What we Believe

Statement of Faith

“…. Ye should earnestly contend for the FAITH which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 1:3

The Bible

We believe that the whole Bible is the infallible Word of God, written by different writers at different times, but all under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The Godhead

We believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, eternally existent as one God, referred to in the Scriptures as the Godhead. The Character of perfection, and all the attributes of God the Father, described below, are shared equally by the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Father

We believe that the Father is in Heaven upon His throne and yet omnipresent (present everywhere). He is also omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful). He has a very deep and detailed interest in each individual and has sent His Son and also the Holy Spirit to administer His salvation to us. He requires us to do His will on earth.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ existed in eternity past as the Word and is the only begotten Son of God the Father, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary in the fullness of time (approx. 2000 years ago). He was crucified upon a cross, buried in a tomb and rose again on the third day, He ascended to Heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God the Father in resurrection glory, making intercession for us as our Great High Priest and Advocate. He has been given a Name above every other name, and all power in Heaven and earth and under the earth.

The Holy Ghost (Spirit)

We believe that the Holy Spirit was sent by God the Father to convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment to come. He also leads believers into all truth by revealing Jesus Christ to them and He is our Comforter. Although the world cannot see Him, nor do they know Him, He is in the world today.

Angels

We believe that Angels are part of God’s creation and while they are mostly invisible to us, they carry out God’s instructions as ministering spirits or flames of fire. They also encamp around about those that fear God and have been sent to minister for the heirs of salvation.

The Devil

We believe that the Devil or Satan is the fallen angel Lucifer, who corrupted his wisdom because of his beauty, while still in the presence of God in Heaven. When God cast him out of Heaven, he took one third of the angels in rebellion with him and has set up the Kingdom of Darkness to resist God and to tempt and destroy all who believe in God.

Mankind

We believe that the first man, Adam, was created in the image of God and that God made the first woman, Eve, out of a rib He took from Adam’s side. At the moments of creation, Adam and Eve became living souls, possessed of human spirits living in human bodies made from the dust of the ground, with the powers of procreation. Adam and Eve sinned against God and their progeny were conceived in their fallen state. All men and women have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is not one righteous in God’s sight.

Sin

We believe that Sin:

Originated in the heart of Lucifer (the Devil).
Was introduced to the human race by Adam.
Is any transgression of God’s will, whether in ignorance or deliberate, by action, thought, motive, disposition or state.
Is punishable by God’s righteous standards and ordinances.
The sentence is eternal death in the Lake of Fire (Hell), where the smoke of the sinners’ torment will rise forever and ever.

Salvation

We believe that there is only one means of salvation from Sin, Judgment and Hell, and that is to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ, believing in your heart that He died upon the cross on your behalf as a sacrifice for your sin; that He was buried and that on the third day, God raised Him to life again. This will result in your being forgiven, born again and becoming a member of the ‘Body of Christ’ (The Church). You will also receive the Spirit of Christ and God will call you His son and you may call God your Father.

Redeemed Mankind

We believe that Christian men should live and walk worthy of their calling by demonstrating their total submission and obedience to their Head, Jesus Christ. Christian women should likewise demonstrate their reverence, obedience and submission to Jesus Christ by submitting to their Head; the godly man, who is the earthly representative of the authority of Christ.

Marriage

We believe that God instituted Marriage between a man and a woman and that Marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled. We believe that the Husband is the head of the home and that he should love his Wife as Christ loved the Church and gave His life for it; That Wives should submit themselves to their own Husbands as the Husbands honour their Head, Who is Christ.

Parenthood

We believe that parents carry a responsibility before God to bring their children up in the knowledge of the Lord; to love them, care and provide for them; and to train and discipline them in the light of the Scriptures. We believe that a daughter is under the care and oversight of her God-fearing father until he gives her hand in marriage. We also believe that a son is answerable to his Father and Mother until he leaves his Father’s house to marry and establish his own home.

Water Baptism

We believe that Water Baptism is a commandment of the Lord Jesus to every born again believer as an outward sign of their identification with the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ. It constitutes a single total immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Baptism in the Holy Ghost (Spirit)

We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is an essential experience for all believers, subsequent to their conversion to Christ, to empower them for service. It is the Seal of God upon their lives and the earnest or down payment of their inheritance. The sign of speaking with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance, is confirmation that the believer has been filled with the Holy Spirit.

Gifts of the Holy Ghost (Spirit)

We believe that the nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit are imparted by the Holy Spirit to believers at His discretion for our benefit and for the revelation of Jesus Christ, and to His glory. We are encouraged to desire Spiritual Gifts and to seek to excel in the edifying of the church.

