We are an ‘evangelical’ church. That means we seek to believe and to make known the ‘evangel’, the good news that God gave his Son to die for our sins and raised him from the dead.
So we gladly proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour. This is the essential message of the Bible, which we believe is the word of God. We aim to be governed by the Bible in all that we believe and do.
We belong to the Church of England, and gladly hold to its doctrine (beliefs), which is defined as follows:
The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the Ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal.
We summarise here the key beliefs which form the basis for all that we do as a church.
God and His Word
There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
The Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.
Human Need and God’s Rescue
Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless; he died on the cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.
Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
God’s Work for Us and in Us
Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God’s sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God’s act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in him and not by their own efforts.
The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christ-like in character and behaviour and gives them power for their witness in the world.
Christ’s People and Christ’s Return
The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong.
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person, to judge everyone, to execute God’s just condemnation on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed to eternal glory.
You may find some of this language difficult or confusing. However, it is important to use precise language in order to make things clear. If there is something here you would like to ask about, please get in touch using the details at the bottom of this page.