What We Believe
Oldfield Free Church (Baptist) is an evangelical church, committed to the authority of the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We hold to the historic Christian faith as revealed in the Scriptures.
The Baptist Union Declaration of Principle
As a church within the Baptist Union of Great Britain, we affirm the Declaration of Principle — the basis of understanding for all who belong to the Baptist Union, first introduced in 1873 and refined over the years (most recently in 1938):
- That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is the sole and absolute authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and that each Church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His laws.
- That Christian Baptism is the immersion in water into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of those who have professed repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who ‘died for our sins according to the Scriptures; was buried, and rose again the third day’.
- That it is the duty of every disciple to bear personal witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.
We are also members of the Evangelical Alliance and subscribe wholly to their statement of beliefs.
Our Core Convictions
In addition to the Declaration of Principle, as an evangelical Baptist church we hold the following convictions:
The Bible — We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, fully trustworthy and authoritative for all matters of faith and practice. It is God’s primary means of revealing Himself to humanity and the standard by which all teaching must be measured. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
God — We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — equal in power and glory, united in purpose and love. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Jesus Christ — We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human. He was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, rose bodily from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return in glory. (John 1:1, 14; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Acts 1:11)
The Holy Spirit — We believe in the Holy Spirit, who convicts the world of sin, regenerates believers, indwells and empowers them for godly living and service, and produces spiritual fruit in their lives. (John 16:8–11; Romans 8:9–11; Galatians 5:22–23)
Salvation — We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, and no one can earn salvation through good works. It is the gift of God, received through personal repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 3:23; John 14:6)
The Church — We believe that the local church is a gathered community of baptised believers, covenanting together under the Lordship of Christ. Following Baptist conviction, we practise believer’s baptism by immersion as an outward testimony of an inward transformation. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper together regularly as a family of faith. (Acts 2:41–42; Matthew 28:19–20)
The Return of Christ — We believe in the personal, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. We live in the light of this blessed hope. (Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20). Pastor Ian also holds to a premillennialist pretribulational view and the hope of meeting Jesus in the air.
Evangelism — We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of every Christian to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We are called to be witnesses in our local community and to the ends of the earth. (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8)
Baptist Distinctives
As Baptists, certain principles shape how we live and worship together:
The Lordship of Christ — Jesus Christ is the head of the church and has supreme authority over every aspect of our life and worship.
The Authority of Scripture — The Bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
Believer’s Baptism — We baptise those who have made a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ, by full immersion in water.
The Priesthood of All Believers — Every Christian has direct access to God through Christ and shares in the ministry of the church. We don’t have a division between “clergy” and “laity” in the way some traditions do.
The Gathered Church — The local church is a fellowship of believers who voluntarily covenant together to worship, serve, and grow in Christ.
Liberty of Conscience — Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, each believer and each local church has freedom before God to interpret and apply Scripture.
The Church Meeting — Major decisions are made by the gathered church members together, seeking the mind of Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.