Brighton Church of Christ
When you visit the Brighton church of Christ you will find a group of friendly people. You should expect a warm and courteous welcome because you are our honoured guest. We want you to know that we care primarily for the spiritual needs of people, that is the need for a relationship with God, forgiveness of sins, reverence for God and pure living.
We are not affiliated to any denomination. We are a body of baptised believers who hold the Bible to be God's inspired word to man. Our teaching and practices are guided by the Bible. When you visit us, we will not ask you to pledge ten percent of your income as some religious organisations do, because the law of Christ does not authorize such practice. The congregation is funded by its own members. They make financial contributions towards the church and its activities on a voluntary basis, the most important of those activities being the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16).
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We use no mechanical instruments but our voices when singing to God during assembly worship (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). We do not perform miracles neither do we speak in unknown and unlearned tongues because simply none of us possesses such power. In fact, no human being now living can. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 that with the completion of the New Testament there would be no more miracles. You will not see us practise Holy Spirit baptism as this is directly administered by Jesus, not men.
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Every week, we assemble on Sunday to worship God and honour His Son, Jesus Christ, for dying on the Cross to pay the price for the sins of the human family. The worship will be simple and will have five different parts: singing, prayer, communion, contribution and the word of God. Before worship, we spend some time reading and studying the Bible so as to find in there the pattern of New Testament Christianity and practise it. We encourage discussion during Bible study. If you would like to make comments or ask questions when you attend, you are welcome to do so.
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We believe that the Bible contains the pattern of how to become a Christian, worship God as a Christian and live life as a Christian. We hope you will take an interest in attending our meetings.
New Testament Christianity
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature"
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Basic Beliefs
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the authority in all religious matters. Our basic beliefs are as follows:
There is one God, the eternal Father. He is the supreme Being responsible for the creation of the universe with everything in it and yet transcendent of the universe. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-wise), omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time) and perfect in all His attributes.
There is one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the virgin Mary. He lived on earth, suffered at the hands of men who crucified Him, resurrected on the third day following His burial, ascended into heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Ephesians 1:19-20). He will come again, yet never to return to the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
There is one Holy Spirit who revealed the totality of the Word of God to the apostles in the first century. The apostles then wrote down God's Word so that men might learn from it and expect no other revelation apart from that which was revealed by the Holy Spirit.
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There is one body, the church founded by Christ, made up of baptized believers. To that group the Lord adds penitent individuals when they are baptised (Acts 2:47). Baptism is the last part of a 5-step process that begins with the individual hearing the gospel, then believing it, repenting of their past sins, confessing Jesus as Lord and finally being immersed in water in order to obtain the blessing of salvation.
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There is one hope. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the hope Christians have that they will one day be with God in eternity once life on earth is over. We have the same expectation at the Brighton church of Christ.
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There is one faith. The whole Christian belief system rests upon three fundamental facts: the death (for sin), the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. These historical facts make up the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
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There is one baptism. This baptism is one that leads to salvation (Mark 16:16). It is administered by men in the name of Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).