What we believe
Although the essence of the gospel had been taught by Jesus and his apostles to all, including all the "little ones", at the beginning of the Christian era, those who had received the Bible as it later existed in numerous redactions felt the need to formulate some articles of faith. The most important of these include The Apostles' Creed, The Nicene Creed et The Athanasian Crede, The Definition of Chalcedon. These, among others, support the essentials of the doctrine of the Trinity and of Christ's dual nature (he was both fully human and fully divine).
From the sixteenth century, Martin Luther (95 theses) and John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion) felt the vital need to "reform" the fundamentals of christian teaching. This led the new churches which issued from these reforms to formulate new confessions of faith. We adhere to these Protestant Confessions of Faith because we believe that they correctly summarise what the Bible teaches:
You can be a member of our church without necessarily adhering to all these confessions. Nevertheless, the official doctrine which is taught from our pulpit is in accordance with these confessions. Accordingly, our members believe in the "solas" of the Protestant Reformation:
The Church
We believe that "The Church" is made up of all the people that God has saved in the world. The principal marks of this "Church" are a firm preaching, faithful to the Word of God, a biblical declaration of the gospel message, the administration of baptism and of the Last Supper, the discipline of its members, and its submission to Christ as its only and unique head (1 Timothée 3.13, Matthew 28.19; 16.19, 1 Corinthiens 11.24-26).
The Covenant
God is not the author of evil. Creator God established an initial covenant (of works) with Adam whom he had made (Genesis 2.4-25). After the man broke this covenant, an action which brought about his fall and indeed all the evil in this world, God promised a new covenant, one which was not based upon Adam's obedience, but instead upon the work of another (Genesis 3.15). Later, several covenants were made with man, notably with Abraham (Genesis 12, 15, et 17). The promises of blessings contained in these covenants are fulfilled in Christ who, by his sacrifice (the work of another), reconciles man to God, so that mankind might receive what God had promised to Abraham (Galatians 3.6-18). Jesus is the saviour of man. God began the world by His love; He follows this by saving mankind through His mercy.
Baptism and the Last Supper
Baptism is an initiation rite which replaces circumcision, a sign of the Old Covenant, as the unique mark placed on God's people and their children (Colossians 2.11-12). Baptism is the sign and seal of the New Covenant, given in Christ, and through faith in the Messiah, the entry point into the visible Church. The Last Supper is a memorial by fraternal communion (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luck 22), with the bread and the wine representing Christ's body and blood. Those who profess are welcome to take communion (1 Corinthians 11.26-30). By faith in Christ alone, believers feed themselves spiritually on Christ, declare his death, and take the elements (John 6.35, 53; 1 Corinthians 11.26).
Means of Grace
We believe in the means of grace dictated by God in the Bible: the teaching of the Word, prayer, adoration, discipline, offerings, the confession of sins, the spiritual gifts, fraternal communion, evangelism, and serving one's neighbour.
Governance of the Church
We believe in a collegiate system, connected and representative of the governance of the church (Acts 15.22), with each church having several qualified leaders (Titus 1.5-9). All pastors have the same authority. No church can claim any kind of domination or sovereignty over another (La Rochelle Confession of Faith, ch. 30). The only and ultimate head of the Church is Christ.