1. Jesus is our example,
teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central
reference point for our faith and lifestyle, for our understanding of church
and our engagement with society. We are committed to following Jesus as well
as worshipping him.
2. Jesus is the focal point of
God’s revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centred approach to the Bible,
and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the
Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.
3. Western culture is slowly
emerging from the Christendom era when church and state jointly presided over
a society in which all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive
contributions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalised Jesus,
and has left the churches ill equipped for mission in a post-Christendom
culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the
experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected
standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and
behaving.
4. The frequent association of
the church with status, wealth, and force has been inappropriate for followers
of Jesus and has damaged our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of
being good news to the poor, powerless, and persecuted.
5. Churches are called to be
resource centres for discipleship and mission, multi-voiced worshipping
communities that sustain hope as we wait for God’s kingdom, and places of
friendship and mutual accountability. We are committed to nurturing and
developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, consultative
leadership is exercised, and roles are related to gifts rather than gender.
6. Spirituality and economics
are inter-connected. In an individualistic and consumerist culture and in a
world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of
living simply, sharing generously, and working for justice.
7. Peace is at the heart of the
gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed
to non-violence and to learning how to make peace between individuals, within
and among churches, in society and between nations, and with the natural
world.
