We are a group of people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ our Lord for salvation. This salvation was required because, in common with everybody else, we are sinners in the sight of God (Rom 3:23) and can do nothing of ourselves to merit God’s favour. However, Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Eternal God, became a man and gave His life on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for our sin. It is through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we have salvation and fellowship again with God.
We do not belong to any ‘organisation’ or ‘denomination’. We believe that each local church, or assembly, is a fully independent body accountable to God. There are like-minded churches in the area and throughout the country and worldwide but each is fully independent, shepherded by a group of elders who are responsible only to God for this activity.
What do we believe....
The Bible is God’s written revelation to man. The New Testament with 27 books and the Old Testament with 39 books, combine to make a library of 66 books. It is the complete Word of God to mankind and is fully inspired by God. Moved by the Holy Spirit, around 40 different men with their individual personalities and styles of writing, composed and recorded God’s Word for man. Some were fishermen, others kings, prophets, shepherds and doctors. The Bible is our absolute standard, having absolute authority and completely sufficient in all matters of faith and doctrine. 2Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (John 10:30, 14:9). In becoming a man, He accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity yet without any trace of sin, being born of a virgin in Bethlehem. He chose to come to earth to reveal God to mankind and save men and women from their sins (Philippians 2:5-8, 1 Tim 1:15). On the cross of Calvary, through the shedding of His own precious blood and sacrificial death, we believe that everyone who places their trust in Him is freed from the punishment and the power of sin, and is given eternal life and adopted into the family of God (1 Peter 2:24, Romans 5:8). After His death, he was taken down and laid in a new tomb from which, three days later, he rose from the dead! Now ascended back in to Heaven, God has highly exalted Him and some day Jesus Christ will return to receive the church unto Himself at the rapture (Romans 4:25, 1 Cor 15:3-4, Acts 1: 9-11). In a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth when He will restore Israel and establish His kingdom for 1000 years and be King of Kings. As the mediator between God and men, He will also be the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Saviour at the great white throne (Acts 17:30-31, Matthew 25:31-46)
In the beginning, on the sixth day of creation, man was created by God in His own image and likeness, created free of sin with intelligence and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25, James 3:9). God created mankind so that the people of this world would glorify Him and enjoy His fellowship (Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 43:7, Revelation 4:11). However, as a result of Adam’s sin of disobedience, mankind lost his innocence and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death – becoming subject to the wrath of God. Through Adam’s sin, sin has passed down to all men and women. Man is hopelessly lost in his own efforts to deal with this problem of sin. It is only by the grace of God through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that mankind can have their sins forgiven (Romans 3:23, 4:25 5:12, 6:23, 1 John 1:8, Acts 13: 38). God’s desire is that none will perish but that all mankind would be saved from eternal punishment, freed from the power of sin and brought in to the family of God (1 Timothy 2:4, Acts 17:30)
Sin has destroyed our world but more than that it has brought with it terrible consequences for mankind. The Bible teaches that the penalty for sin is death. All men and women, regardless of race, gender and age, are born in to this world with a sinful nature: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. We need our sins forgiven or we can never be in Heaven when we die. No amount of effort will ever be able to take away this internal problem of sin. The Bible says we are “without strength”. Good works, charity, money, goodness, a priest, confession and religious activities will never forgive sins (Ephesians 2:8-9).God’s desire for mankind is that all men will be saved, therefore God sent His sinless, perfect Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Saviour of the world. God wounded and punished Him on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world so men and women could have their sins forgiven (Isaiah 53, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 Tim 1:15). The Bible clearly teaches that sins forgiven and eternal security can only come through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19, 16:30-31, John 6:37).
We believe that after a person places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ they are immediately placed into one united spiritual body, the church, of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18). On the Day of Pentecost, the church began and we believe that the church will be completed when Christ returns to the air for His own at the rapture (Acts 2:1-21, 1 Cor 15:51-52). The purpose of this united church is to glorify God, by building itself up in the faith, by instruction of the Word, by fellowship, by keeping the ordinances and spreading the gospel to the entire world (Ephesians 3:21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Luke 22:19, Mark 16:15) . Following the New Testament pattern for the local church, we believe that the Lord’s Supper (Breaking of Bread) is the commemoration and proclamation of the Lord Jesus’ death until He comes. The emblems of bread and wine used are only representative of the body and blood of Christ; this weekly event, is in accordance with Scripture, signifying the greatness of His person and the work He has accomplished (1 Cor 11:23-25, Luke 22:19-20).
The very first verse in the Bible tells us: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In six days God created the vast expanse of the universe, the land, seas, mountains, animals and humans. Oceans, land, towering mountains and fast flowing rivers all came into being because God spoke. From the highest mountain peak to the little worm, He made it all and after creating mankind in His own image, God looked at His vast creation and declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:1-31, Acts 17: 24). As the Creator, He not only designed and created it, He continually sustains (Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, Psalm 19:1). God had made a world created without flaw, decay, death or sin. His desire in this world for mankind was that they would enjoy His fellowship and presence (Psalm 8:3-4, Isaiah 43:7).
