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who we are
Not just another Church
Members of the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as just another church. We started near the beginning of the 19th century and we strive to reproduce the church originally established on Pentecost. The belief behind this is in the restoration of Christ's original church. Our church government and polity is congregational rather than denominational. All churches of Christ purposefully have no central headquarters, councils, or other organizational structure above the local church level. We are primarily community churches and secondarily as churches of Christ.
Therefore the Evangelical Church of Christ in England is a self-governing, independent Free Church in the tradition of congregational polity. This movement is not "just another denomination" but an "assembly of believers" who have agreed together to love God, love each other, and serve the world. We maintain a high commitment to religious freedom, Christian unity, and the priesthood of all believers who make up the body of Christ.
We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:15-16), and it is on God's word that we base all our beliefs. We do not accept any teaching that cannot be found in the scriptures (2 John 9), nor do we accept any doctrine that has a human origin (Matthew 15:9; cp. 1 Peter 4:11).
Our form of pastoral leadership is that as Christians, we are given the keys of the Kingdom of God through the power of the gospel of grace. Therefore, we seek to ensure that the leadership of the Evangelical Church of Christ in England is scriptural in the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11-12; not static and fixed, but fluid and dynamic. Our leaders are not programme-oriented, but people-oriented. We are not building-oriented, but builders of community; not in control, but able to shift from being leader, to a peer or follower. Leadership is not "qualified" by man, but by God, demonstrating godly qualities; it is not one person, but multiple persons. It is not an office holder or an officer, but leadership is a servant among servants of God, not a ruler over people.
The Evangelical Church of Christ in England encourages diversity when we gather, and desires discussion with those who agree to disagree. We're distinctly Christian and our love for Jesus is communicated clearly. Aside from having no creed, we have a specific statement of beliefs that is truly biblical and we enjoy freedoms that are not under authoritarian control. We see our role in the body of Christ as providing a safe place for those who can't seem to find their voice in a more traditional setting. This is the right to private judgment, interpretation of scripture and liberty of conscience.
We will be the first to tell our brothers and sisters that we don't have all the answers, but we are heading towards deep uncharted waters, travelling where the wind of the Holy Spirit blows, and waiting on the Holy One who is leading us to adventures yet unknown.
We come mainly from evangelical, charismatic, mainline, and post-Christian intercultural backgrounds. The religious and philosophical views represented are equally varied. This provides occasional tension and awkward moments, but also incredibly rich and beautiful dialogue, which stretches us and causes us to grow in humility and maturity. We embrace one another fully as beautifully flawed, unique individuals in the family of God who are called to rule and reign with Christ as world changers and history makers within the Kingdom of God on this earth.
OUR basis of faith
We accept and conform to the basis of faith of the Evangelical Alliance
We believe in...
1. The one true God who lives eternally in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2. The love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.
3. The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God – fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.
4. The dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.
5. The incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.
6. The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
7. The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.
8. The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.
9. The ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.
10. The church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers — given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.
11. The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.