Values and Affirmations

Our Values

Believing completely in the sovereignty of God, the divine inspiration and authority of the Bible, and the nature of the Church as being a Spirit indwelt community, we commit ourselves to the following distinctive values:

  1. We believe that biblically motivated and directed worship glorifies God and unifies, encourages and transforms people. (This includes concepts of personal, small group and corporate worship.)
    (Psalm 96:6-9, John 4:21-24, Revelation 5:11-14)
  2. We believe that prayer, the reading of God’s Word and other spiritual disciplines enable and empower us to live obedient and Christ-centred lives, to undertake great things with God and expect great things from God. (Prayer involves the concepts of repentance, confession, adoration, thanksgiving and supplication. The reading of God’s word is both an individual and corporate necessity.)
    (Matthew 6:5-13, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 4:2-4, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, James 5:13-16,
    Deuteronomy 8:3, Psalm 119, Matthew 7:24-27, John 8:31-32, Ephesians 6:10-18,
    Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  3. We believe that lost people matter to God and, therefore, ought to matter to the church. (This involves relational and process evangelism, and mission.)
    (Luke 5:30-32, Luke 15, Matthew 28:18-20)
  4. We believe that the church in its Gospel mission should be culturally sensitive while remaining biblically pure. (This involves relating to our culture through every means.)
    (Acts 17, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
  5. We believe that Christ’s followers should be growing towards Christ-like maturity and demonstrating this in all their relationships. (This includes concepts such as integrity, character and wholeness.)
    (Ephesians 4:25,26,32, Philippians 1:6, 2:13, Colossians 1:28 and ch 3, Hebrews 12:1)
  6. We believe that Christ’s followers are called to live to the praise of God’s glory. They do this by striving every day to obey God’s eternal, unchanging commands (as found in the Bible), which are the only true prescription for life for every human being. In other words, a believer’s life should be characterised by the daily discipline of imitating Christ.
    (Ephesians 1:12, 5:1; Psalm 119; 1 Thessalonians 1:6)
  7. We believe that the church should function as a united community of servants using their spiritual gifts and God-given abilities. (This involves the concepts of unity, servanthood, discovery of spiritual gifts and calling to specific ministries.)
    (Psalm 133:1, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, Ephesians 4)
  8. We believe that loving relationships should permeate every aspect of church life. (This includes concepts of care, trust and loyalty.)
    (John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 13, Colossians 3:12-17)
  9. We believe that small groups (which we call Bible Care Groups) provide the ideal environment for Christian growth, pastoral care, mutual service, worship and relational evangelism. They also contribute to a sense of community. (These involve the concepts of discipleship and accountability.)
    (Acts 2:42-47, Colossians 3:15-16, Philemon 2, James 5:16)
  10. We believe that Bible based teaching is essential for bringing challenge and growth to the lives of individuals and the church. (This involves the concept of teaching for life-change.)
    (2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:23-25, 1 Peter 1:22-2:3)
  11. We believe that the church should be led by those with leadership gifts. (This includes the concepts of servant leadership, and the equipping and enabling of others into ministry.)
    (Nehemiah 1 & 2, Acts 6:2-5, Romans 12:8, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1)
  12. We believe that total devotion to Christ and His cause is the normal commitment for every believer. (This involves concepts of financial and whole of life stewardship, servanthood and the pre-eminence of Christ in all things.)
    (1 Kings 11:4, Luke 9:23-26, Philippians 2:1-11)
  13. We believe that God’s people should give their utmost for His highest. Excellence honours God and inspires people. (This involves concepts of utter devotion, sacrifice, reflection and evaluation.)
    (Proverbs 27:17, Malachi 1:6-14, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 8:7, Colossians 3:17)

Our Affirmations

Because of recent shifts in some evangelicals’ views on headship in the home, leadership in the church and the issue of ‘same sex’ marriages, Castle Hill Baptist Church has decided that it was necessary to make the following affirmations:

  1. Castle Hill Baptist Church holds that an important and foundational principle of biblical church leadership is that a Pastor or an Elder must be male.
  2. Castle Hill Baptist Church affirms its conviction and commitment on the basis of the authority of God’s Word that marriage is a covenantal relationship between a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others. The man and woman who enter into this covenantal relationship are male and female respectively by birth and are not of the same immediate biological family.
  3. Castle Hill Baptist Church affirms that persons involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage as defined in affirmation point 2 shall not hold leadership positions in this church.

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