Our Values: Explained
Our values are a reflection of our core beliefs; they demonstrate how we seek to live out our faith in practical ways.
A copy of our Core Beliefs with the underlying Biblical References can be requested using the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page.
Grace-Based Biblical Truth
We are a people anchored in the historic Christian faith, acknowledging that we are saved and sustained not by our own merit, but by God’s initiative and revelation.
Doctrines of Grace (Reformed Soteriology)
We hold to the teaching that salvation is by God’s grace alone, ordained in eternity past. We believe that God, in unparalleled love, chose to save a people for His glory, granting them repentance and faith. Because humanity is sinful by nature and unable to save itself, God’s saving grace is essential and ultimately irresistible, softening even the hardest of hearts according to His will.
Theological Clarity
We believe the Bible is the only inspired, infallible, and sufficient Word of God. Therefore, we strive for precision in our doctrine, agreeing with foundational orthodox Christianity as expressed in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. We value sound doctrine because it is the means by which God makes Himself, His nature, and His will known to us.
Gospel Fluency
We believe that the good news of Jesus Christ—His sinless life, substitutionary atoning death, and literal physical resurrection—is the lens through which we view all of life. We proclaim that there is no salvation apart from faith in Christ alone, and we seek to apply the implications of His finished work to our daily lives and struggles.
God’s Sovereignty/Providence
We acknowledge God’s absolute rule over all creation, history, and salvation. We believe He sustains and governs all things—seen and unseen—according to His sovereign will for His own glory and our joy. We trust that God is at work even in hardship, providentially ordaining His purposes for His people.
Walking in the Spirit
We rely on the active presence of the Holy Spirit to empower our worship, character, and service, knowing that apart from Him we can do nothing.
Fruit of the Spirit
We believe the indwelling Holy Spirit enables Christians to live godly lives. Evidence of regeneration is found in personal transformation, where the Spirit produces Christ-like character in us. We value a life where our emotions, desires, and actions are increasingly aligned with God’s holiness through the Spirit’s power.
Spiritual/Grace Gifts
We believe the Holy Spirit distributes gifts to God’s people according to His will and pleasure. We are a community that encourages the earnest desire for and use of these gifts—whether explicitly mentioned in Scripture or enabled by God—to edify and build up the church, always functioning within Biblical parameters.
Prayer
Because we believe God hears and acts, we devote ourselves to prayer. As modelled by our leadership, who are called to devote their time to prayer and the ministry of the Word, we believe that prayer is the posture of a dependent people seeking God’s will and miraculous intervention.
Dependency on God
We recognise that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for salvation and that we cannot please God in our own strength. We rely on the Spirit to convict us of sin, illuminate the Scriptures, and glorify Jesus Christ in our midst, acknowledging that all spiritual vitality comes from Him.
Serving in the Power of the Spirit
We serve not merely out of duty, but as God enables. Whether in leadership, diaconal roles, or general service, we seek to minister with the strength that God provides, ensuring that our works are a result of the Spirit’s empowering presence rather than human effort alone.
Transformational Discipleship
We are committed to a culture of deep growth, where the reality of the gospel leads to genuine change in our hearts and community.
Ongoing Repentance and Faith
We believe the Christian life is marked by a continuous turning away from sin and a turning toward Jesus. True membership involves evidence of regeneration through ongoing repentance and obedience, as we constantly re-orient our lives around the supremacy of Christ.
Heart Transformation
We recognise that sin has stained our reasoning, desires, and emotions. Therefore, we do not settle for behavioural modification but seek deep transformation of the heart. We trust the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and affections so that we delight in God above all else.
Growth in Knowledge, Character and Practice
We exist to build up the body of Christ for the work of ministry. Through the preaching of the Word, the shepherding of Elders, and the mutual love of our members, we are committed to growing in our understanding of Scripture, developing godly character, and putting our faith into practice in tangible ways.
Church Membership
We believe that Christians are instructed to gather regularly in local churches under the care of appointed leaders. Membership is a covenant commitment to be accountable to one another and to the Elders, helping us to "graze, gather, guide, and guard" the flock as we pursue unity, doctrine, and holiness together.
Relational Ministry
We believe that discipleship happens in the context of community. As a family of believers, we are responsible for one another, using our gifts and resources to contribute to the life of the church. We value relationships where admonition, encouragement, and reconciliation are practised in love.
Missional Love
We are moved by the love of God to go into our world, proclaiming the gospel and displaying the Kingdom of God to our neighbours and the nations.
Humble Servanthood
Following the example of Jesus, who humbled Himself to the point of death, we value servant-heartedness. Our leaders and deacons model this by serving the church’s needs, and all members are privileged to contribute their time and material resources to bless others, seeking the good of the body over their own prestige.
Evangelism
We believe that God’s people should passionately and urgently proclaim the gospel to all people. We are committed to making disciples locally and nationally, witnessing to the saving power of Jesus Christ so that those who hear may believe and be saved.
Hospitality
We express the love of God through practical care, showing love to one another and to the lost. We are called to demonstrate urgency in caring for the "poorest of the poor" and those who have not yet heard the gospel, welcoming people into a community that functions as a physical representation of God’s Kingdom.
Church Planting
We believe in the multiplication not just of disciples, but of local churches. Since the local church is God’s primary witness in the world, we are committed to the belief that where a church does not yet exist, one must be planted. We view ourselves as part of a larger movement to advance the gospel by planting healthy churches locally and globally.