What we believe...

This could extend to several books! I will try to be brief. If you want to know more, why not go to the Contact page?

Of course, as soon as you start to tell Baptists what they believe, you will start a debate - in fact, at least one person has seen this and asked whether I really think I got it right! Put it this way - here is a list of things which I feel are important to me as a Christian who is comfortable with that label and the tag of "Baptist".

If you would like to start a debate on this just e-mail me!

1. Jesus is Lord. The ancient statement of allegiance to Jesus Christ. What he says goes.

2. Jesus is the Son of God. This is why what he says goes.

3. The Bible points us to Jesus (in the Gospels) and tells about the God's character and the potential for human living. It is well worth the time and effort it takes to get to know the Bible well.

4. Those who profess their faith that Jesus is Lord are called to be baptised. This is a sign to themselves and an act of witness to the wider world. Also it is an act of obedience to Jesus. In baptism we are joined to Christ and his church.

5. Church Membership connects us to a local group of believers who will be there to support us, to pray for us and be with us, to help us when times are tough and to rejoice with us when things are good. While baptism joins us to the universal church, real life needs to be lived in a particular location. That commitment to the local church is expressed through becoming a Church Member. They are our "brothers and sisters in Christ".

6. We have a responsibility to and for the world. We are called to live responsibly within the world (so it is no surprise to find that Christians are at the forefront of the fight for Trade Justice and the abolition of Third World Debt.)

7. Telling others. Jesus calls us to make sure that other people have the opportunity to respond to his love for themselves. Our responsibility is to give them the opportunity to do this, then to look after them and help them grow in Christ.

8. There is more, so much more! If you have specific questions, please use the contact page.

 Copyright Revd Timothy Heard (C) 2004-2006