Our Doctrinal Distinctives
We recognise that there are a number of doctrines, not referred to in our Statement of Faith above, over which genuine Christian believers may take different views and which for practical reasons every local church family must take a position on.
Westgate Chapel stands within the larger Reformed Baptist tradition. Our faith and doctrine have been shaped in large part by our forebears whose thought can be found in documents such as the London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, and We Believe: The Baptist Affirmation of Faith 1966 & A Guide to Church Fellowship.
In particular we are:
1. Congregational or Independent
We believe individual churches have the ability to govern their own affairs as directed by the word of God, under the Lordship of Christ.
The New Testament picture of a church is of a local gathering of regenerate, believing people. These people gather to: worship, pray, disciple, and evangelise the nations. A church should be led by a plurality of elders but the final earthly authority in the church is the congregation itself, especially with regards to membership, discipline, appointing church officers, and doctrine.
Independent does not mean isolationist. Independent churches have always formed associations (such as the FIEC, the EFCC, or the various Grace Baptist Associations) and partnerships with other like-minded churches – including Anglican and Presbyterian – to see the advancement of God’s Kingdom in this world.
2. Calvinistic or Particular
We believe that Salvation is entirely a work of God’s unmerited grace.
We believe that God has elected people – from before the dawn of time – to be saved (Unconditional Election). People are so utterly lost in their sinfulness that they are unable to turn to God for salvation by their own free will (Total Depravity). We need God to save us. And so, at the right time, by his Holy Spirit (Irresistible Grace), God calls those individuals he has elected out of their sin, justifying them alone (Definite Atonement), adopting them into His family and into the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ forever (Perseverance of the Saints).
No one knows who God has elected for salvation, so we seek to share the Gospel with as many as possible with the confidence that those he has chosen, will respond in faith.
3. Baptist
We are Baptists who practice believer’s baptism. We hold that baptism should only be administered to those who have exhibited repentance for sin and made a profession of their faith in Christ. The mode of baptism is total immersion, reflecting the believer’s identification in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Open Membership & Open Communion
We seek to welcome all Christians who subscribe to our Statement of Faith into membership and to join us at the Lord’s Supper for communion, regardless of baptism status or secondary differences, reflecting our oneness in Jesus Christ’s body.
In addition to the above, we also uphold the FIEC’s Ethos Statements as part of our membership of the FIEC.
