Credo

Statements of Christian faith are generally forced to the surface in response to a serious challenge. In our day we confront the deep-seated and pervasive heresy of ‘cheap grace’ which holds out a spiritual gospel with little relevance to social and political issues, an inner experience which does not require the total transformation of human life, and the grace of God without the cost of discipleship. To counter this threat we need fresh confession of faith.

1. We believe in Jesus Christ, true God, true man, who came preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, calling for a new divine order in human affairs and for radical social, political, moral and spiritual change. We therefore reject the false gospel of cheap grace that addresses only a part of the person and portion of humankind, and makes no demands on us.

2. We believe in the cross of Jesus Christ, not only for our salvation at the last, but also as the definition of our lives here and now. We believe that the cross we have been called to bear is not some unpleasant circumstance or disability which we have to endure simply as human beings but the willingness to clash morally and spiritually with the fallen powers of this present world system.

3. We believe in the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ which signals the victory of the cross over the powers that hold people captive. Because all power has been given to our Lord we challenge these powers in his name--the powers of greed, avarice, hate, unbelief, and proclaim Christ’s victory over them.

4. We also believe in the church of Jesus Christ which is his agent for the proclamation and demonstration of the truth. We believe that the church has been called into existence in one body to share one another’s gifts and struggles and to flesh out the fact that people can live outside the dominion of the fallen powers.