Statement of Doctrine

STATEMENT OF DOCTRINE

1. The Divine Inspiration, Authority and Sufficiency of the Holy Scripture.
2. The existence of the one eternal God in the unity of the Godhead, with the distinction of persons in that unity, namely the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom equal honor is due.
3. Through the fall of Adam sin entered into the world and man became “lost” and “at enmity with God”. Man is also “without strength” to do the will of God and cannot save himself.
4. The Son of God truly became man, being begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and as man was perfect and sinless.
5. His death was a sacrifice to God and a propitiation for the forgiveness of sins.
6. He was raised from the dead and was exalted as Lord to the right hand of God.
7. He is now the all-sufficient High Priest of His people and the Head of the Church, the one Body of Christ to which all true believers belong.
8. He will come again to receive His people to himself and will appear in power and glory to establish His Kingdom.
9. Salvation from the guilt, penalty and consequences of sin is solely through the substitutionary death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and man. Man is reconciled to God and justified before Him by faith and by grace alone.
10. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential in the new birth of the believer and in his sanctification and growth to maturity. Every believer, justified before God, is born of God and indwelt by His Spirit.
11. The dead will be raised either to life and immortality or to eternal condemnation.

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

Bible Bhavan Christian Fellowship is a Church Fellowship formed of people who have become children of God through personal repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Its fundamental confession is “Jesus is Lord” and its purposes is to glorify God in its worship and witness and in the building up of His people.

1. The fellowship holds that the final authority for any Church Fellowship – in the way it conducts its church – life is the Word of God and constantly endeavors to come closer to a true understanding of it. All traditions must constantly be reviewed in the light of Scripture and adjusted where necessary.
2. The Fellowship is autonomous as a Church Fellowship, not answerable to any other Church or Churches or to any earthly headquarters, but only and directly to the Lord and Head of the Church. Though independent, the Fellowship has association with other Churches and Fellowships because of their common faith, aims and practices.
3. The Fellowship observes the ordinance of the Believer’s baptism by immersion on personal confession of faith, and a walk in newness of life consistent with the confession that “Jesus is Lord”. It recognizes that those who profess to believe must give evidence of the genuineness of their repentance and faith by their works and be their submission and obedience to the Lord and His Word.
4. The Fellowship observes the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week – in so far as circumstances allow.  The Fellowship conducts meetings for worship under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Lordship of Christ, and all other such meetings as are appropriate to the life and witness of the Fellowship as a Church with opportunity for the exercise of all true gifts given by the Lord.
5. The Fellowship recognizes the One Body of Christ comprised of all true believers whom Christ has received. It receives to its fellowship all such who are walking worthily of the Lord on the ground that Christ has received them and we must receive all whom Christ has received.
6. The Fellowship believes that all believers are priests and are free to exercise their priesthood both privately and publicly subject only to the regulations laid down in Scripture. In the Church there is no special priestly class or divisions of clergy and laity. There are, however, in the Church distinct leadership roles and spiritual gifts, which the Fellowship recognizes.
7. The Fellowship believes that a local Church should be led, shepherded and governed by spiritually qualified elders. These are also described in Scripture as bishops/overseers, pastors/shepherd and “those who have the rule over you.” The ministry of deacons in the service of the Church is also recognized. The leaders will work towards the maturity of the Fellowship in this respect.
8. The Fellowship holds that men should lead in all general and public meetings and that in such the teaching and preaching ministries are confined to men.
9. The important role of women in the Church is also recognized and there is a wide sphere of ministry and service open to them. It is the special work of the senior women to teach and train the younger women in the application of Christian principles to marriage and home life.
10. Those received into the Fellowship are expected to abide by its doctrines and practices and the disciplines which regulate all personal and other relations within the church according to the Word of God. Members are expected to be regular in their attendance of the meetings of the Fellowship. Members are also to be regular in supporting work of the Lord and to share in the financial commitments by regular and proportionate giving and to function responsibly as members of His body according to the service and gifts by the Lord.
11. The Fellowship is committed to ‘mission’ and to the furtherance of the Gospel and members are expected to give full support to the Fellowship’s activities and commitments in this respect.
12. For a person coming newly into the Fellowship, the normal practice is that first there would be an interview with the leaders. A suitable announcement and public welcome to the Fellowship will follow this at an appropriate time.
13. The Fellowship will follow the normal practice and courtesies in exchanging letters of reference or commendation in respect to persons moving from one Church Fellowship to another.