We should love people not only with words and talk
but by our actions and true caring.' 1 John 3:18
Our Vision at St Andrews Baptist Church is to be a
Real, Relevant, Radical and Refreshing Church.
- Being a Christ-centered church. We believe that allowing Christ to be our example of literal, moral and spiritual living enables us to reach our full potential in everything we seek to be and do.
- Growing in the love of God as revealed through the gospel writings equips us to be a people that live through this world but not be consumed by it. We believe that God's love wins and it is this love that makes the world and all who dwell in it.
- Knowing and growing in the way the truth and the life of Christ is made possible and joyous as we continually become transformed through the renewing of the Holy Spirit poured out in and through us.
Real: Believing in the one real God of love. God is love 1 John 4:7-21
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them.
God is the source and essence of what love is and where it comes from. Without God, we do not know the deepest extent to which love is made real. God is a God of encouragement, encouraging us to know him better and know ourselves better through encountering a real God of our age, colour, creed and culture. It has been said that there is only one way to God, through Christ, but many ways to Christ.
Relevant: Christ for everyone: John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have my life, and have it to the full.
The ways and teachings of Jesus is relevant for everyone today and forever. We believe that the heart of the Christian message is knowing Christ in our age culture and creed and understanding that Christ is sent among us to lead us to reconciliation with God, ourselves and each other. We are to live in the world but to resist being conformed to it. It is Christ that gives us true life
Radical: Being empowered in the Holy Spirit: John 14:15-17
utterly dangerous risky, yet completely safe, that is radical.
10 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth,
The Christian gospel of the Good News is that Jesus saves and will be with us till the ends of the earth, causes lives to be radically transformed so that people have purpose, meaning and fulfilment as they intentionally live a life of abundance in Christ. People become empowered in the Holy Spirit which sends a chain reaction to stand firm in the assurance that we can do all things through him that gives us strength, (Phil 4:13). Confronting and addressing injustice and evil is made possible when approached with a genuine heart of Christ.
Refreshing: 2 Corinthians 12:9
9 But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Spiritually inspirational and energising in faith which refreshing the whole body, mind, heart and soul. Spiritual refreshing comes through seeking the presence of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit where wholeness healing and freedom in Christ is found. Through the curiosity of God’s grace, salvation is found. Salvation refreshes the whole body causing us to journey toward perfection in all that we do say and think.
'Make your tent bigger. Open your doors wide. Don’t think small!
Make your tent large and strong,'
Isaiah 54:2
We will become Accessible, Visible and Resourceful.
Vision Aims
1. To be an open church
We believe the gospel of Jesus is open to everyone. We believe by having our doors open every day of the week with staff and volunteers on site who have the necessary God-given Christ centred skills to welcome people and attend their needs, is crucial to our vision of becoming a Real, Relevant, Radical, Refreshing church.
2. To extend our facilities - Community Hub
The kingdom of God has no physical boundaries. Our vision is not dependent on our building, but our building does not meet the needs of the church currently. We need more space, more rooms and better facilities. We believe by having a fully equipped quality cafe, office, welcome reception, more rooms and professional kitchen, we could be a church where the community feel our facilities meet the needs of the community as well as our growing congregations.
3. To increase our ministry team
To increase our ministry team: As the early church grew so did the staff team. Having two interns throughout the year (2013/14) has shown how much having an office open more often accommodates the above. Our two interns have formed great links with other schools by going in and serving them through music. They have also removed a great deal of administrative work for the senior leadership team enabling them to concentrate more on developing many other ministry areas of the church, such as; vision, pastorally, training, discipline etc. We believe by extending our staff and the voluntary team we can manage more effectively our growth and develop our ministries and mission.
Mission Statement:
Knowing God's love in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, caring for and sharing life with one another and through the wider community.