To see heaven break into our world. When a prayer is answered with a miracle break-through, emotional or physical healing comes, relationships are restored, diverse people develop close friendships and people find deep relationship with God and feel his presence,  we know heaven has come to earth. 

The gospel. An amazing story of how God reconciled the world to himself. It is a story that brings us great joy.

Gospel means ‘good news’ and its the story of how God, our creator, brought people back into relationship with himself. As is often the case, the ‘good news’ comes with some ‘bad news’, that we were all separated from close relationship with God by our own rebelliousness. But the good news is that while we were still his enemies, God sent his son Jesus to die for us and to take on the punishment we deserved for our wrongdoing. This was a pure act of love. None of this depended on us, our efforts or loyalty but on God’s love alone. God did not send his son to condemn the world but to save the world. Because of this we follow Jesus. We didn’t choose him, He chose us. We were forgiven and placed back into right relationship with God.

Now we desire to obey God simply to return that love to him. The relationship with God is very personal, God already knows us intimately as we get to know him. God’s love also calls us to love others and to love deeply. A life of grace, forgiveness, new life and love flows from this Gospel story.

We believe The Bible is the inspired, infallible word of God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Bible is made up of the Old Testament (where the coming Messiah is anticipated) and the New Testament (where Jesus, who we believe is the Messiah, is born). The Bible is threaded with stories that foreshadow the story of Jesus and the redemption he would bring. To us the Bible is not a book of rules but one that is rich with God’s promises. God chooses a handful of individuals and the Israelite nation, to help tell this story and put his faithful character on display. Jesus is the ultimate living out of all God promises – new life, forgiveness, close relationship with God and the presence of God poured out on his people for all time.  The New Testiment also tells the story of the Jesus’ 12 disciples and how they received the gift of the Holy Spirit and formed the early church, healing and setting free people far and wide. Now that’s a book of good news we love reading!

Jesus is fully God and fully man. He came to earth, was conceived in the virgin Mary and lived a sinless life. He died and rose again to reconcile all people to God and to free them from the power of sin and the devil. Before Jesus was killed on the cross he spoke boldly of heaven and how he is preparing a place there for those who love him. He also warned of hell – an eternal separation from God and destruction for those who do not choose his grace and forgiveness through the cross.(Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13). Jesus called on those who follow him to spread the message of the Good News that people can be fully restored to a relationship with God through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Finally Jesus promised that he will return someday and wrap up the building of his Kingdom. All who are his bride (a symbolic name for the church) shall reign with him in this Kingdom and be given eternal life with him.

The Holy Spirit is God’s ‘life force or essence’, the third person of the trinity – who lives inside those who follow Jesus and transforms them into his image, empowers them for ministry, and gives spiritual gifts to the Church (which help us build each other up). The Holy Spirit also offers comfort and he is called the ‘spirit of truth’, helping us to hear God’s voice and to see the truth of who Jesus is. Believers are filled with Holy Spirit when they first place their faith in Jesus  and are encouraged to seek to be refreshed by the presence of Holy Spirit again and again. (John 16:5-15; Romans 8:16, 23, 26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). Holy Spirit is a person, an important part of the trinity and not merely an energy or force, bringing powerful change in the most gentle of ways.

The Church has multitudes of diverse expressions, there is only one church of Jesus Christ. It is a group of people who have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, who declare that Jesus is their Lord, son of God, leader and Saviour from the consequences of their sins. The Bible says that the church belongs to Jesus and that He builds His church. The Church is even called ‘the bride of Christ’ a metaphor that shows how much Jesus loves and protects the church – no matter her flaws, she is loved. The Bible also says that one day Jesus will return for his bride. (Romans 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:12-16; Hebrews 10:24-25). We may often use the word “church” for a building or an organisation, but a church is a community of people pursuing a relationship with God and supporting and loving each other.