Make Disciples
Proclaiming Christ to those who do not know Him so that they might come to a living faith in Him.
Grow Disciples
Proclaiming Christ to those who know Him so that they would be deeply rooted in Him.
Equip Disciples
Proclaiming Christ to those who know Him so they would be equipped to serve one another, the wider church and the world.
Values
1
We believe the scriptures are God breathed, living and active. As such they are to be read, expounded, taught and obeyed. The word of God is our highest authority in all matters of faith and behaviour as it points us to Christ and calls us to sit at his feet in discipleship. We will be a church who are saturated in the Word of God.
2
The heart of the Christian faith is the message that Jesus Christ has come to save sinners from the wrath of God by dying in their place as a substitutionary atonement and by bestowing upon them his righteousness. This undeserved favour is received though both repentance and faith. As such we must be a church who calls people to turn from sin, and a church that demonstrates how Christ is the only worthy rock in whom to put our faith.
3
Recognising the priority of God’s Word, we see the importance of being clear about what we understand the Bible to teach. To this end we are committed to our confessional statements (39 articles, Jerusalem Statement) not as an alternative authority to the Bible but as stating what we believe the Bible to teach. While we welcome anyone, who wishes to join us and sit under the word of God, our confessional standards guard the truth of the Bible as we understand it.
4
Convinced that Christ builds his Church as God, by His Holy Spirit, works within us, we are committed to seeking his will and strength in prayer. Prayer is vital to our relationship with God. We aim to depend on God through regular, disciplined and spontaneous, corporate and individual prayer.
5
FELLOWSHIP BUILDING
We believe that the people of God are a family formed by God, who belonging to God and so belong together. Therefore, we seek not just to establish meetings or activities in which we all take part, but to establish a community of love and fellowship through which we show one another, and those outside the community, the gracious love that God has shown us.
6
We believe that all things are under the providential care of God, not least the building of His Church. We recognize that not all elements of God’s detailed plan have been revealed to us, beyond what has been revealed in Scripture. Therefore, we seek, in obedience to God, to use all that He has given, too act and to take risks, trusting his providential care.
7
COMMUNITY LOVING
God is a generous God of love who calls us to love our neighbour. We actively seek ways to generously love people, through acts of service, mercy and partnership. We believe the most loving thing that we can do is share the Gospel with others, and although this does not preclude other forms of loving our community, it does mean that we long all types of people from the local community hear the Gospel, and in time are represented in our church family.
8
The call to love your neighbour means that we are called to understand and know the people to whom we are called to serve. This means to know and understand the culture in which we are based and seek to communicate the message of the Gospel in an appropriate manner that will be understood and engaged with by those within our particular context. Whilst the message and content of the Gospel must never change the presentation and communication of the Gospel needs to be relevant and accessible in order for it to be heard, understood and believed.