What Do We Believe?

A fair question, really.  You could read the whole Bible to find out.  Or, start with this short summary.

GOD

Christian people believe that the universe, the world and everything in it is created by a Creator - God.  This gives a purpose and meaning to every person and thing.  God is loving and Creation is meant to be good.

No one is able to understand God fully.  But we believe there is a way of knowing what God is like - through Jesus Christ.

JESUS

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem, (celebrated at Christmas) and lived in Nazareth in Northern Israel.

When he was around 30, he started a ministry that lasted about 3 years.  It consisted of preaching, teaching, and healing.  However, he was executed as a criminal at Jerusalem (on Good Friday).

His closest friends thought this was the end, but against all expectations He rose from the dead (on Easter Day).  They then had the various experiences of Him being alive.  They came to believe that Jesus is alive for ever, that he was the Messiah (Christ) promised by God in the Bible, and that he made a new relationship between people and God possible.

GOD'S SPIRIT

Jesus wanted His followers to know that God is with them always.  We believe His presence is with us through the Holy Spirit.  It had been given to the first followers of Jesus on Whitsunday, or Pentecost.

THE CHURCH

His followers soon grew in numbers.  This community, known as the Church, continued the work He had begun.  They also felt compelled to tell people everywhere about Him. 

God continues to inspire people through His Spirit and still gives opportunities to minister in His name to others.

THE BIBLE

The Bible gives a way of knowing more about God and Jesus.  It consists of 2 parts. 

The Old Testament (the part that Jesus knew) speaks about creation, the call for the People of God to worship and obey Him, and their failure to do so fully.

The New Testament (the writings about Jesus) speaks about Jesus' ministry and the reconciliation between people and God He made possible.

In the New testament the Gospels (Good News) describe Jesus' ministry; the Acts of the Apostles how knowledge of Jesus spread; and the Epistles (letters) help us in our lives.

GOD'S LOVE

The events of 2000 years ago still seem as real and true to many people today as they did then.

The new relationship with God, made possible by Jesus' death on Good Friday, is not for this life only, but for all time and beyond death.  God wants us to have a relationship with Him that will never be broken.

We also have His promise that if we break it through doing wrong things (sins), His loving forgiveness is always there and will make a new beginning possible.

All this is a source of Hope, because, in the end, nothing can separate people from the love of God.