What follows are what we call the “Doctrinal Distinctives” of St Barnabas Bible Church. In addition, the church subscribes to the FIEC’s statements on Gospel Unity, Women in Ministry and Same Sex Marriage. We understand that genuine Christian believers may take a different view on these matters, but what we believe in these areas inevitably affects the way we organise our church life together.
The Sufficiency of the Scriptures
We believe that God speaks to men and women today through the Scriptures. When the Scriptures are read or explained, whether publicly or privately, God speaks by his Spirit. The Scriptures contain everything which it is necessary for God to say, whether explicitly or through deduction by good and necessary consequence, to enable men and women to come to salvation through Christ, and to grow to maturity in Christ such that they might know how to live to please him. Since the Scriptures are entirely sufficient in this regard, no additional word or revelation from God is required to enable a person to know God, or to know his will. Where anyone claims that God is speaking a word by any means other than through the Scriptures, such word shall not be accepted unless it is first rigorously tested to determine whether it is consistent with the Scriptures. In accordance with the teaching of the New Testament, the Elders of the church are the persons within the congregation who bear the responsibility for assessing whether any such word is genuinely from God.
God’s Sovereignty in Salvation
We believe that God is sovereign in the salvation of men and women choosing some to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit or faith in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure. It was God’s will that by Christ’s work on the cross he should effectually redeem all those who were chosen from eternity to be saved. This is fully compatible with the offer of the gospel to all people and does not negate anyone’s responsibility to believe or the church’s responsibility to proclaim the gospel. God calls people through such proclamation and works in them by his Spirit so that they respond in faith. This call and work are compatible with a person’s voluntary response to the gospel. Those who are truly regenerate will be kept by God’s power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives. These truths ought to move believers to humility, confidence, joy, praise, and faithfulness in response.
Baptism
We believe that Baptism into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is an outward sign which marks a person's regeneration and baptism by the Holy Spirit into membership of the Church of Jesus Christ. As such it should only properly be administered to a person who publicly professes faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism should, wherever possible and practicable, be administered by immersion in water, symbolising that the person baptised has been united with Christ in his death and resurrection, and is the possessor of the benefits thereof.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We believe that every believer is baptised by the Holy Spirit at the moment at which they are regenerated and brought to true faith in Jesus Christ. Every Christian is therefore filled with the Spirit, but is urged by Scripture to ensure that they go on being filled by Him as they increasingly yield to His power, influence and control.
Leadership of the Local Church
We believe that a local church congregation should be led by two or more suitably gifted Elders. Whilst God created men and women in absolute equality, he also ordained that leadership in the family, within the context of marriage, and in the church, should be the functional responsibility of men. For this reason the Elders of the church are required to be men. The duly appointed Elders of the church are the under-shepherds of Christ, and they must exercise their leadership of the local church in accordance with the character of Christ’s own leadership of the Universal Church. They are to love the members of the church and to give themselves in their service, working to present them to Christ as holy and blameless. In turn the members of the church are required to submit themselves to the leadership of the Elders, in so far as such leadership is exercised in accordance with the Scriptures. Members of the church with appropriate gifts and character, both men and women, may be set apart as Deacons to serve particular needs arising in the life of the church.
Every Member Ministry
We believe that every member of the church is called by God to utilise their gifts by ministering to other members of the church. Caring for, encouraging one another, and sharing the gospel with others is the responsibility of every member of the church family. We all enjoy direct access to God and are each able to minister to others, and where we fail to do this it is our church and community that is impoverished.
