Beliefs
Some Core Beliefs, Guidance of Practise and Approach.
1. the Bible is the inspired and divine word of God and should be read by all believers
2. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by him.
3. Salvation is found in Jesus alone - he is the Lord, Saviour and Friend
4. Jesus Christ died on a cross taking the punishment for our sins so we could be forgiven.
5. Jesus rose again on the third day proving that he was the spotless Lamb of God and is uniquely able to offer all believers the hope of resurrection from the dead and everlasting life with God in eternity.
6. We are all natural sinners, we have sinned, do sin and will sin and sin separates us from God and ultimately God judges sin, punishes sin and can ultimately lead to eternal separation from God = hell.
7. We are called to repentance from sin, to have a will and desire to turn away from sin where we can and to take up our cross and follow Jesus. This can be a daily goal, act and lifestyle. However the teaching is that we will and do, inevitably sin at some point. But God calls us to set our hearts to do what pleases him. Jesus atones for sin, he does not excuse wilful and deliberate wrong doing, repentance is called for. In action and attitude and we need Jesus to enable us to engage properly. Christians and others can mistake God's generosity and grace, thinking it is for favour over others and because of our relative merits, this is a dangerous attitude, pride often results and opportunities to win people for Christ and extend the Kingdom suffer as a result. Jesus, the Master, washed his disciples feet remember!
8. Sin, is the inherited, fallen and imperfect condition of humanity and all creation, we are naturally born into and are by default part of. The fact that many do not even make live birth, let alone reach infancy or adulthood let alone, make old bones, whatever the causes, why's and wherefores is a tragedy. A consequence of Sin is not just that it has and does separate humanities relationship with God, but also between humanity and creation as well. Whatever the causes, whatever the scale of division, strife, calamity, violence or murder, it exists as a fruit of the fallen state of humanity. The Christian belief and Biblical claim is, that by ourselves without God, we are helpless to change these things, science has brought us amazing medical breakthrough's, but also capability to destroy planet earth many times over by nuclear weaponry and other, enter the debates on pollution from fossil fuels and global-warming/climate-change and the accelerated destruction of the earths finite resources. Waste and mismanagement, corruption anywhere and everywhere, all stems from sin (human and structural) and only when we come to know Jesus Christ in faith and open our hearts and lives to Him and allow him to effect changes and decision in our lives, that ultimately it will make things less worse than would other wise be the case. Change starts with us, what we decide, what we do or other.
Yes in faith, a believer who has recognised Jesus as their Saviour, asked him into their lives and decided to seek to follow His example, however imperfectly, is seen as 'justified' by God through Jesus - we call it 'in Christ Jesus', our new status as a believer/believers and acceptance before a Holy God. In Him (Jesus), we have the hope of eternal life, of being part in the New Heaven and Earth God says he will provide for 'His people' = those who believe and like Abraham, had their faith accredited as righteousness, not looking for justification by works in what we can aspire to, however rigorous, rather our reliance on what God, in His unconditional love and compassion for us, in all our fallenness - our 'worst day' scenario, sent His one and only Son, to lay aside His majesty and throne in Heaven, to be born as a human (incarnation) in very humble circumstances by comparison with Heaven (relative and absolute!). He took our frail humanity.
We cannot be Jesus on a par, we cannot copy him in ape form, rather we can look to Him, trust and believe in Him and allow Him to change us and the world around us, to gather lost sheep, home to his flock, his pen and his care for ever. It doesn't mean we will never suffer or be rejected, we are and will, Jesus was too. But we have a hope based not on our own striving, but on His amazing love and grace and his ability to turn things around and give us ' a hope and a future'. It all starts with our coming to Him, knowing and believing in Him and being open to Him, his calling and leading in our lives and that not alone, but with other people too.
