Our Beliefs

The Lordship of Christ
" Jesus is Lord" is our confession of faith as we seek to make Jesus Lord of every aspect of our life. This response is made in the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, through which God has reconciled us to himself and given us eternal life.

The Authority of the Bible
The basis of our faith is the Bible, which Baptists believe is the inspired word of God. Since the Bible shows us God's way for living, we seek to base our lives on its teaching.

Believer's Baptism
On the basis of the New Testament, we claim that baptism is for those who put their trust in Jesus and acknowledge him as Lord. As a symbol of Jesus' claim on their lives, Baptists practice baptism by total immersion, in which candidates express their readiness to die to self and live for Christ. Click on the link in the heading to see a recent baptism.

A Believers' Church
We understand the church as a community of those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ and who gather together for worship, witness and service.

The Priesthood of all Believers
In the Baptist church, there is no priest who stands between God and the congregation: all believers experience the presence of God in their lives through the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ. Every member of the church also has a role to play, whether in teaching, faith-sharing, social action, pastoring, guiding, serving, prophetic insight, praying, healing, administration or hospitality.

The Church Meeting
Our expression of the "priesthood of all believers" is the church meeting. This is the occasion when members come together prayerfully, to discern God's will for their fellowship. In Baptist churches the final authority rests not with the minister or deacons, but with the members gathered in church meetings under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Missionary Task
William Carey, who is known as the father of the modern missionary movement, was himself a Baptist, and we believe that each Christian has a duty to share their faith with others. Along with this emphasis on evangelism, we recognise that mission necessarily includes social action and so involves promoting justice, social welfare, healing, education and peace in the world.