The Trust deeds of the church describe the church as ‘a congregation of Protestant Dissenters (owning the doctrines of election particular redemption and final perseverance) called “Particular Baptists”’. More recently the church set out its beliefs in its Affirmation of Faith, which is as follows:

1 The Being of God.

There is one true and living God who alone is worthy of worship, service and praise. He is holy and just, loving and gracious; he is infinite, eternal, unchanging, all powerful, all knowing and all seeing.

All that exists in the entire universe was created by God in six days and displays the glory of the Creator. The supreme act of creation was the making of man in God’s own image.

God is the absolute sovereign over all creation, and all events work towards the fulfilling of his glorious purposes.

Although there is but one God, there are in the Godhead three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, co-equal and co-eternal, inseparably united in one divine being.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalms 96 & 139; Genesis 1 & 2; Isaiah 40:12-31; Romans 11:33-36; Acts 2:22-24; Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

2 The Fall of Man.

Man was created to rule over the earth, and to enjoy unbroken fellowship with God. However, being tempted by Satan, Adam, the first man, rebelled against God, lost his original righteousness and plunged the entire human race into spiritual ruin. This account of the entrance of sin as given in Genesis 3 is literally true and historically accurate.

The sinful nature of Adam has passed to all subsequent generations, resulting in the corruption of the mind and will of all men. In this fallen and spiritually dead condition men are both unwilling and unable either to seek God, or to earn or find salvation.

Genesis 1:28; ch.3; Romans 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-10.

3 The Scriptures.

Although creation reveals the glory of God, man in sin is unable to obtain a true knowledge of God without further revelation. To meet this need God has graciously revealed his mind and will in the Scriptures, in order that man might be made wise unto salvation. These Scriptures, comprising the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, are divinely inspired, inerrant and infallible, and are the sole and sufficient rule in all matters of faith and practice.

Psalm 19; Romans 1:14-32; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-21.

4 The Plan of Salvation.

The salvation of sinners is entirely the work of God, both in its design and fulfilment. In eternity, before creation, God determined to save a great number of sinners, and to conform them to the likeness of his Son. This divine choice was not conditioned by any anticipated merit or faith on the part of those who should be saved, but had its origin in God’s mercy and grace.

In the person of Jesus Christ this purpose to save was gloriously effected. In obedience to the Father’s will, the eternal Son of God became flesh. Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, he united his divine nature with a truly human nature. Being free from all taint of sin, he led a perfect life, yielding full obedience to God.

This obedience brought him to the death of the cross, when he took the full penalty of sin for all whom God determined to bring to salvation. In this death he laid down his life for the elect. He was buried, but rose again the third day, breaking the power of death and bringing eternal life to all believers. After his resurrection he appeared in a visible form before ascending into heaven, where he lives and reigns, intercedes for his people, and governs the affairs of all men.

Genesis 3:8-15; John 17:13-26; Romans 8:28,29, 33; Ephesians 1:3-6; Revelation 7:9-17; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1-14; Isaiah 53; Philippians 2:5-10; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-25.

5 The Application of Salvation.

The salvation secured by the work of Jesus Christ is applied to every elect sinner by the Holy Spirit. By his powerful and mysterious work dead souls are quickened into spiritual life; given the desire and ability to repent of sin and believe in Christ as their Saviour and Lord. Every believer is freely justified, is set free from the guilt of all sin, and has the righteousness of Christ imputed to him. He becomes a partaker of the divine nature, and is adopted into God’s family.

Although it is possible for a true believer to be overcome by temptation and seriously backslide, the saving grace of God cannot ultimately be frustrated and all who are truly converted will certainly persevere and enter into the joys of heaven.

John 3:1-8; Acts 10:43-47; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 3:21-26; Galatians 3:24 to 4:7; Romans 8:14-16; John 10:25-29; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.

6 The Christian Life. The true Christian will rejoice in all the blessings which come to him by the Lord Jesus Christ. He will know God as his God, will rejoice in sins forgiven, and have an inward desire to glorify God in all that he says and does. The indispensable evidences of salvation are good works and practical holiness.

Christian behaviour is not governed by the changing fashions of the world, but by the unchanging law of God, as expressed in the ten commandments, and expounded in all the Scriptures. Although believers are not perfected in this life, there is growth in grace, a growing conformity to Jesus Christ. Neither do they obtain complete victory over sin but must constantly strive against the world, the flesh, and Satan.

Psalms 1 & 37; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 5:3-12; Ephesians 1:3,7; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; James 1:22-27; 2:14-26; 1 Corinthians 13; Romans 12:2; Matthew 5:13-48; Hebrews 10:16; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:15,16; Matthew 7:22-25.

7 The Church. The true church consists of the whole number of God’s elect, comprising all who in every generation and from every land have been quickened by the Holy Spirit and brought to trust in the Lord Jesus.

The word ‘church’ is also used in a more restricted and local sense, of Christians in a particular locality who convene together in a visible bond of fellowship and submission to the word of Christ.

Local churches are characterised by the regular worship of God, by the faithful preaching of the gospel, by the maintenance of true godliness among the membership, together with steadfast adherence to apostolic doctrine and practice.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church and exercises this government through men gifted and called to be elders, or pastors, and deacons. Those called to this work must be men of unquestionable godliness, sound in the faith and with an evident ability to exercise spiritual authority in the church. The teaching elder or pastor should be set apart to the whole time ministry of the word, and pastoral care of all the flock. In his ministry he must feed the flock of God and call on sinners to turn from their godless ways.

Each local church has a responsibility for making known the truths of the gospel to lost sinners and should seek to know the mind of the Lord in carrying out this commission.

Isaiah 2:1-5; Ephesians 5:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 2:41-47; 9:31; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 3; 2 Timothy 4:1,2; Mark 16:15,16.

8 The Ordinances.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were instituted by the Lord Jesus for the spiritual good of his people, and both are to be observed in the church until he comes again.

The practice of believer’s baptism rests upon the direct command of the risen Lord. Only those who have made a credible confession of faith in Christ and whose life corresponds with this confession are valid subjects of baptism. The symbolic nature of this ordinance is the immersing of the whole body in water, proclaiming the believer’s identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.

In the Lord’s Supper, bread and wine are symbols or emblems of the Lord’s broken body and shed blood. Although these symbols do not convey grace or goodness to the participants, the Lord Jesus Christ is spiritually present in this means of grace which he has instituted. The Lord’s Supper should be observed at such times and frequency as suited to members of the church and must always be approached in the spirit of reverence, humility, together with self-examination and preparation of mind and heart.

The nature of these ordinances indicate that converts should not partake of the Supper until they have first identified themselves with the Lord Jesus in baptism.

Both ordinances belong in the context of the local church and the elders have authority to withhold them from any who bring the name of Christ into dishonour.

Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 8:26-40; Romans 6:1-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 5:9-15.

9 The Last Things.

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be visible and personal. It will herald the general resurrection, the final judgment, and the eternal state.

The bodies of the just and unjust alike will be raised from the dead; the ungodly being those who here died in unbelief will hear the dreadful sentence of the Righteous Judge and will be banished for ever from the presence of God, while the church will be presented faultless through the merits of Christ and will then begin to enjoy the everlasting blessedness of the new creation, purged of sin and filled with divine glory.

John 14:1-6; Acts 1:6-12; John 5:28,29; Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:1-9; 21:1-27.