You may have a general regard for other Christians as individuals/human beings and fellow sinners (whether they admit it or not!) without necessarily agreeing with them. But the Good News is that there's somewhere for everyone in God's Church, shop around, pray, ask for God's guidance, list and ask the key questions, be willing to stand back wherever you are or go and ask questions, think outside the 'box', does this add up? Are we loving people? Are we seeking to build bridges with groups and people in some Churches, Media or other tend to 'shun' and have 'negative attitudes to'? - How are we being different, how are we being Jesus to these people/groups? The gay/single, the prisoner, ex-con, alien, other faith members, fatherless, widows, orphans, rebellious or lonely teenagers, the sick, dying, older people - anybody or whatever.
Stand back, weigh up and prayerfully, weighing God's Word, Spirit, your conscience and motives honestly and do what God leads, go where he direct, be more what he shows you he wants for you. Sometimes you can do it where you are, ensure you try and discuss/work these things through, but remember God gave you a head and a heart, in His Mission and His love and compassion, use them for Him first, and all other considerations after that. The Church and the individual components (you and I = the priesthood of believers!) are called to follow God, not God follow the Church and we take God and His Holy seal wherever we go, day or night! "The Lord be with you, and also with you!". Amen.
9. Jesus took the punishment for our sins once and for all and we can come to know him by believing in this, asking him into our lives and accepting him as Lord, Saviour, Master and Friend. Jesus has made a way for us to gain access into the presence and majesty of God.
10. God has revealed himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three persons of the trinity.
11. God has sent his Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, to convict us of sin, to lead us to repentance and faith, to counsel us and give gifts to be used for serving others, loving others and building the Church, renewal, healing and restoration.
12. Jesus, Christian's believe, is God! When we look at Jesus, we see God in a man (the Incarnation), who actually lived on this earth about 2000 years ago and who was crucified cruelly in his early 30's and, Christian's believe, rose again from the dead and later ascended into heaven. As God, Jesus, was God's solution to the problem of sin and its separation of people from being able to enjoy a relationship with God as he intended. Therefore, when we talk of 'Jesus, the Son of God', we are not talking of a diminished 'intermediary' but one of the person's of the tri-une God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These 'person's' are how God has chosen to reveal himself to us. Jesus in traditional Christian language is 'begotten, not made, true God from true God, light from light and in whom is no darkness at all'. See the Bible, New Testament, Gospel of John, Chapter 1 verses 1 - 18 (inc.) for an insight to the nature, person and significance of Jesus Christ. It is these claims of the person, nature and character of Jesus Christ that differentiates Christianity from all other religions and claims, rather than to what extent his followers conform, live up to or fulfil our expectations or perceptions about them and what they should be like. Indeed, it is only when we know Christ in personal conviction, faith and invitation into our lives, that we can truly start to appreciate our wider significance, situation and the needs of others potentially.
13. All Christians are called to be Disciples of Christ, to have a heart to learn and follow, to believe, to love, to read Gods word the Bible regularly, pray and tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. We are to do this because we want to, not under the compunction of others, out of fear or insecurity, but born out of a relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus Christ and our love for Him, one another and ourselves.
14. God loves us unconditionally; we in turn are called to love God, to love one another and to love ourselves.
15. Christians are called to be part of God's Family: the Church and find their place in it. God's definition of 'family' includes everyone who believes, not just the nuclear type. As such we should share what we have, be open to people, offer hospitality and serve one another where we are able. We should be particularly sensitive to people who have had bad experiences of 'family' or who are single or isolated and make an effort to include and love these people and work with them to find positive ways forward that are realistic and integral to the family of God and His mission.
16. Christians are called to openness, accountability and truthfulness
17. Christians are called to worship God and we can do this in singing praises, serving others, telling others, prayer and reading his word.
18. There are no short cuts to following Christ, our lives, faith and witness has to be worked out daily and we need to trust in every situation that his grace is for us, is sufficient unto salvation for us and that there is pardon, forgiveness and healing if we confess, believe and trust God to help us work through temptation, trials and tribulations of whatever kind. This does not mean Christians are called to be door mats! We all have multiple rights and responsibilities to God and each other and can sympathise, pray for and seek to understand people's situations, even if we disagree as to the causes, context or their solutions to them.