The Church

We believe that the Church consists of born again believers under the Headship of Christ. It is the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the pillar and ground of the Truth and a great mystery.

The Mission of the Church

To preach the gospel to every creature, baptising them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things that the Lord commanded His Disciples.

The Goal of the Church

To see believers being added to the Church and growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, discovering the perfect will of God for their lives and obeying Him, until they come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (spiritual maturity) and attain to the resurrection of the dead.

Church Administration

The Church is led, controlled and directed by the ministry gifts of the ascended Christ i.e. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These ministries have been given to men for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. The ‘Local Church’ is governed, cared for and fed by ordained Elders who form the local oversight and who watch for the souls under their care and give an account before God for each one.

Church Member Participation

We believe in the Priesthood of every believer and the effective working of each member of the Body of Christ, through prayer, Spiritual Gifts, testimony and ministry as each member exercises himself and herself in accordance with the measure or ability that God has given to each one, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, to edify and build one another up in love.

To keep my body and mind pure from sin and separated from worldly pleasures of indulgence, fornication (sexual sins) and other vices, (e.g. drugs, alcohol and smoking) so that I may be a temple for the Holy Spirit and a vessel fit for the Master’s use.
To submit myself to the perfect will of God for my life, and to submit myself to the Oversight and Ministries of the Church.
To be a witness to the unsaved of the world, pointing them to Christ, through the Gospel.
To give myself fully to the edifying of my fellow believers as the Lord enables me.
To faithfully attend all the meetings of the Church (Assembly), serving God with all my heart.
To give of my substance, by faithfully tithing to the Local Assembly, where God has added me.

The Foundation of each Believer

We believe that the Foundation of Jesus Christ needs to be laid in the heart of each believer. The foundation is ‘The First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ’ or the ‘Milk of the Word’.

The First Principles are summarised as follows:

Repentance from Dead Works – Our acceptance before God is totally dependent upon the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus; and not on any work or merit of our own.
Faith Towards God – The faith of Christ, imparted to us by hearing God’s Word (‘The Faith’ once delivered to the saints) equips us to put our implicit trust and confidence in God the Father and His plan of salvation for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Doctrine of Baptisms – The word ‘baptism’ means complete immersion. The principle therefore deals with complete immersion into:
- The Body of Christ (The Church)
- Water
- The Holy Spirit
- Suffering

These experiences collectively, speak of our total involvement with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Laying on of Hands – Speaks of each believer symbolically being the hands of Jesus reaching out to bless and touch the lives of others. This will be achieved by each one using the ability and sharing the blessing that God has given him or her.
Resurrection of the Dead – Speaks of the wonderful hope that lies ahead of us. We shall receive a resurrected and glorified body, similar to the one that Jesus now has, and we shall live forever in that glorified state.
Eternal Judgment – Christ has been given the authority to judge all mankind. He will reward the Christians for their labour of love, after the Resurrection; He will prepare the nations for judgment by means of the Great Tribulation and then will judge the nations on earth for one thousand years and will punish the ungodly by casting them into the Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment.
Going on Unto Perfection – deals with the growth and development of each believer to perfection or maturity where they become as effective as they possibly can be in the centre of God’s perfect will.

The Last Days

We believe that we are living in the Last Days, in which the final prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled. While we do not know the day or the hour of the Return of Jesus Christ, we are told to watch and be ready. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead in Christ will be raised, and we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will be caught up to meet Him in the air. This is known as the First Resurrection, or Rapture. The Rapture is followed directly by the Tribulation during which God deals primarily with His ancient people, Israel. This 7-year Great Tribulation will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon, which will be cut short by the Second Coming of Christ.

It is at this point that the Lord Jesus returns physically to earth, with His saints and Holy Angels, to make war against the Anti-Christ and the ungodly nations, and to establish His earthly Kingdom for one thousand years. Then, we believe, every eye shall see Him. During this thousand-year period, the Millennial Reign of Christ, Satan will be bound. At the end of the thousand years Satan will be loosed to deceive the nations for the last time. This short period of rebellious deception ends with the Great White Throne Judgment. Here Satan and his angels and all the dead whose names are not found in the Book of Life, both great and small, will be judged by Jesus Christ; they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This is known as the Second Death.

Our Final Destination

We believe that we have a place in the Holy City the Heavenly Jerusalem, the City of the living God, which will come down out of Heaven to be situated over the Earth, surrounded by new Heavens, and that we will live there forever in the presence of the Godhead.