What I Believe

What follows is a statement of belief that I created when I applied to my current church in New Brunswick. I publish it in response to my dear colleague Richard Bott's question "What do you believe?"

Statement of Belief

My faith begins in the person of Jesus Christ. He is my Saviour, my Guide, my Master and my Lord. I believe he is the Son of God, and that his life on earth was for the benefit of humanity. I believe he was raised from the dead on the third day, thus providing the first fruits for those who would follow. But Jesus is more than a series of theological propositions. Through the Holy Spirit, he becomes real to each Christian. That has been my own personal experience. The reality of Jesus in my life is far greater than any words that I have spoken about him, or any description I have read about him. And being welcomed into that fellowship with Jesus by God is an integral part of our Christian journey.

I believe in Scripture as the Word of God. I recognize the human component within its pages, and that it contains various forms of literature. But within the narrative, the history, the metaphor and the poetry, God speaks in a real and propositional way to his people. I believe Scripture to be the guiding rule in both faith and life. The Bible does not contain truths...the Bible is truth.

It is these two foundations, Jesus Christ and Scripture, which lead to the basis of all my proclamation as a preacher of the Church: the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross encompasses the holiness of God, the sinfulness of humanity, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the ultimate defeat of the enemies of God’s people. The cross is the lens that focuses all other aspects of my theology.

The church then becomes the group of believers who stand in the shadow of the cross, recognizing their sin, and knowing the power of the God who has saved them in Jesus Christ. The church is the body over which God rejoices and exults, and is thus guided by his Holy Spirit to achieve good works in the world around us.

These are the basic points of my belief system. My beliefs are those of the historic creeds of the faith, Apostles and Nicene, and are consistent with the revelation of God in Holy Scripture.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Strange Place for a Prayer Meeting (but not really)

We gathered in the school’s cafetorium. Pastors and members from seven area churches, Baptist, Wesleyan, Pentecostal, United, gathered for the third year in a row during Teacher Appreciation Week. Mid-week gatherings were cancelled. The crowd was mostly older, but filled with a sense of purpose. That purpose: to pray. Pray for the teachers, and staff at the local school. Pray for the students that use this building day after day. To pray for protection…for wisdom…for discernment…for guidance.

We opened by singing “Holy Spirit, you are welcome here.” And as the words of that song echoed in that space, the Holy Spirit was welcomed. As we prayed out loud our thanksgivings and praises, the Holy Spirit was there. As we gathered in small groups to pray for the staff, I sensed the overwhelming privilege we have to be able to approach a holy God, to seek his presence and seek his answer for us. To sit, eyes closed, hearing the muffled prayers, the interjected “Amens” and “Yes, Lords” was to know and recognize what God can do apart from our denominational label, apart from our theological distinctives. God was mighty in that room. We departed with a song of praise on our lips, and the love of the body of Christ in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, be welcome here, and everywhere.