Beliefs

Everyone is welcome along to Beechwood Chapel no matter what you do or don’t believe.

We want to clear about what we stand for, and so below are some summaries of what we believe and teach.

Statement of Faith

These are the things that we teach that all Christians should believe…

We believe:

  • That the Bible is true.
  • That there is one God in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit
  • That Jesus was the son of God and that…
    • He became a man, born of Mary
    • His death was for us – to pay for our sins, earn forgiveness for us, and make us right with God
    • He was raised from the dead
    • He went up to heaven and is the head of the church
    • He will come again.
  • That humans are sinful and cannot rescue themselves.
  • That the Holy Spirit is the one who turns us to God.
  • That we are rescued by faith in Jesus. That anyone who trusts in Jesus can be rescued. And that we show we have been rescued by doing good things for God.
  • That when I die, I will be with God, and that everyone will face God’s judgement. Those who have put their trust in Jesus will be saved. Those who haven’t will be punished in hell.

Doctrinal Distinctives

These are the things that Christians can have different views about, but this is the position we teach here at Beechwood…

We teach:

  • That when someone becomes a Christian they should be baptised.
  • That Christians should regularly take communion together, remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection to save them.
  • That all Christians are given gifts by the Holy Spirit to help encourage each other when we gather together to worship God.
  • That a person can only become a Christian when they have been chosen by God.
  • That all Christians have the Holy Spirit living in them as soon as they become a Christian.
  • That the church is led by Elders who are men, and who have the responsibility to lead the members of the church to honour Jesus as the Bible teaches.
  • That all humans have equal value because we are all made in the image of God.
  • That our sex and gender is decided by God and cannot change.
  • That marriage was planned by God to be between one man and one woman for life because it is a picture of God’s commitment to the church.
  • That the Bible contains everything that we need to know to be saved, and to know how to live for God now, and so God does not need to reveal himself in any other way.

Member Commitment

This is what Christians who want to become Members of our church commit to doing for each other…

As Christian brothers and sisters, reconciled to God because of his grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and as members of Beechwood Chapel, we commit to the following:

  • We will pray regularly for the church and all of its members.
  • We will work together in brotherly love and in the unity that the Spirit brings.
  • We will meet together regularly as part of the life of the church.
  • We will take an active role in the life of church, regularly attending members’ meetings.
  • We will seek to tell people about the wonderful news of Jesus.
  • We will, as a church family, rejoice at others’ happiness and with sympathy and affection care for other members in times of sorrow.
  • We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry of the church, financially and in prayer.
  • We will serve the church and its leaders in all the ways that we can, seeking to serve God in all that we do.
  • We will, with the support of the other church members, challenge sin in people’s lives when it becomes apparent, dealing with it biblically and graciously.
  • We will protect the unity of the church by following the leaders.