Basis of faith
The Bible, as originally given, is inspired by God, and every word is infallible. Through it God speaks to us. It is our authority for what we believe and practice.
There is only one God, revealed in the Bible as three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, co-eternal and co-equal.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became man, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is both eternal God and a perfect, sinless man.
God is love, and through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross He has provided the way in which sinful people can be brought into a right relationship with Him. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice for sin and through it there is freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin. On the third day after His crucifixion the Lord Jesus Christ was raised bodily from the dead and in His risen, glorified body He ascended into heaven to the right hand of God the Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person for those who have believed in Him, both those who have died and those who are alive, and together they will be with Him forever.
Man, created by God in His image and likeness, sinned. As a result all men are sinful and guilty before God and subject to God’s righteous wrath and condemnation.
Salvation cannot be earned or deserved. It is God’s free gift, given when a person repents and trusts Jesus Christ, acknowledging Him both as Saviour and Lord. Because of God’s undeserved love and mercy the person who trusts in Christ receives complete forgiveness of sins, becomes a child of God and receives eternal life which can never be lost.
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment of conversion. His role in the life of the believer is to glorify the Lord Jesus, producing increasing likeness to Christ in character and behaviour. It is the Holy Spirit who gives the power to fight against sin and to witness to the world. The Holy Spirit continues to distribute His gifts to Believers, as He chooses, in order to build up the church.
There is one universal Church; the Body of Christ. Into this body of which the Lord Jesus Christ is Head, all believers are baptised by the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion. This universal Church finds expression in a local church, made up of believers, with a threefold purpose: the praise and worship of God; the up building of each other in love; witness to others.
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. Westwoodhill Evangelical Church recognises that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent or unclear, and in such circumstances each believer is to be led by the Lord to whom they are ultimately responsible.
Practice
We observe two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe the New Testament teaches that every person who comes to personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ should be baptised as a public declaration of the individual’s identification with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. It marks obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord but is not essential for salvation.
It is the privilege of every follower of Jesus Christ to meet with other believers to take bread and wine in remembrance of the Lord, proclaiming His death until He returns. We welcome all who have come to personal faith in the Lord Jesus and who want to obey Him to participate in any of our celebrations of the Lord’s Supper.
Leadership
Westwoodhill Evangelical Church has a number of Elders called by the Holy Spirit to fulfil the responsibility of leadership, as servants of the church, to provide a Godly example, truthful teaching, pastoral care and oversight of all the church members in accordance with the Word of God.
