Our Beliefs
I. Statement of Faith
Throughout the history of the church, from the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have explained doctrines (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. A statement of faith summarizes what a church believes, which is the most important characteristic of any church. Our statement of faith is adapted from the 1853 New Hampshire Confession of Faith, and registers our belief in historic Christianity, evangelical Christianity, believer’s baptism and congregational polity.
All who join Grace Baptist Church Tangerang are required to affirm our Statement of Faith, agreeing to the statement and are held responsible for believing and living in accordance with it. We also use this statement of faith to form the guardrails of our preaching and teaching ministry. So, while our church values diversity in many ways, we are gladly united in Christ about our core, essential beliefs as Christians.Â
II. Membership Covenant
Membership in a local church is not like joining a rewards club to get personal benefits and services, or else would easily leave one church whenever we feel the benefits run out and join wherever else seems to be making better offers. Church membership is meant to be meaningful membership, committing to the benefit of the local body, even as that body commits itself to you.
Our Covenant is a set of promises we make as fellow members of one another, as well as the biblical standard of what each member should do. Not only do we require all new members to sign in agreement to it before joining the church, we also reaffirm our commitment to the covenant as we take of the Lord’s Supper monthly and remind one another of it at our members meetings. By our covenant, we tangibly encourage and exhort one another to live in light of the new covenant established and kept for eternity by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
III. Church Constitution
Our Constitution is a set of rules we have formed with biblical guidance and have agreed upon which help us to function well as a church. These are the procedures by which we elect our offices of leadership, add members to our church, remove members, and generally order ourselves as we seek to glorify God and encourage each other.