What we believe
This is the wonderful news of the gospel, that the God who created the world loved us enough to send His Son. Jesus lived and died and rose again in order to save us from our sin and from death. By trusting Jesus to save us, we now have a right relationship with God and are promised an eternal life of joy in His presence.
Our Statement of Faith below gives the specifics of what we believe. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We would be more than happy to discuss those with you.
The Bible
While God has revealed Himself through His creation, it is through His Word, the Bible, that He reveals His plan for the salvation of His people. God has revealed himself and his promises in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice. The Bible is relevant to every culture and time, and it is to be diligently studied and faithfully obeyed by believers.
God
There is only one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour, and Judge. He hates all sin and does not allow sin to go unpunished. He alone has power to forgive sins, and He is sovereign in the election, salvation and preservation of his people in Christ who sustains and governs all things, all history and all existence according to his sovereign will for his own glory.
The Human Race
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to love, worship, obey, and enjoy God. As a result of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be forgiven, and reconciled to God in Christ in order to know and be in right relationship with Him. According to the Bible, marriage is a life-long commitment between one man and one woman. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:20-24)
The Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father. Only Jesus Christ can rescue us from sin and put us back in right relationship with God. Therefore, salvation is in and through the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his work of salvation to God’s people. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures, for he inspired all Scripture and speaks in Scripture to us today. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and, while believers still battle personal and corporate sin, the Spirit progressively produces in believers increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.
The Church
The Lord Jesus Christ is the one true head of the Church, His body, which consists of all believers throughout all time and in all places. The universal church is made visible in local churches, which are communities of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God and the establishment of His Kingdom. This is accomplished through the preaching of the Word, the administering of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, pastoral care and discipline, mutual love and encouragement, calling all people to repentance and faith in the gospel of Christ, and equipping believers for works of mercy and justice in the world that demonstrate God’s care over all creation. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. Those who have rejected Christ will be sent to eternal punishment and those who have accepted Christ will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God in the promised New Creation. God will make all things new and will be glorified in all things forever.