We believe that God is real, personal and involved in our lives on a daily basis. God’s identity and purpose are revealed most completely in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we are committed to following Jesus Christ through the power of God’s Spirit in us. God has brought us together for a journey of faith — a journey aimed at a deepening knowledge of, and relationship with Jesus. We are a worshipping community that seeks healing and wholeness — in our own lives and in the world around us.
We are a community of Christ sharing Christ with our communities – locally and globally. We seek to be known by our allegiance to Christ, by our love, an adherence to truth and by generous living and service.
A STATEMENT OF OUR FAITH
God: We believe that there is one living and true God, the maker and ruler of all created things. Revealed to us in three persons, who are in such perfect agreement that they are one. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal in every divine perfection and worthy of our worship and obedience. (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22, Isaiah 6:8; 9:6-7, Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19, John 14:15-23, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 1:1-14; 3:16-19)
- Father: Loving, just, holy, almighty, gracious and merciful are some words used to describe God. (Exodus 33:19, 34:6-7)
- Son: Jesus Christ – perfectly divine and human he is the perfect high priest bridging the gap between heaven and earth, God and humanity. We celebrate his birth – incarnation at Christmas, his death on Good Friday and his resurrection at Easter. His coming was both God’s rescue mission and the fulfilling of centuries of promises. Jesus, in the giving of his life on the cross and his victory over sin and death at the resurrection, secured salvation, initiated the Kingdom of God and was the first fruit of the new creation. He came not to condemn but to save the world. He has promised to return and make all things right. (Psalm 23, Isaiah 53, Matthew 6:9-10, John 1:1-18, 14:6-14, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Ephesians 5:25-27, 32, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 4:14-16, Revelation 19:6-7)
- Holy Spirit: The spirit presence of God who indwells the followers of Jesus to equip, empower and enlighten them. The Spirit sets us apart as God’s own, and works to transform us into the likeness of Christ. (John 16:12-15, Acts 1:8, 2:1-13, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Galatians 5:21-22, Ephesians 1:17-18)
Humanity: Created male and female, in the image of God, people fell from wholeness into the brokenness of sin by disobeying God. The brokenness of sin created barriers in relationships with God, others and creation. We experience this brokenness in wrongdoing, disease, violence, greed, oppression; disasters and the like. The world, and we, are in need of rescue/salvation. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:7, 18, 22, 3:8-1, 23, Psalm 8, Romans 3:22-24, 8:18-23)
Salvation/Rescue: Jesus, in the giving of his life on the cross and his victory over sin and death at the resurrection, secured salvation, initiated the Kingdom of God and was the first fruit of the new creation. Christ comes to seek and to save the lost. God is always the initiator in a person’s decision to follow Jesus. One must freely receive this salvation as a gift and live into the life and mission he has saved us for. When Christ returns he will bring to completion the work accomplished in his death and resurrection by making all things right. There will be a marriage of Christ and his church and of Heaven and earth. All will be brought together under the reign of Christ. (Isaiah 53, 61:1-3, Luke 19:10, Revelation 5:9-10, 7:17, Romans 3:22-24, 6:23, 10:8-13, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Ephesians 1:9-10, Colossians 1:19-20, Revelation 21-22,)
Kingdom of God and Mission: Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God is here and is coming. Jesus showed us through his ministry what it looks like when God is King. People are healed, the hungry are fed and the oppressed are freed. He taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God is on the move to make this happen. Part of this movement is called the church, which declares and demonstrates these truths. (Matthew 28:19-21, Luke 4:18-19, 10:1-9, Acts 1:8-9, Ephesians 1:9-10, Colossians 1:19-20, Revelation 7:9-11)
Revelation: God has made himself know to humanity in the following ways.
- Through his creation. The beauty, complexity and diversity of creation points to a loving creator/artist. (Psalm 19, Romans 1:20)
- Scripture: The Lord has given us a written living record of his relations with the world. This includes history, promises, a revelation of his person and character, teachings and directives for living. The Bible consists of the Hebrew Bible(Old Testament) and the New Testament. Both books are focused on Christ. We also believe that the Bible has been inspired by God, and is therefore (not surprisingly) useful for understanding our world and how we should live in it. (Psalm 19, 119, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
- Christ: God is most perfectly and fully revealed in Christ. (John 1:1-18, 14:6-14, Colossians 1:15-20)
Ordinances: There are two rites that Jesus commanded of his followers.
- Baptism: Jesus modelled, commanded and taught baptism as part of the discipling process. The believer in baptism unites with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. We follow the New Testament practice of believer baptism by immersion in water. (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:38,41, Romans 6:4)
- Communion/Lord’s Supper: Jesus commanded his followers to eat this special meal of bread and wine (juice) as a way to remember the significance of his death, resurrection and promised return. As this is a declaration of the gospel – our table is open to all those who are saying yes to Jesus. (Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-18, 29-30, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)