19. God loves gay people as much as anyone and everyone else. Jesus died for them as much as for anyone or everyone else. It is God's heart that gay people believe, have a heart to turn from sin and do what is right, believe and receive Christ into their lives and let him guide and transform their lives. There is no room for homophobia, prejudice or rejection in God's family. However all abuse, perversion or taking advantage of others is a wrong thing to do by anyone, in any walk of life and we encourage all people, straight, gay or other, to turn away from these things, work through them and avoid circumstances where temptation would lead us or others astray. We wish to encourage other Churches to welcome people who have a homosexual orientation and work with them genuinely, constructively and realistically and not marginalise, stereotype: structurally, personally or via secret means: shun, ignore or make participation difficult for them and they should find a genuine right hand of fellowship without preconditions, recognising God makes any changes and God sanctifies and there is no sin except that which is common to all mankind and as members of the human race, gay people also have souls and need to be loved, served and understood without stigma or haughty condemnations. We must not assume God's grace, it is a privilege that cost Jesus highly on the cross and which he willingly did for us because of his love and compassion on all humanity in all its variations. With all privileges, comes responsibility for proper stewardship and using our talents to best effect.
20. God's ideal relationship for humans is between a man and woman in marriage for life. However we recognise that as part of the fall of man God's intended relationship may be damaged, broken or distorted. Whilst it is always God's will to bring us to relationships as he intended, we recognise that:
- this may not always be possible
- people come to faith in God from a certain set of circumstances
- It is better to be faithful in a relationship to one steady partner than to have multiple relationships, mass insecurity, instability and be a slave of lust. Even if the latter is the case, grace and responsibility go hand in hand. None of us can really point fingers at each other (we get three back!). Rather that humility, love, faithfulness, truth, justice and having such environs where honesty and balance in all things is nurtured, rather than denied in a shame culture or a culture of politically correct denial and suppression. Right ends with wrong means don't add up, being able to recognise our current reality, what God wants and seek him to enable us to progress to where he wants us to be heading, is a better way. All leaders of any kind must avoid the danger of 'over-egging their respective puddings/ claims' and avoid extremes of any kind.
- For all Christians, the goal must be to follow Christ at all times. This should be our goal. We are called to work through our weaknesses, fallibility's and circumstances and that not alone, but with God who knows everything about us anyway. This with God's people in communion and community (Church) without gossip, finger pointing, recrimination, whilst seeking to hold fast to a consistency of message and practise self worth, integrity of faith and witness that honours him with our hearts, minds, spirits and bodies. If we do fall, our response is to admit it (we are accountable to Him), to ask God's forgiveness and to receive his grace, love and to continue our walk with him, praying for a positive way forward for our situation. This is not a law but guidance for consistency and integrity of faith and witness.
- Everything must be dealt with on a case by case basis. Churches are called to be 'family' and insomuch as they have failed to fully realise and practise this concept in the widest and most inclusive sense, they have rendered the most needy isolated. Isolation has bred despair and despair is an open door to the deceitfulness of sin, demonic influences, experimentation with things that are not of God. Our call isn't necessarily to be prescriptive, but to work at being and ensuring community performs its role to reduce the source of evil so often - that of isolation, need to 'go under', live double lives, scarcity and the sometimes obvious disparity between the 'haves' and 'have not's'. Healthy living, freedom, free will commitment and faithfulness will most likely flourish as opposed to a culture and life of deceit or lies - when in a context of love, non condemnation and pro active, effective support by real people recognising real situations and being 'family' (plural), to anyone and everyone who wants it, needs it or is called to it, recognising the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus, Son of God, Jesus the Incarnate Deity Christian's believe, has condescended to calling fellow believers His adopted 'brothers' and 'sisters' and that is God's heart for his extended family too, one to another. If it isn't or hasn't been our experience, then that surely is where our faith, prayers and efforts may be best used in God's service maybe, starting with priorities in our own lives?
