CREDO (WHAT I BELIEVE)

WHO AM I?

I am a child of God, through the blood of Christ. I am called to full-time ministry. I am called to be in ministry within the context of the Dutch Reformed Church. I am currently serving as minister of religion in a congregation of the DRC in Brackenfell, Cape Town.


I am passionate about those people who stand on the fringes of the faith, as the church and previous religious systems made them strangers to God, even if it was at their own doing (e.g. some sinfull pattern of behaviour or something of the sort).


I am also a student, searching for the depths of better understanding to play a part in the ongoing renewal of God's church. I am striving to be a part of God's work in the building of his kingdom here on earth.


This is what I believe ...

I BELIEVE ...

I believe that God exists. He is eternal, unestimable, unseeable, unchangeable, unending, almighty, absolutely wise, just and good.

I believe that we get to know God through creation itself as well as through the revelation God gave and is presented in the Bible.

I believe that the 66 books of the Bible were brought forth through the people God used to speak the words that was put in writing - through their testimony and being driven by the Holy Spirit.

I believe that the Bible books are adequate in their ability to be the foundation of our faith, to be the confirmation of our faith, and to build us up in our faith.

I believe that there are other books outside the canon of Holy Scripture, but their testimony are not acceptable as foundational for my faith in God.

I believe that the Bible contains everything pertaining to God's will and what is necessary to receive salvation.

I believe in one God, who chose to reveal Himself in history first as creating Father, then as redeeming Son, and finally as testifying Spirit who continues to dwell in His children and teach them to live in the light of Christ.

I believe God created heaven and earth and that He still is involved in his creation, by continuing his redemptive work through Christ and leading his children in their new life in Christ.

I believe the necessity of receiving God's redemption as I was born a sinner, without God and stumbling in darkness because of my own inability to break with my sinful nature.

I believe that God bestowed his grace on me as I came to faith in Christ, who is God who became human so as to carry the burden of God's rejection in my place by being condemned to die on the cross and raise from the grave, thus removing the only obstacle in any possible relationship between God and myself.

I believe my faith is a gift, presented by the Holy Spirit, leading me to Jesus Christ and enabling me to see God in all His heavenly majesty causing my to kneel before His Kingship and offering my life to Him as sacrifice of gratitude because my transgressions are forgiven and my relationship with God is restored.

I believe I am called to live my life in obedience to God's will and as testimony of his grace not to achieve greater salvation, but to thank God for my salvation. In this I believe I should emulate the example provided by Jesus as He is the only way to God.

I believe I am called to become part of a community of believers, people who like myself received the gift of faith and living in unity before God as visible expression of his love. I believe I cannot grow in my faith through my own individual efforts, but also when I participate in the life of God's new community, the church, and when I testify of the living God to people who do not yet have the gift of faith.

I believe I should submit myself to the leadership of my faith community, as God called leaders to build up the local congregation. As I am called to be one of the leaders of the church, I believe I should hold myself accountable to the other leaders God called to serve along with me - the elders and deacons in my congregation as well as other ministers of God's Word. We are after all, a team serving the same Lord.

I believe in baptism and communion as the only sacraments given by Christ. Both these sacraments show to Christ's death and resurrection and serve to strengthen the church at large in its faith and testimony.

I believe it is my duty to participate in the life of society as all secular authority receives its mandate from God alone, and through my active participation I am working together along with God and other believers towards establishing God's kingdom on earth.

I believe in the return of Christ, a single event where He will call up all his followers for their final redemption and unbelievers for final judgment. I do not believe in the rapture, as God's future judgment and redemption will be a single, simultaneous event.