Our Vision

There are several aspects to our vision:

1. Our local vision as both a local church and network of new churches (Coming soon).

2. Our international missions vision. (Coming soon).

3. Our own revitalising process as part of the the Churches of Christ movement.

4. Our historic links to the broader church. (Coming soon).

5. Our vision to be an active church within the Churches of Christ movement.

3. Our own revitalising process as part of the the Churches of Christ movement.

We're currently exploring what is the meaning of the following mission statement...

The Churches of Christ:

"A movement of

the people of God

crossing frontiers

planting missional churches

impacting cultures".... more details coming soon!

5. Our part within the Churches of Christ movement.

Churches of Christ- Who are we?

We live in fast-changing times. Churches of Christ have a vision for these times. It is a vision that builds on the church's contribution to Australian society over 150 years. It is a vision to help Australians find faith, and to live with the demands of the future. We care about our multicultural society. We can make a contribution to Australia by helping people to develop a meaningful faith relevant for our modern times. The following aspects of New Testament and Christianity make up the distinctive ethos of Churches of Christ around the world. As we move into the 21st century we are eager to put these beliefs into living practice.

Worship

Churches of Christ recognise that worship is an important part of life. Our aim is to provide worship which is positive, refreshing and renewing. All are welcome to share in our services. Worship is informal and friendly. Services are easy to follow with preaching from the Bible that is interesting and related to life. Our worship is alive, simple and uncluttered, relating to current Australian needs. Our worship is designed to be helpful. Worship is presented in an atmosphere supported with music, prayer, scripture and teaching. Worshippers should leave feeling refreshed, closer to God, and encouraged for the week ahead. You will find a variety of types of worship in Churches of Christ, from traditional to contemporary. Children are welcome in worship, and children's segments help them to express themselves in worship, and to develop in faith. Because we believe worship enriches life, we make an effort to create worship which is noted for its simplicity and vitality.

Ministry and mission

In Churches of Christ all are encouraged to take part in the life and work of the church. This mutual expression of ministry recognises that each member has gifts and abilities to help in ministry and mission. Each local Church of Christ is independent. Its autonomy is respected. However, local churches form a part of a wider network with many other churches. Together they comprise the state and national conferences of Churches of Christ. Through conference, local churches cooperate with other like-minded churches to combine resources, and support the wider mission of the Church in Australia and overseas. Through ministry and mission, Churches of Christ respond to human need. People explore and develop faith and spirituality as it relates to the here and now. We want to share the good news of Jesus through effective evangelism and mission. We are not only concerned that people should find a vital faith in God, our concern is also to respond with compassion to human need, both local and international. In the local church we show compassion through pastoral care activities. In this way support, encouragement and healing are part of our ministry and mission. As part of our commitment to the message of the Bible, we also apply our ministry to social justice, and care of our environment.

Theology

The beliefs and teachings of the Churches of Christ are based on the Bible. In our preaching and Christian education, we concentrate on the essential aspects of the Christian faith, allowng for a diversity of understanding with non-essentials. We are careful not to reduce the Bible to statements that include some people, while excluding others. This does not mean our theology is so broad as to become shallow. Instead it represents our enthusiasm to major on the essential message of the love and grace of God. Our main theme is that Jesus is the risen Son of God and Saviour of humanity. We encourage people to respond to Jesus by making an intelligent and meaningful commitment to him, and to observe his teaching. We encourage people to follow their commitment to Jesus by expressing their faith through baptism by immersion. Baptism is a symbol which marks a turning point. We leave our former life behind, and with God's help, make a new beginning. We affirm the scriptures as our authority for Christian belief and practice. Each Sunday we celebrate Communion. By sharing together in the Lords' Supper, we not only remember how important Jesus is to our faith, but also draw close to him for renewal. We believe that Jesus is very close to us during communion. Communion is a meditative and prayerful part of our worship. In communion we reaffirm our belief in the Easter message of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Heritage

As Churches of Christ we do not claim to be the best church or the only church. All who accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord are Christians. We cooperate with other Christians in worship, witness and service. We promote the unity of all God's people. We are committed to the ultimate goal of unity among all Christians. Our passion for unity comes from our history. Back in the 18th century the church was divided. In the 19th century our churches looked for ways to bring unity among Christians. Divisions within the church were caused by history and culture. The result was many denominations. They had a prayer and a vision that people would put aside such obstacles to unity, so that a process of reform could begin. Then the unity of the wider church could be restored on the New Testament principles of the lordship of Jesus Christ, and the authority of the Bible. http://www.churchesofchrist.org.au/