What We Believe
At St John’s, our faith is the foundation of everything we do. We are committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, finding our strength in Him and our purpose in serving Him in the Waipawa community.
Accountability
Spiritual oversight and accountability for a church are important. St John's maintains that integrity by having our church run by our Parish Council, which is made up of carefully selected church members. As a Cooperating Parish we have the oversight of our two denominational parent organisations: Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand &
The Methodist Church of New Zealand
St John's Statement of Faith
God
There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in all His Perfections - holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the Almighty, Creator, Saviour, and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His own glory.
[Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Romans 11:33-36, 2 Corinthians 13:14]
The Bible
God has revealed Himself in the Bible, which consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe these scriptures are the inerrant, inspired, and infallible Word of God. God’s Word is the final authority for faith and life.
[2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21, Hebrews 4:12-13, Matthew 5:17-19, John 17:6-21]
The Human Race
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to glorify God by loving, worshipping and obeying Him. Man was created in holiness but fell through intentional sin, resulting in all humanity being born with a sinful nature and thus separated from God. To return to the right relationship with God, every person needs to be ‘born again’ by the power of the Holy Spirit, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to have eternal life, and to know and please Him.
[Genesis 1:27-28, Psalm 8, Psalm 14:2-3, Isaiah 53:4-6]
Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man - always existing as a person of the Trinity from eternity past. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. On the cross, He died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by His blood. He rose from the dead and, in His resurrected body, ascended into heaven where He is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for His people in the presence of the Father. [Colossians 1:13-22, Colossians 2:9, 1 Peter 1:18-21, Hebrew 7:22-27]
Salvation
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply His work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life, and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation, and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service, and mission.
[John 16:7-15, Romans 8:26-30, Ephesians 1:13-14, 1 Corinthians 12]
The Church
The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head, and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the corporate worship of God. We commit together to: worship, the preaching of the word, prayer, Baptism, sharing the Lord’s Supper, evangelism, accountability, and pastoral care. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care, and encouragement.
[Ephesians 2:11-3:11, Ephesians 5:23-32, Hebrews 10:23-25, 1 Peter 4:7-11]
Baptism
Baptism has been given to the church by Christ as a visible sign of the gospel. It is a symbol of union with Christ - in His death, burial, and resurrection - symbolizing the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ.
[1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Romans 6:1-11, Acts 8:36-38]
The Lord's Supper
The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all. The table is open to all who have examined themselves, repenting of the sin in their lives, and receiving the forgiveness of Christ, yielding to His Lordship in their lives. The Lord's Supper also looks forward to Christ's return.
[1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32, Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20]
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.
[Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:21-29, Revelation 20:4-21:8]