Rockingham Baptist Church

Mission: A church committed to growing disciples We are a community of people belonging to God. We are part of the universal Church - built of every person who is responding to the love and grace of God by repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus. We believe in one eternally self-existent triune Creator God - Father, Son and Spirit - existing in perfect relationship. We believe we can only speak of God because God has revealed Godself to us. We believe that God is the source of life, and that like a tree uprooted from its source, humankind is dead in its rebellion against and subsequent estrangement from God. We believe that God draws humankind toward himself with loving kindness, and that through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Son - Jesus the Christ, God reconciled Creation to himself. We believe the Church exists to love, glorify, serve, celebrate, enjoy, delight in, witness and make much of the ever loving, faithful, gracious, good and glorious God; to be mutually encouraged and edified through truthful teaching, prayer and fellowship; to know and follow Jesus, operating as his body, through his gifts, in accordance with his will - so that his Church will build itself up in love, as each part does it's work. We believe Jesus will return and establish the Kingdom/Reign of God over the earth. We believe in a renewed, material Creation where the first will be last and the last will be first; where those who mourn will be comforted and those who hunger will be filled; where the lame will leap like deer and mute tongues shout for joy; where blind eyes will be opened and deaf ears unstopped. We believe the knowledge of the glory of God will fill the earth, and God’s reign will never end. Our services follow a basic structure. The order may change but a service almost always includes these elements: Scripture, Prayer, Music, Teaching/Preaching, and Fellowship. We read from the scriptures because we believe they are the God-breathed/initiated/inspired story of God’s people. Recorded over 1500 years, in 3 languages, by at least 40 authors, the scriptures span the genres: narrative, poetry, law, wisdom, history, gospels, letters, prophecy. We believe the bible teaches us about who God is, who we are, and testifies about Jesus. We pray because we love and need God. We believe that sincere prayer aligns our heart/will with God’s. We sing songs - like many peoples have since the beginning of peoples - because they remind us of who we are, where we have come from, and what we believe. We are the redeemed of the Lord and we sing our story. We lift our voices to sing/speak in praise of God. Whether we sing songs of celebration or lament, we sing in agreement with one another. Someone (usually a Pastor) teaches/preaches. The Kingdom of God has come to the helpless, and now we are able to re-consider all things in its light. In this way, the Kingdom is an un-learning and a re-learning. A washing away of what we think we know about love, law, civic duty, sexuality, power, health, morality, death, justice... and a re-defining. Our faith is rich and full of mystery. We study the scriptures to know God more - that we may better understand ourselves, the nature of reality; and that we may live for the Kingdom of God - bringing shalom (wholeness, wellness, health, peace) to every facet of life. God’s glory on the earth. The role of the preaching Pastor is to faithfully and thoroughly exegete the scriptures for the edification of the Church, bringing God’s message to God’s people. At some point during the service an offering is collected. This is for those of us who call this place home. We sacrifice a portion of our income so the church will continue to operate this way (staff salaries, maintenance, ministries, events, bills, etc.). After the service, the kitchen serves tea and coffee. Sometimes we share Communion, sometimes there are Baptisms, Child Dedications, BBQ’s, various celebrations... On Sundays we run programs for kids. Service where they engage in age-appropriate activities and learn about God in a meaningful way. The Parent’s Room is just off the Foyer, with nappy changing facilities and seats for feeding babies. Buz Crèche is held in the FMC for children 1-4 years old. BUZ Kids is for children 5-10 years old and runs every week during the school term. Children may be signed into Buz Crèche or Buz Kids from 9:15am and must be collected after the service. All adults involved have WWCC’s and police clearances. Feel free to contact staff members, ministry leaders, church elders, the church office, or whoever is near you, with any queries or feedback. Grace & Peace