Our Statement of Faith

There is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory. This triune God in sovereignty and grace has created all, and by his providence upholds and governs all.

God the Father is an infinite personal being, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love, who concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of His people. He hears and answers prayer, and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is God's one and only Son, fully God and fully human. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life. He performed miracles and taught with authority. His death on the cross was a substitutionary atoning sacrifice for our sin. He was bodily resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven, and constantly intercedes for His people. He will return to earth personally and visibly with power and glory to judge the living and the dead.

God the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement, and regenerates, sanctifies and empowers for ministry all who repent of their sin and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and He helps, teaches, illuminates and guides the believer. He gives to each believer spiritual gifts.

God, by His grace, has chosen to reveal Himself in The Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. The Bible, as originally given through human authors, is the inspired Word of God without error. It is reliable, sufficient and entirely trustworthy and as such forms our supreme authority in all matters of Christian faith and conduct.

All people are sinners by nature and choice and are therefore guilty and subject to God's wrath and condemnation.

The salvation of sinners is solely by the sovereignty and grace of God and cannot be earned or deserved. God forgives repentant sinners, granting them new life and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, and have eternal life. Salvation has been accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which is the only and all-sufficient ground for our redemption from the guilt and power of sin and from its eternal consequences.

We believe in the priesthood of all believers, who form the universal church, the body of which Jesus Christ is the Head, and which is committed by His command to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world.

The Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church: baptism and communion. We believe in baptism of believers by immersion and communion open to all believers.

We believe that marriage is a gift of God in creation for the benefit of the married couple, any children they may have, and the wider society. We follow the clear teaching of the Bible that marriage is intended to be a lifelong union of one woman and one man, and that any sexual intercourse outside marriage (so defined) is sinful and wrong. For a more detailed explanation please see this Marriage Position Paper.

We will therefore not condone, promote, assist or encourage the practice of sexual intercourse in any other context. Bethany Church holds to the traditional Christian marriage ethic and adheres to the guidance set out by the FIEC to which we are affiliated. Therefore, Bethany Church is licensed only for the solemnisation of such marriages.