What We Believe
Our Mission
At Banwell Community Church, we believe that the mission of every church is to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Statement of Faith
The members of Banwell Community Church agree and subscribe to the following Statement of Faith:
​
1) GOD
We believe in one true and living God who exists eternally in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God alone is Creator, Preserver and Governor of all things visible and invisible, at work in the world to redeem creation. (Genesis 1:26, Matthew 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 13:14)
a) THE FATHER: We believe in the person of God the Father. He is eternal, all knowing, all-powerful, sovereign, and loving. It was by his plan the universe was created. In his eternal decrees, he set in motion a plan to provide salvation from sin through his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, Matthew 6:9-10, James 1:17)
​
b) THE SON: We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in his virgin birth, in his sinless life, in his miracles, in his vicarious and atoning death through his shed blood upon the cross, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in his personal return in power and glory. (John 14:6, Colossians 1:17-20, 1 Peter 3:18)
​
c) THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, who convicts people of sin, counsels believers in God's will, whose indwelling produces spiritual fruit and who empowers believers with gifts to build up the Church. (John 14:26, Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
2) THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments together, is Holy Scripture. It is the authoritative written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in all that it teaches, the one entirely trustworthy rule for faith and life. (Matthew 24:35, Luke 24:27, Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)
3) ANGELS
We believe that God created angels for his glory and service as ministering spirits. Satan and his fellow fallen angels are opposed to God and though they are active in our world to deceive and destroy, they have ultimately been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ and will one day be cast into the lake of fire. (Hebrews 1:14, Revelation 12:9, Matthew 25:41)
4) HUMANITY
We believe that human beings alone, both male and female, are created in the image of God. Through the sinful disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all people are born with a sin nature, are separated from a right relationship with God, and can be redeemed only through the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 3:6, Romans 5:17)
5) SALVATION
We believe that all people are lost in sin, face judgment and can only be saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift of God and is not dependent upon our works, but upon the finished work of Christ as he died upon the cross. Those who repent and believe in Christ are united with him through the Holy Spirit and are regenerated (born again), justified, sanctified and receive eternal life as adopted children of God. (Romans 3:23-24, Acts 2:38, Titus 3:5-7)
6) THE CHURCH
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church which is his Body. All people who have been saved are united together as members of his Body and are to join with a local church for worship, discipleship, fellowship, service, mission and the faithful observance of the ordinances. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Hebrews 10:24-25)
7) THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has instituted two ordinances for the local church to observe:
a) BAPTISM: We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in obedience to Christ’s command; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a public profession of the believer’s faith and identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 6:3-4)
​
b) THE LORD'S SUPPER: We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ to unite believers in the remembrance of his death and is to be shared in a worthy manner until his return. (Acts 2:41-42, 1 Corinthians 11:26-28)
​
8) MARRIAGE
We believe that God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of marriage. God has instituted marriage as the lifelong union of one male and one female; it is the foundation of the family and a reflection of Christ's ultimate love for his Church. (Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31-32, Hebrews 13:4)
9) THE FUTURE
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return as judge to raise the righteous to eternal blessing in heaven and the unrighteous to eternal separation from God in hell. Christ will establish his everlasting kingdom of peace, and we, his redeemed, will enjoy eternal life, reigning with him in the new heaven and the new earth. (John 5:27-29, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 21:1-4)
Church Covenant
Having been led by the Spirit to profess our faith in Jesus Christ, and having been baptized in
the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we do now solemnly and joyfully affirm
our covenant with God and with each other.
We pledge to serve Christ in the fellowship of this church. We shall endeavour to love one
another, to remember one another in prayer, to share each other’s joys, and to sustain each
other in times of distress. We intend to be a community of faith, where those without Christ
may find him, and where all who come may find welcome. We shall strive to be responsible
community members, through faithful attendance, unselfish use of our gifts and generous
giving.
We shall seek to be a community of character, obedient to Christ in our daily living. Within our
homes, in our work, and while at leisure, we shall pursue attitudes and actions which will
reflect God’s Spirit working through us. Believing that our bodies are temples of the Holy
Spirit, we will live in such a way that honours the Spirit.
Drawn together in a fellowship of faith with all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour,
we will pray and work for a spirit of unity among all Christians. Believing that our call to be a
church is a call to witness in the world, we dedicate ourselves anew as servants of the Lord of
all life. We pledge ourselves to the practice of justice and kindness and a daily walk with God.
As we promise our support to the work of our missionaries throughout the world, we commit
ourselves to the mission to which God calls us all.
Acknowledging our humanity and depending wholly upon the grace of Jesus Christ, we
commit our lives to God in all His fullness; the Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher and guide, the
Son, Jesus Christ, who is redeeming us as a people, and the Father who is Maker of Heaven
and Earth.
Amen.
Affiliations
Banwell Community Church is affiliated with Canadian Baptist Ministries and the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ). For more information on these organizations, please click on the provided links.