- We are called to welcome aliens and unbelievers, setting an example, not necessarily trying to be perfect or putting on a show. We are called to pray for our enemies and for those that persecute us, so that they may be saved, looking for opportunities to show love, healthy interest and seek dialogue and understanding, putting aside violence or prejudices, notwithstanding, our call to put God first.
- Christian's are not called to be 'push-over's', 'door mats' or 'mug's' per se. Rather we are to seek and trust God for discernment. Remember we are sheep, whatever else we may be too and are called as part of God's flock to feed, be fed and watch out for each other constructively and sensitively, not seek to cause mischief, mayhem or metaphorically throw babies out with bath-water's! The person matters more than the sin and God more than both and with God, there is faith, hope, love and eternal life!
21. "Christians" are known as Christians, believers, disciples and followers of Christ - these are characteristics we have been allocated by God through his word, the Bible.
22. Whilst we don't in any way condone wrong acts, and do not underestimate the cost of human sin [individual and collective] that sent Jesus to the cross, nevertheless we believe God looks on all sin in an unbiased and equal way and just as there is judgement for persistent and wilful wrong doing, equally there is the offer of salvation, forgiveness, repentance, healing and cleansing from sin, guilt and shame and the hope of restoration to a wholeness in Christ. This applies to all people, for all are sinners, and God does not discriminate against people in relation to these rights and responsibilities. Neither therefore should his Church, his representative body here on earth. Our prayer is for the church to have the courage, humility and tenacity to learn to love, serve, care and reach out to people in all their circumstances and offer support and love to help people find a fair and positive way forward whereby they can receive the gospel, live responsible lives and play their full role in the life of the local church, bringing as many do, much energy, life, skills and talents which can be used for Gods glory and reaching more lost souls for Christ, thus fulfilling the Great Commission.
23. That as Christians, we
have a sensitive, caring and considered regard for responsible stewardship of
the assets and material riches we have. That we a have regard for the planet,
the environment and where possible, seek to share inclusively, with all others.
This can include: recycling, doing without, cutting down/aiding to
nurture alternatives to polluting reliance on cars, lorries, road building
schemes and mass aviation and instead support schemes for reducing
pollution/reliance on fossil fuels/natural resources/land grabbing or
exploitation of those poorer/weaker than ourselves. Thus can be started/embarked
upon by modest changes, like for example of such things as car sharing, cycling,
walking, using/growing rail links and networks, composting, water butts and
taking an interest in how we live our own lives and lead by example ourselves.
Our affiliations/loyalties/ties and at what point we put then higher principles
of God, His Passion and Mission emanating around matter of the Cross and issues
to do with monetary gain, profit, image, greed or material objects over people.
Even work as an end in itself can be idolatrous and boasting 'I work'
when you know it is abusing/riding rough shod over those without recourse to
redress/justice and who are unfairly disadvantaged, cannot be Biblical Work and
thus immoral! Repentance, a recognition of wrong and walking away, even if it
costs, is the right thing to do, God is faithful, he does not condone fool
hardly knee jerk decisions, but does reward faith in action and principles
whereby push comes to shove, you put Him first/remain faithful to your
conscience as to the intrinsic value and eternal worth of a life/all life and
God's creation.
If we as Christians, higher or lower, take Christ, his
creation, integrity of witness and stewardship issues seriously, we will seek to
disengage the world's obsession with car culture, petroleum/crude oil and other
fossil fuel's depletion without regards to the needs of future generations,
materialism, greed, envy, inequality or elitism and the throw away society,
wherever we can.
Yes polluters should pay, but equally, fairness and
honest scales, require all demands must be in proportion to the ability to pay;
otherwise those who guzzle more of finite resources, pay disproportionately less
than their fair share. This discriminates against the poor and needy which is
against God's will and moral justice.
We cannot in the West, preach to
others on how they conduct their affairs; if we, after a century of dominant
'poor stewardship' and relative abuses, don't correct ourselves first and lead
by example. Thus collectively as nation and individual approaches, Church Leader
or non, Secular Political or other; say sorry where it is right, seek to build
humble bridges and hold out olive branches, in the Holy Spirit inspired hope of
'sharing together' for each other's mutual benefit in relationship to Jesus'
example.
