Who we are

As a community of disciples of Jesus Christ, we bear witness to the one living Creator God revealed in the Bible as three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We also bear witness to God’s loving intentions for humanity and for creation. Despite the entrance of sin into the world and its profound ramifications, God’s loving intentions remain unchanged. God initiated a plan which is being fulfilled through Jesus Christ: to reconcile humanity to God, to eliminate evil and suffering, to renew creation, and to live with redeemed humanity forever.

God invites us to take part in this unchanging redemptive plan. We accept this invitation through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and in joyful obedience. We take on God’s mission as our holistic mission. Therefore we aim to:

• Live as a community of the redeemed with moral integrity, work together in Christ-like unity, humility and sacrificial love.
• Demonstrate the values and the transforming power of the kingdom of God in every sphere of society, participating through suffering in Christ’s triumph over evil.
• Communicate to all nations the good news of God’s grace in Christ, through whom we can receive forgiveness of sin and live as disciples, in faith and repentance.
• Serve needy people with compassion, pursue justice and peace, and care for creation.

God is personal. God actively reveals his existence, power and glory through the created universe. God is also personal, creating humanity to be in relationship with himself; to know, love, worship and obey him. God also created humanity in the divine image, reflecting his lordship over creation, and so delegating responsibility for stewardship of the earth to humanity, as male and female. As bearers of this divine image, humanity also reflects other attributes of God, such as holiness, creativity and love. We reflect these divine qualities to one another through our human equivalents, namely righteousness, creativity, justice and compassion.

Jesus is Lord and Christ. Jesus is the Word of God, through whom all things were made; he is the Lord of all Creation. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us; God in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Himself. Therefore, Jesus is the eternal Son of God; uniquely appointed by the Father to bring the blessings of healing and salvation to all nations. The Lord took on our human nature by a virgin birth as Jesus of Nazareth and entered into both our joy and our suffering. He taught and modeled the character of the kingdom of God to which he calls his disciples. When Jesus died on the cross, he took upon himself the sin of the world, bearing its full penalty and removing its shame. Therefore, we are reconciled with God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. On the cross, Jesus defeated the powers of evil and made God’s offer of reconciliation available to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other social identity. By his bodily resurrection, Jesus defeated death and initiated a new humanity. Through his ascension he was exalted as Lord of all. When Jesus Christ returns he will execute God’s judgement; destroy Satan, evil and death; and establish the universal reign of God.

God the Holy Spirit is present. The Holy Spirit has remained active ever since creation. The Holy Spirit convicts humanity of sin and judgement, leads us to faith and repentance, and provides transformation and empowering action for justice. The Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to dwell in all believers, enabling us to live in unity and to bear the fruits of holiness, Christ-likeness and practical obedience. The Holy Spirit gives gifts and empowers believers to discern truth, pray effectively, proclaim and demonstrate the gospel, and prevail over the forces of darkness.

The Bible is the Word of God. The Bible is the authentic Word of God spoken through human authors under the full inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It gives the account of creation, the fall, redemption and new creation. It is true and trustworthy in all it affirms, revealing God’s identity, character, purposes and actions throughout history. Therefore, God has supremely and uniquely authorized the Bible to guide and govern our beliefs, values and behaviours.

Humans have sinned. All humans have sinned by rebelling against God, rejecting God’s authority, and disobeying God’s Word. Our rebellion has alienated us from God and has unleashed the destructive powers of sin and evil. Our sin distorts the relationships within our families, our communities and our cultures. It adversely shapes economic, social, political and religious structures, resulting in injustice, inequality, poverty and abuse of the environment. Human rebellion deserves judgement and leads to eternal separation from God.

Humans are intrinsically valuable. The image of God in humanity, although distorted by sin, remains the basis of the uniqueness, dignity, sanctity and equality of all persons, without distinction. God is unchanging in love, despite human rejection, and cares for all people in all their cultural and ethnic diversity. Therefore all people are equally valuable in the sight of God, and he is reaching out in grace to save and transform all people through Jesus Christ.

The Church participates in God’s mission. The Church exists to worship and glorify God for all eternity, as well as to be a distinctive community of holiness, compassion and justice. As such, the Church stands in continuity with God’s people throughout the ages and is called, as Abraham was, to be a blessing to the nations. Therefore, the Church is commissioned by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to participate in the transforming, holistic mission of God in history.