Characteristics that
have developed in the life of The Branches
The following list is a
non-exclusive summary of the characteristics which have emerged in the
developing life of the Branches.
1. Jesus Christ:
The
Scriptures attest that Jesus
Christ is the First and Last, the Alpha and Omega, The Amen. We receive the
Biblical and historic testimony to the Deity of Christ. The Apostles'
Creed and Nicene Creed attest to the Biblical teaching of the person of
Christ.
Christ
defines everything for us and gives to us all that we need to know. He is the
inexhaustible object of our study and affections. We love Him.
2. Creedal Foundations
We
hold to unity in primaries and liberty in secondaries. The creeds disregard
such things as baptisms, church government, and style of church meetings, from
primary doctrine.
We will
seek to make applications into our daily lives and culture from the primary
doctrines of Scripture and respect the varying traditions expressed in the
church, which show differences in understanding and interpretation of secondary
matters.
3. The Grace of God
This
means that the organisation of a church is different from all other clubs,
societies and associations, in that the response to its laws and its Head, is a
response of the heart evoked by the love of God. The actions of the people in
the church are a voluntary response to this grace.
This
means that we wait for God to work in His people and refuse to be quarrelsome,
complaining, or impatient.
4. Seeking First the Kingdom
Jesus
told us to align our lives to His Kingdom and his righteousness. He promised He
would ensure adequate food and clothing and to care for all our physical needs;
those things which generate such anxiety in people’s hearts: health, guaranteed
income, security, “getting on” and such like.
We will
leave these concerns to Him and instead learn about and be preoccupied with the
better things of His great Kingdom.
5. The Communion of Saints:
We,
His church, are a part of the Communion of Saints which exists throughout the
generations of both heaven and earth.
This
means we deliberately reject distinctions based on worldly status, encouraging
in our young people a resistance to being awed by those positions, presenting
false values of our humanity.
The
Communion of Saints, based on the call of Christ, describes our worth.
6. Prayer and Daily Dependence on God:
Jesus
frequently sought solace to commune with His Father. At times, He cried out
loudly. We too, will pour out our hearts to our God (Psalm 62:8)
with matters too big for us.
In this
we desire to pray without ceasing and to be always aware of the company of
Christ.
7. The Priesthood of all Believers:
Each
person has a role and ministry to be used for the strengthening of the church
in truth and love.
There
are some things that God seems to choose only to do for a person through the
service and grace of another believer.
8. Speech:
The
Bible speaks very clearly and strongly about speech as an instrument that can
bless or curse.
We seek
to practice a discipline that excludes gossip, or any comment which would bring
down the dignity of another in the eyes of those with whom we are talking.
We
accept the discipline of not using the name of God to strengthen or endorse
what we say, leaving such judgments to be made by our hearers instead.
9. Sound judgment:
We
will practice the discipline of not ‘jumping to conclusions’; thus we reject prejudice.
We will
assess our own intuitions and hunches, and will accept
the responsibility to review evidence before we allow our minds to form
conclusions about people, events and happenings.
We will
seek to think of others with mercy.
10. Law:
God’s
Law is good and is to be patiently and graciously worked into the lives of our
people, through earnest prayer. Inconsiderate declarations of law quickly
produce a legalistic style.
We
value grace and interdependence to grow deeper in such blessings with each
other.
11.
Evangelising boldness:
By
praying for each other and honouring Christ in our daily lives and personal
contacts.
12. Relationship to the world:
As
our world environment becomes more idolatrous, we see ourselves more distinctly
as pilgrims engaging only lightly with the things that will eventually pass
away, not to be obsessed or mastered by such things; not being anxious for them
nor for our security in this world.
We are not
consumers, we are worshippers. We are not numbers, we are names. We do not
belong to this earth, but to the One who is from Heaven.
We
trust the Lord who promised to take care of all those things over which we tend
to be anxious, but instead we would seek first His kingdom and righteousness as
a priority.