the Ephesian Christians.

The human condition

Though originally made in the image of God, that image was irreversibly marred outside the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We inherit spiritually the traits (and thus fallen nature) of our forefathers in the same way that physically we inherit certain traits. Mankind as a whole is fallen and in need of redemption. The nagging of the spiritual void we have is universal and can be; ignored (though difficult), temporarily appeased through distraction (material or religious) or ultimately fulfilled in Christ. We believe that our eternal destinies are shaped in this life. Therefore, God fixes our eternal condition based on our life preferences: heaven and hell are simply the fulfilment of our spiritual aspirations as manifested in this life.

The purpose, place and mission of the church in today's society

The church is at once the whole gathering of believers in Christ, his body and also the myriad of different gatherings all over the world in his name. There are many local expressions of this, each one serving as a missional arm both locally and (through prayer and sending) globally as well. Each believer in the body has been grafted into God and God's purposes as well as being uniquely endowed with grace as a gift to the church in order to accomplish God's purposes throughout the world. Our concern for the world is to always be both "here and there" and thus the distribution of these gifts surpasses all geo-political boundaries. Further, in reflecting the nature of God, the mission of the church must always transcend the segmented and fractured nature of our world; socially, politically, economically, religiously and geographically. In recognition of the way in which we are made, our role in this world must also express the concern God has for the whole person; spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. God's concern is that His Kingdom and rule be replicated here on earth as it is in heaven. Ideally, his church is both the model and means through which he will accomplish this. Though scripture describes some of the activities of a church, it is Christ in our midst that defines us as his church.