Our beliefs

WE WORSHIP THE ETERNAL TRIUNE GOD

  • Father,
  • Son, and
  • Holy Spirit

ABOUT GOD THE FATHER, WE BELIEVE

  • God created the universe and everything, seen and unseen in the space of six days (Genesis 1)
  • He sustains the universe (Psalm 19)
  • God is merciful, patient and loving; but He is also just, righteous and holy

ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, WE BELIEVE

  • He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)
  • Through Him and for Him the Father created everything (Colossians 1:16)
  • Before Him, every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10-11)
  • He is the expression of God’s love for lost sinners (John 3:16)
  • He came to take the sin of lost people, deserving of his eternal punishment, upon Him (Romans 5:6-8)
  • He is God’s righteousness for those who believe in Him (Romans 8:29-30)
  • Through Him, we have an eternal inheritance which can not perish, be spoiled or fade (1Peter 1:4-5)
  • We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:5)
  • This is the message we proclaim, not only in words (1Peter 2:9) but also in deeds (Ephesians 2:10)

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE BELIEVE

  • He teaches us the full extent and meaning about the Person and salvation of Jesus Christ (John 14:26, 16:13-14).
  • He enables us to be witnesses about Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).
  • He also intercedes for us and teaches us what to pray (Romans 8:26).

ABOUT THE CHURCH, WE BELIEVE

  • The church is the result of God’s work of redemption in Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit
  • Jesus Christ is the only Head of his church (Ephesians 1:22-23)
  • We exist because God allows us to exist; we are therefore not a club or an organisation
  • all are welcome to come and hear the Gospel of grace in Jesus Christ:  the gospel call is intended to draw people to Christ as they hear about the free gift of salvation
  • Not all may be members of the church: only those are received into the communicant membership of the church (2Corinthians 6:14-16)
    • who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for life and eternity.
    • who live in a living, obedient relationship with Christ as the Head of his church (1Corinthians 12:27)
  • they may receive the signs of the Covenant of grace:
    • baptism (Acts 2:38), and
    • communion (1Corinthians 15:28-29).

ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES (THE BIBLE) WE BELIEVE

  • The Old and the New Testament as the infallible, inerrant, authoritative and complete inspired Word of God (2Peter 1:2-21, 2Timothy 3:15-17)
  • through the Bible God reveals Himself
  • in it, we hear Him speak (Psalm 19:7-11)
  • as a result of it, we live (Romans 10:9-10)
  • in its light, we live (Psalm 119:105)
  • to its standard, we adhere (2Timothy 3:15-16)
  • from it, we are called to spiritual life (Hebrew 4:12)
  • in it, we find our mission (Matthew 28:18-20)
  • it speaks of our eternal home (Revelation 21)

ABOUT OUR MISSION, WE BELIEVE

  • God called us to love our neighbour (Mark 12:29-31) and care for those in need (Matthew 25:31-46)
  • God commands his church to proclaim his greatness and the salvation of Jesus Christ to all peoples (Psalm 22:27-28)
  • We know we are part of the universal church in this Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)

ABOUT THIS LIFE AND ETERNITY, WE BELIEVE

  • At the appointed time not known to us, Christ will return to judge the living and the dead (2Corinthians 5:10)
  • God will then make everything new (Revelation 21:1-4)
  • Those who believed in Jesus Christ as Lord will inherit eternal life with God (Revelation 21:6-7)
  • Those who rejected the free offer of grace in Jesus Christ will receive eternal punishment (Revelation 21:8)

WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF SAVED CHRISTIANS  WHO

  • once we lost in sin
  • serves Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Redeemer
  • desires to live to the glory of God the Father, the Creator of heaven earth

We strive to serve Christ as Lord and King. Well aware of our short-comings and failures, we strive to serve one another and build one another up in our faith (Romans 12:9-21).

It is our constant aim to understand God’s plan for his church.

  • We understand that all of us have a place and a function in the body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:14-26)
  • We need to be equipped for service as members of the body (Ephesians 4:11-13)
  • We need to grow to maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:15-16.

Some activities in our congregation are aimed at different ages or gender groups to achieve this purpose:

  • Kids Church
  • Bible studies
  • Activities for ladies and men

We however never forget that we are one body which can only function well if we do so as a complete body consisting of all the parts.

It is our prayer the Lord will guide us in our efforts to be equipped for good works to present Him as great to the world around us.  We, therefore, want to reach out in evangelism to the people we come in contact with.  It is our prayer that God will add to his church those He will call out of our community.

We support missionaries in other parts of the world by contributing financially to their work; we also constantly pray for them.

WHAT ARE HERVEY BAY PRESBYTERIANS ABOUT?

WHAT IS A PRESBYTERIAN?

The term “presbyterian” refers primarily to the way in which a church is governed. A Presbyterian Church is governed by elders according to the pattern seen in both the Old and New Testaments.  This is in distinction to being ruled by a single bishop in a hierarchical model, or by members in a congregational model. In a Presbyterian congregation, biblically qualified elders are recognised through the congregation who elect them to rule the church corporately.

This government is exercised locally, regionally, and nationally through a graded series of courts usually known as Session, Presbytery and General Assembly. It provides a way for the whole Church to be connected in mutual accountability and responsibility, and it demonstrates our common bond organisationally as the body of Christ under his Headship.