St Alban's Church - Our statement of faith

We are an Evangelical church. Evangelicals believe that the Bible is the primary and overriding source of authority for Christian belief and practice. So teaching God’s Word is important to us, seeking to bring out its truth with integrity, without reading into it our own assumptions or prejudices (as far as we can!). We also believe that its message is relevant for today, and so seek to apply sensitively and appropriately the teaching of the Bible to today’s culture, and to the problems people face in everyday life.

From God’s Word, we believe that:

• there is one God, in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
• Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human;
• He was born of a virgin, died on a cross, and rose again to new life;
• His death and resurrection mean forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God, both now and in eternity, for all who believe in Him;
• God sends the Holy Spirit to be His presence with every believer, giving us the desire and ability to live His way;
• baptism is the usual way in which a Christian declares their trust in Jesus, accepts God’s grace, and enters into the family of the church, which is the body of Christ.

And in Christian living, we affirm that:

• every human being is of worth to God, and all have gifts given to them by Him to be used in His service and to serve one another;
• as part of Christ’s body, we belong to each other, and belong in a community of believers;
• communication with God is all-important, and so daily prayer and the reading of God’s Word is encouraged;
• God gave sex as a gift between men and women, and gave marriage as the appropriate way of expressing that gift;
• marriage is to express and affirm commitment, and is intended to be life-long, for the health and benefit of the couple, and of any children;
• everything (including money) is God’s, and it’s right to give Him the first portion of whatever we receive.

We also believe in the work of the Holy Spirit today, in convincing people of their need, bringing them into the light of Christ, and helping us to mature in Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit has the power to heal illnesses or physical disabilities, mental or emotional troubles, or spiritual oppression, and that when this happens, it’s a sign for us, a foretaste of what He has in store for us. We also seek to be led by the Holy Spirit in our worship of God, allowing freedom of expression in our praises.

We are a mixed church; we rejoice in the variety amongst us, reflecting the fullness of the body of Christ: young and old, black and white, male and female, all joined together by the love of Christ, knowing that we’re all sinners, and all called to be saints.