S T A T E M E N T  O F F A I T H

More complete statements of the doctrines believed and taught are found in the historic Baptist Confessions known as the First London Baptist Confession (1644), and the Second London Baptist Confession (1689). Though primarily of sovereign grace Baptistic persuasion, we welcome, both at Board and lecturer level, believers of similar
Reformed faith.

1. The Bible
We believe the Bible – the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments - to be the complete. Word of God: as originally written, they were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God, and therefore entirely free from error. The Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. 2 Pt. 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:16; Ro. 15:4; I Th. 1:13; I Tim. 3:13.

2. God
We believe in one God, creator of all; holy, sovereign, eternal; perfect in all his ways; existing in three distinct, equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Ge.1:1; Is. 6:3; Ro. 11:36; Jo. 1:1,14, Jo. 14:9-11.

3. Christ
We believe in the full deity and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ; in His eternal existence with the Father in preincarnate glory; in His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension, mediatorial ministry and personal return. Jo.1:1,14; He. 4:14-15; Lu.1:35-37; Ro. 5:6-10; I Co. 15:3-8; He. 9:26-28.
 

4. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the full deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, who convicts of sin, regenerates, sanctifies, illuminates, comforts and indwells those who believe in Jesus Christ. Jo.14:15-17, Jo. 16:7-11; Jo.3:5-8; Ro. 8:9; I Co. 6:19-20.

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5. Satan
We believe that Satan exists as an evil personality, the originator of sin, the archenemy of God and man. Mt. 4:1-11; Ge. 3:1-4; Job 1:6; 2 Co. 11:14; Re. 12:9.

6. Man
We believe that Adam and Eve were divinely created in the image of God: that they sinned, becoming guilty before God, and plunging the whole human race into sin: that the human race is now depraved in all their faculties: they cannot please God of themselves, and can only be saved by the grace of God. Ge. 1:27, Ge.3; Ro. 3:9-18; Ep. 2:8-9.

7. Salvation
We believe that salvation is by the grace of God, through faith and not by works: that by the appointment of the Father, Christ suffered a substitutionary death for sinners: that salvation is by faith alone in the all sufficient sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ: and that those whom the Father saves shall be divinely preserved and finally perfected in the image of the Lord. Ep. 2:8-9; Ac. 2:23-24; Ro. 5: 1-2, 18-19, 8:30, 37-39; Jo. 10:25-30.

8. Holiness of Life
We believe that those whom the Father has saved will show that their faith is genuine by walking in obedience to the commands of the Lord: that although perfection is not attainable in this life, the desire of the believer is to be conformed increasingly to the likeness of Christ. Ep. 1:4; I Co.1:2; He. 12:14; I Pt.1:14-16, 2:9-12; Re. 1:5-6.

9. Future Things
We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ: in the bodily resurrection of the righteous and the wicked: in the judgment of all: in the eternal blessedness of the redeemed, and in the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked. Mt. 24; 1 Th. 4:13-17; Re. 20: 11-15, Re. 21:1-8.

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10. The Local Church
We believe the church is a company of baptized believers, called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus Christ, voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word of God, the mutual edification of its members, the propagation of the faith and the observance of the ordinances.

We believe it is a sovereign, independent body, exercising its own divinely appointed gifts, precepts and privileges under the Lordship of Christ the Head of the church. We believe that its officers are pastors (elders) and deacons. We also believe there is great benefit in fellowship with other churches of like beliefs. Mt. 28:18-20; Ac. 2:41-47;
1Co.11:23-26; Ep. 4:1-3, 11-16; 1Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Pt.2:9.

11. Ordinances
We believe that there are only two ordinances for the church regularly observed in the New Testament. They are commanded by the Lord but have no efficacy in themselves.

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• Baptism is a public testimony of faith in Jesus Christ and identification with Him in his death, burial and resurrection. Mt. 28:18-20; Ac. 2:37-39; Ro. 6:1-4.

• The Lord’s Supper, which is a unique nourishing of the believer by faith, as well as a memorial wherein believers partake of bread and wine symbolizing the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming his death until he comes. Lu. 24:28-32; Jo.6:28-36; I Co.11:17-34.

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12. The Lord’s Day
We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, given by the Lord specifically for public worship. It is the believer’s privilege and duty to attend the regular meetings of the church on that day. Lu. 24:1; Ac. 20:7; 1Co. 16:2;

He. 10:24-25.