Scripture
God's sufficient and final authority for faith and life.
Beliefs
What We Believe
Providence Baptist Chapel is a Reformed Baptist church. We believe the Bible is the Word of God and the final authority for faith and life, and that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
In brief
The faith we share.
Gospel
Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Church
A gathered church with a regenerate membership and the biblical ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Hope
Christ will return; we live in the light of that hope.
Confessional foundation
Scripture is our final authority.
Providence adopts the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) as its confession because we believe it faithfully summarises the principal teachings of Scripture. The confession is subordinate to the Bible, which remains our final authority.
Our own Statement of Faith and Church Rules set out Providence's doctrinal convictions and the practical order of church life.
Our distinctives
What shapes our church.
Reformed in doctrine
We seek to bring our teaching and practice under Scripture. We emphasise God's sovereignty in salvation and the truths recovered in the Protestant Reformation, including salvation by grace alone through faith alone and the authority of Scripture alone.
Evangelistic
We proclaim the Gospel to all. Our belief in God's election inspires rather than hinders this work: God ordains both those who will believe and the means by which they hear the Gospel.
Fervent in prayer
We value private and public prayer in the life of the church. We encourage regular attendance at public times of prayer; the elders also meet for special prayer, and the church sets aside special days of prayer during the year.
Biblical and reverential worship
We worship the Triune God according to the pattern taught in the Bible: reading and hearing God's Word, prayer, expository and experiential preaching, and singing Psalms and biblical hymns. We seek to worship with reverence and godly fear, with praise and thankfulness.
Biblical separation
We seek to keep clear of worldliness and false teaching. Because false teaching departs from the Bible's supremacy, inspiration and infallibility, we believe churches must defend and preserve the truth without compromising the only way of salvation.
Church life
Our life together.
Lord's Day worship
We gather to hear the preached Word of God, pray and sing praise with reverence and gladness. The King James (Authorised) Version is used in the preaching and worship of the church.
Baptism & the Lord's Supper
Baptism follows a credible profession of faith and is by total immersion. The Lord's Supper is a remembrance of Christ's death until He comes again, shared by believers with faith.
Membership & care
We understand church membership as both a duty and a privilege for those who trust in Jesus Christ. Members share in the life and responsibilities of the congregation, encouraging one another in discipleship and love.
Prayer & witness
We depend on the Lord in prayer and seek opportunities to make Christ known. The church is to extend the Gospel to all, using methods consistent with biblical principles.
Come and meet us
You are welcome at Providence.
We would be glad to welcome you and answer questions about what we believe.