Things We Believe

We believe that the world and everything in it, including people, belongs to God. What we do in God’s world and with God’s world is important to Him.

About God…

Our God is relational. God introduces himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This may sound complex, but without those relationships, we would not understand just how great God’s love is for us. Thankfully, God creates all things and invests in them meaning and purpose for our enjoyment. God is also just and deals with evil accordingly, but he is also merciful and gracious and stands ready to pay whatever price to see broken relationships with him healed.

About Humanity

Men and women together are created in the image of God. We are uniquely and wonderfully made, and God intended for us to enjoy life with him and to be lovingly respectful of each other. In a place like Lord Howe Island, it is good to remember that God made all humanity to be good stewards of the environment, responsible for looking after animals and plants alike. These privileged responsibilities have suffered as people have turned their backs on God’s good intentions for us. Humanity is marked by this sin, and when our relationship with God is broken, our experience of life suffers.

About the Bible

The Bible is simply God’s letter to the world. By it, he makes himself known, and in it God teaches us great things to live by and offers us wisdom for living. Wisdom that helps a person avoid the pitfalls of bad decisions while offering help if you have made them.

About Jesus

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We celebrate his birth at Christmas and learn at Easter that he is the God who would rather die for us than live without us. That he rose from the dead is the promise that life springs eternal with hope. The great thing about Jesus is that he knows what it is to be human like us and can sympathise with us in our weakness. He has also promised a day when he will come again and renew all things.

About Salvation

When people sin, it always attracts God’s anger. Such is the hurt and damage our sin causes, it’s no surprise God’s anger issues in a just punishment. In the future, God says he will weed out all causes of sin and those who perpetrate it from his family. That is concerning for anyone who has ever sinned. That is why we need a saviour.

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the worst of sinners. It was a rescue mission that saw Jesus take the punishment for your sins and mine on a wooden cross. He died for sinners so that we could live. In so doing, God’s justice was defended while his mercy and grace were displayed in our forgiveness. It was the perfect solution for something we could not fix ourselves.

The right response to the love of Jesus Christ in saving us is that we turn away from sin and put our trust in him. You can do this anytime, but the best time in a relationship with God is immediately. The Bible says of those who put their trust in Jesus to save them that they will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Heavenly Father.

About the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He is our helper and comforter. The Holy Spirit gives birth to our relationship with God. He helps us to see the problem of sin and the benefit of trusting Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in the person who trusts in Jesus and helps us to see how exceptional Jesus Christ is. More than this, the Holy Spirit invests and works in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God Spirit in you makes all the difference to a life lived well.

About the Church

Church is simply the family of God’s people gathered together to sing, to pray and to learn about our great God and to pursue answers to life’s questions. It’s where people use their gifts and abilities to build each other up in love.