What we believe

As followers of Jesus Christ we believe in….

A good and loving God

Revealed as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is compassionate to all that he has made and is committed to putting right his creation, the world and all who live in it, which has been spoilt because of human rebellion against God.

The Kingdom of God

The only hope for our broken world is when our good and loving God reigns over everything and everyone so that things happen God’s way.

Jesus Christ, Saviour and King

The Son of God came to earth in human form in order to:

• Announce the good news of the kingdom of God and make this new life available to all who trust him
• By rescuing humanity from the grip of evil, sin and death by defeating evil powers, condemning sin and conquering death through his atoning, sacrificial death on a cross for us, his burial and his resurrection on the third day,
• Enabling every person to enjoy a reconciled relationship with God and become part of God’s project to put the world right as they live for King Jesus who reigns now in heaven.

New Creation

The resurrection of Jesus marked the beginning of God’s renewal of creation. Every person who trusts and follows Jesus receives God the Holy Spirit to live in them, thereby making them new and changing them from the inside out, and adding them to the one, worldwide Church.

The second coming of Christ

God has appointed a day when Jesus will return to finally sort out the remaining injustices and brokenness of the world; the dead will be raised and judged and God’s project of renewing creation will be complete. The new heavens and the new earth will be completely free from all evil, evildoers, sin, corruption and death.

The grace of God

Whatever our life has been to this point, God longs that we turn to him, embrace what Jesus has done for us and receive his gift of new life, new hope and a new future. Because he loves us, he gives us free will to make our own choice, but his desire is that no-one should exclude themselves from his loving kingdom and new creation.

As a Baptist Church we believe in….

The Lordship of Christ

Baptists affirm that ‘Jesus is Lord’. He is Lord over our individual lives, the life of each church, and the life of the whole world.

The authority of the Bible

The Bible is described as the ‘Word of God’ because Baptists believe that its writers were inspired by God’s Spirit. As such, it has authority to guide both what we believe and how we live our lives.

Baptism for believers

From the example of the New Testament, Baptists claim that baptism is for those who believe and are able to declare that Jesus is Lord. As a symbol of Jesus’ claim on our lives, baptism by immersion is practised, representing a desire to die to self and to live for Christ.

A believer’s Church

Baptists understand the church as a community of believers gathered in the name of Jesus Christ for worship, witness and service. There is no set Baptist liturgy. Each local church and community is free to determine its own pattern, though prayer and praise, listening and reflecting on scripture, and sharing Holy Communion will always be central.

The priesthood of all believers

Baptists believe that everyone who attends a Baptist church has a role to play and can use their God-given skills and talents for the good of the church and the community. These gifts include teaching, evangelism, social action, pastoral care, prayer, healing, taking part in worship, administration or hospitality.