As we prepare to become an independent church we're in the process of drafting the Village Church Handbook. The purpose of this Handbook is to give people the information they need in order to decide whether they can commit to the Village Church. Here is an excerpt about our theological convictions...
True churches - and true Christians - will hold different theological convictions. Agreeing with our theological convictions isn’t necessary in order for a person to become a member of the Village Church. However, it should be noted that the Village Church holds the following theological convictions:
We are reformed. Christians believe that a person is saved in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone.. However, Christians differ on their understanding of God’s part and humanity’s part in salvation. At the Village Church we place the emphasis on the activity of God in saving sinners. God acts so that we can act. ‘[We] were dead in [our] transgressions and sins … But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead … For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…’ (Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, 8-9).
We are complementarian. Christians believe that God created men and women entirely equal: ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them’ (Genesis 1:27). However, Christians differ on their understanding of the roles of men and women. At the Village Church we believe that men and woman have different roles in the home and in the church, concluding that leadership in both is for men (Ephesians 5:22-25 and 1 Timothy 2:11-13). Although the role of leader is for men, we believe it is essential for everybody to use their gifts in the church: ‘Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms… To him be the glory … for ever and ever’ (1 Peter 4:10-11).
We are baptist. Christians believe that Jesus commissioned his followers to baptise. However, Christians differ on their understanding of baptism. At the Village Church our position is credobaptist and we practice believers baptism. We believe that baptism is for those who have responded to Jesus in repentance and faith. Baptism is a sign that salvation has already taken place - it is a sign that a believer has been united with Jesus in his death and resurrection: ‘We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life’ (Romans 6:4). However, we do operate an ‘open membership’ policy, which means we warmly welcome Christians who are convinced by the paedobaptist position.