Statement of Faith & Charitable Objects

We accept wholeheartedly the revelation of God given in the Holy Scriptures and affirm the Faith as summarized in such historic statements of the Christian Church as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed; and in particular that:

 

1. There is one eternal God, who is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This God is loving and merciful, holy and just, the creator and sustainer of all things. God’s sovereignty encompasses creation, revelation, redemption and consummation.

 

2. God’s self-revelation inspired the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments so that they are entirely trustworthy and have supreme authority in all matters of faith and life.

 

3. Human beings are made in the image of God. They are created to love, worship and enjoy fellowship with God and have been entrusted with the stewardship of God's creation.

 

4. Through human disobedience to God, sin and death entered the world. All have sinned and are therefore guilty before God and under God's judgment. Sin separates people from God; it also brings brokenness to human relationships, disrupts the created order and distorts humanity's relationship with creation.

 

5. Jesus Christ is God's only Son from eternity and God incarnate. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and lived a perfect and sinless human life. He was sent to reveal God, to proclaim the reign of God in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to accomplish God's saving purposes.

 

6. Christ died on the cross for our sins as our representative and substitute. God raised him from the dead through the power of the Spirit and he is exalted at the right hand of the Father.

 

7. Salvation is the gift of God's grace through the death of Jesus Christ, and is available to all who repent of their sins and by faith receive him as Saviour and Lord. They are born again by the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming children of God.

 

8. The Holy Spirit brings people to trust in Christ and repent of their sins. Through the Spirit's indwelling, God's people are enabled to live holy lives and are equipped, in the fellowship of the Church, to witness and work for Christ and to glorify God in the world.

 

9. The Church is the community of all Christian believers, who are joined by the Holy Spirit into one body of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head. The Church is commissioned by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the gospel of the Kingdom, making disciples of Christ from all peoples through word, deed and sign.

 

10. Jesus Christ, the Living Lord, will return in person as Judge and King to consummate God's kingdom. He will gather his people to enjoy eternal life in God’s presence, judge the world in righteousness, and renew creation. 

 

To glorify God and serve God’s Kingdom by:

 

1. Providing courses of study which aim to integrate Christian faith and life through spiritual formation, practical experience and teaching which is based on a Biblical worldview.

 

2. Facilitating communities of learners, comprised of both Christians and seekers, who will engage in learning opportunities that will inspire, equip and enrich them in knowledge, skills and personal development for Christian ministry and mission.

 

3. Creating a community of Christian discussion and debate on matters of Christian theology and Biblical studies and their application to current theological, ethical and social issues.

 

4. Equipping Christians to participate more effectively in the mission of Jesus Christ, in the church, the helping professions, the marketplace and the academy, both locally and beyond.

 

5. Building strategic relationships with and providing resources for the wider community.

 

6. Fostering the expertise of local Christian teachers and networking the resources of Christian denominations and agencies to equip the wider body of Christ.

 

7. Serving the body of Christ in our city and region by supplementing the teaching and equipping ministries of local churches, always seeking to foster the unity of the body of Christ and to work together to equip that body.

 

8. Negotiating with other educational providers that can provide NZQA accredited courses in our region that would serve the needs of local Christians and seekers.