If you want a Biblical few windows on this see: Luke's Gospel,
Chapter 15, verses 11-32 inc., Luke Chapter 16, verses 19-31, Luke 19, verses
1-10, Romans Chapter 7, verses 7-25, Roman's Chapter 10, verses 1-21, esp.
verses 11-13 and 2 Corinthians Chapter 12, verses 1-10. Old Testament: Psalm 91,
Psalm 96, Exodus Chapter 15, Isaiah Chapter 59 and Jeremiah Chapter 7, Ezekiel,
Chapter's 7 & Chapter 8 and Joel Chapter2 verses 28-32 (remember The Bible isn't
exclusive. Rather, one Lord Jesus, died for Jew & Gentile alike, 'that all may
be saved through faith...' yet we see other laws at work currently...hence the
need to pray for the peace of all in the Middle East and show love to our
friends, neighbours and enemies as Jesus taught us: Luke's Gospel, Chapter 10,
verses 1-37, 'The Good Samaritan'...a picture on how God sees humanity and the
state of his 'fallen' creation 'in the round'.
This, without distinction
I suggest. Thus God loves Palestinians, Kurdish, Tibetan, South American, Jewish
and English and all others, as much as anyone else! Hence the 'Ministry of
Reconciliation' which St Paul writes of in 2 Corinthians' Chapter 5, verses
11-21 ~ in order for reconciliation 'winning over another' as to become brother
or sister, friend and extended family, we must lay aside differences and work
for common shared good but also relate around the Cross, where all convergences
ultimately meet and the gift can be made known. Amen.
24. Material possessions. Likewise if your life is so full and abundant witnessing, loving and serving Christ and others, and you find you only watch a very limited amount of TV or if a TV becomes a problem through cost, family rows or other, why not give up the TV, cancel the license and use the money for a family treat, day out or even a holiday or give to the Fellowship or poor? Likewise do we regard our possessions such as the private car, as something to be responsibly stewarded, ethically driven and used to help and serve others as well as our own needs or do we use it purely for convenience, laziness or without due regard, care and attention to the interests and needs of others, the waste of car culture and the associated idolatry around it and other forms of 'materialism' pro rata?
This is not a command, but is an option and you may find you enjoy listening to the radio, music, using the Internet or a hobby or other interest far more and have more time for others, and whatever needs doing, reducing stress and moral and spiritual pollution potentially. Each person must discern what is right for them, what is God saying to YOU? But if your right eye causes you sin the Bible says 'pluck it out' - that is a metaphorical statement, not literally! It means getting rid of whatever causes you to stumble by avoiding, running away or dealing with it as far as you can lawfully, morally and ethically. The Bible never condoned evil, violence or physically damage to another human. God says quite clearly 'Do Not Kill'. That should guide all our actions and how we go about things.
25. God has said we can, if conscience allows, eat meat & fish, but while they are alive, all God's creation/people/animals & nature must be treated with responsibility, dignity and respect.
26. We believe God not only wants to liberate people spiritually but also economically and to release more people into full time Christian work, Pastoral Care and Ministry. This may be releasing Christians to be social entrepreneurs or setting up Christian ethos businesses and services to demonstrate the difference God and His people can make (salt & light).
27. That as part of and following conversion, 'acts of faith, love and service' will be rendered at individual and collective level and reaching out into the wider community, doing whatever good purpose God may so choose for his people to undertake in ways that are honest, lawful and inclusive of the poor, needy, marginalised, despised, rejected, outcast and the sinner'. James Chapter 4 verse 6 = 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'.
28. This expression seeks to sum up experiences and casualty views and expression relative to the theatre of presented 'reality' at the coal face in the contemporary hitherto setting, changes can start with us, our hearts and outwards from there, Jesus does make a and the significant difference, if he's on the inside, ask him and seek him today!
Amen!