IN A NUTSHELLWe believe that Jesus is God-the-Son, and that over 2000 years ago he came to earth on a mission to make a way for all people to reconnect with God through him.
THE BIG PROBLEMHumanity, having put their trust in their own wisdom, strength and ability (as we all do at some point) had, by extension, placed themselves above God in authority.
For a God who is perfect, all-powerful, all-knowing and completely good, it is the ultimate offence that those who were created would see themselves as better than the creator.
This offence is like a wedge which separates people from God, both in this life and in the next. While it is there, we cannot have a relationship with the loving, powerful God who we were designed to know.
THE FIXJesus came to remove that wedge from between us.
He did this by taking on a human body- with all its limitations and temptations - and lived a human life. Yet, unlike us, he never failed to trust in God-the-Father, meaning he was 'sinless' (he was without offence). He shared wisdom and insight about life, death, relationships, wealth, suffering and joy which we can still read about in the Bible.
Jesus ultimately allowed himself to be arrested and nailed to a cross by those who he came to save.
But in his death, he paid the price for our offenses against God. It was a once-for-all payment (all people, all sin) which means that no matter what we have done, or how many times we have done it, the door is always open for us to return to God and be forgiven.
After Jesus died and was buried, after three days he physically rose to new life - appearing to hundreds of people.
SO WHAT?What's amazing about this is that it reflects the promise available to us - that death is not the end, and that the power that raised Jesus to life can (and will) raise his followers to new life too when he returns.
And that's not all, we are connected to God through his Spirit everyday. Through the Spirit we can talk to God, ask for help, receive his guidance, and see him actually respond to our prayers.
The things we believe are shaped by the Bible - which tells the story of God's creation of the world, his love for it and his rescue mission to save it and us.