Assumptions & Presuppositions

People in the church really want to obey Jesus.
The ministry of Jesus is the primary mission and issue of church life - not self-preservation or the perpetuation of church life.
The primary foundation for all ministry is love.
A commitment to excellence produces confidence in ministry and in care.
The elements necessary for anyone to grow in this fellowship are:

Having a heart of compassion for the poor, disadvantaged and powerless is normal for the Christian.
The local church needs to give consistently and generously to be able to grow. Without giving of its time, money, and energy, the church will, eventually, become stagnant.
Suffering is a normal part of life in a fallen world.
Convincing people of values that are consistent with the Scriptures and that lead to chosen behaviour consistent with the Bible is our aim more than the simple changing of our behaviour.
Each discipleship group is different and should have its own style and practices suited to that particular group.
Counselling should not be the emphasis of church life; instead, the power of the Holy Spirit should be released into peoples’ lives.
We cannot manufacture the Holy Spirit’s genuine working.
Our view of God in ministry must be a God who is for us, not mad at us (reconciliation), who has forgiven us (justification), who has received us (redemption), and who has changed us and is now helping us to realize it (sanctification).
Each person in the fellowship is responsible for his or her personal growth and development.
Conflict with one another in the Body of Christ is part of the normal life of the church. Conflict within the fellowship is used by God to develop many positive qualities in Christians that are important and cannot be developed without conflict coming about.
We value being led by the Spirit in a way that is neither artificial nor manipulative.