Our Beliefs

There is one sovereign, gracious, holy, merciful, righteous, just, loving God, who is the Maker and Ruler over the entire universe. The Godhead eternally exists as three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All are one in their essence, yet three in their person, sharing the same nature, yet distinct in their works. This mystery is known as the Trinity, in which God exists in complete and eternal unity within Himself (Exodus 34:6–7; Mark 12:29; Matthew 3:16–17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

We believe that the entirety of Scripture (66 books of the Old and New Testaments) has been given to us by God and is accurate, inerrant, and infallible in its original form. The Holy Spirit inspired all authors of Scripture, and it is the final authority in all matters concerning life and faith (Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:89; Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; John 16:13–15; John 17:17).

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity and has eternally existed as God and the Son of God. Jesus incarnated Himself to enter into human history, making Himself a man like us so that He might pay the penalty of our sins, redeem us, and restore our relationship with God. Being the exact representation of God, He is able to reveal the Father to us. Since only He has lived a perfect life, salvation can be found only through Him. All who call on Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved. One day Jesus is coming back to judge the earth in righteousness, bringing the redeemed into eternal union with Him (John 1:14; John 8:58; Acts 4:12; Colossians 1:15–17; 1 Timothy 1:15).

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is equally God. The Holy Spirit has eternally existed like the Father and the Son and lives in all believers as an assurance of our salvation in Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit also intercedes for the saints, illuminates Scripture, helps in our weakness, and gives the believer spiritual gifts to minister to the church (Acts 5:3–4; John 16:7–11; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 14).

Man was created by God in His image to be in intimate fellowship with Him and to worship Him. However, man rebelled against God by sinning, causing separation from Him. Now all mankind are born sinful, fall short of God’s glorious standard, and are in need of salvation (Genesis 1:26–28; Genesis 3:1–24; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1).

The Church is the living Body of Christ on earth; Christ is its head and source of life. The Body is composed of those who have received Him personally. The Church exists to celebrate the living God, cultivate personal growth in Christ, love one another in Christ, and communicate Christ to the world through words and deeds (Ephesians 1:22–23; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:1–4).

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are both sacraments that have been practiced by Christians for generations. Baptism exists as a sign to show the world personal faith in Christ. Out of obedience to His command, we are baptized as a symbol of our death with Christ and our new life in Him. Likewise, the Lord’s Supper is practiced to remember the Lord and what He accomplished for us in His death on the cross. Believers should frequently practice the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of the beauty and glory of the gospel (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3–6; 1 Corinthians 11:23–32).

We believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth again to restore all things to Himself. We believe in the physical resurrection of the body and the final judgment of God. We believe that those who have been redeemed in Christ will enter into eternal joy and harmony with God, while those who have chosen to reject God will suffer and be separated from God forever (John 14:3; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20–22).

We hold to the historic Christian understanding of marriage and sexual expression. We believe marriage is a lifelong, one-flesh covenant union between two sexually different persons, male and female. We believe sexual intimacy is a gift from God designed for this covenant, and that all sexual practice outside of marriage falls outside God’s design.

This conviction flows from Scripture and from the broader biblical vision of covenant faithfulness, embodied love, and holiness.

Jesus is the head of the church. He taught with clarity and authority, calling people into a way of life he described as “life to the full.” At the same time, those most drawn to Jesus were often those whose lives were least aligned with his teaching. What marked Jesus was not compromise, but compassion.

As the body of Christ, we seek to reflect both his truth and his love.

This shapes our posture in three ways:

• First, we aim to embody a faithful vision of covenant love and sexuality. The church exists not to police the world, but to display a distinct way of life shaped by faithfulness, self-giving love, and holiness. Our primary work is to pursue integrity within our own singleness and marriages so that our lives bear witness to the goodness of God.

• Second, we lead with love and compassion toward people. We strive to be a community where people are treated with dignity as image-bearers of God and welcomed into honest relationship, regardless of belief or background.

• Third, we distinguish between agreement and acceptance. We are fully aligned with the teachings of Jesus, and we are equally committed to being a community where those who are not aligned feel genuinely welcomed and loved. Transformation belongs to the work of the Spirit and unfolds over time.

At The Garden, we seek to hold conviction and compassion together, trusting God to form his people as they walk with Jesus.

The question of how men and women relate and serve in leadership within the church, particularly in roles of shepherding and oversight, has been thoughtfully and prayerfully wrestled with throughout the history of the church. Scripture speaks to this topic in multiple places and from different angles, and faithful Christians have sought to hold these texts together with care, humility, and obedience.

Within the broader conversation about men and women in leadership, the Bible addresses a range of considerations including creation, gifting, calling, authority, and the ordering of the local church. What follows is a summary of the convictions we see taught across the arc of Scripture that shape our position and practice at The Garden.

We believe women and men are created equal in the image of God, sharing the same dignity, worth, and value before him.

We believe that full equality does not mean women and men are the same. God has created women and men with distinctions that are good, intentional, and life-giving, and together they reflect the beauty and wisdom of God in ways neither can alone.

We believe God gives leadership in the church on the basis of grace, calling, spiritual gifting, obedience, and Christlike character, not on the basis of status, power, or platform.

We believe women and men can and should lead, teach, preach, shepherd, and minister within the life of the church. We are convinced the church is strengthened when women and men serve together, bringing their gifts into shared service for the building up of the body and the witness of the gospel.

At The Garden, women serve in meaningful roles of leadership, regularly teach and preach, and participate in the shepherding life of the church. We intentionally welcome, encourage, and depend upon the leadership of women as essential to a healthy, Gospel-centred and Spirit-formed community.

We believe Scripture presents the office of elder as a distinct calling entrusted by the Holy Spirit to qualified men, bearing final responsibility to shepherd, teach, protect, and oversee the church through shared, Christlike leadership for the sake of its doctrinal faithfulness, spiritual direction, and long-term health. We practice male eldership as a matter of biblical conviction, not cultural habit or personal preference.

This conviction is not a statement of greater value, spiritual hierarchy, or closeness to God, nor does it limit the scope, authority, or fruitfulness of women’s leadership within the church. We hold this practice with humility and respect toward faithful followers of Jesus who understand these passages differently.

At The Garden, women and men serve as co-laborers in the mission of God, equally dependent on the Spirit, equally called to obedience, and equally necessary for the flourishing of the church.