CHURCH
at the Bradley's
where two or three are gathered
WHO WE ARE
We are Seekers
Whether you call it striving after God, seeking God, communing with God, desiring God, knowing God, or something else, the essence of the Christian life consists in a whole-hearted pursuit of God. Whatever we do, if we don't aim to enter into the presence of God by it, then we are not living the way God intends us to live.
We are Sinners
We practice broken hearted repentence before God. When we compare what God commands Christians to be and then look at our own lives in the light of those commands, we find that we fall hopelessly short.
We are Confessional
Good doctrine is important to us. We do not want to slide into errors which we are all so prone towards. As such we have adopted a historical confessional statement of faith known as the Savoy Declaration. This statement of faith was written with the help of John Owen, Thomas Goodwin, and some 100 other puritan congregationalists in the 1600's.
We are Accountable
Scriptures teach that pastors will have to give an accounting to God for every individual in their churches. Yet pastors in many churches don't even know the names of all their people. How can this be? How can we treat the blood-bought children of God so cheaply when they were purchased at such a price? A pastor must do all in his power to make sure every person in his care makes it to heaven.
We are Ecumenical
Jesus says the he is the door. We dare not make the door into this church any narrower or any broader than Jesus makes the door into the church. If you are Christ's, then you have a place here if you want one.
In necessary things, unity;
in doubtful things, liberty;
in all things, charity.
We meet in a Home
Being a home church does not define us but that is where we meet for now. This practical fact brings with it a number of advantages as well as a number of challenges. The Bible talks about the church in Prisca and Aquila's house, well this is the church in the Bradley's house.
WHO GOD IS
God is Holy
Our God is holy. That means unless we too are holy, God will not accept us and we will be cast from his presence forever. Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of us doing things is utterly impossible. A fallen person could sooner create a world than produce that which would meet the approval of the holy God. Can darkness dwell with Light? Can the Immaculate One take pleasure in filthy rags? The only cure for the stain and filth of unholiness is the fountain that has been opened for all sin and uncleanness: the blood of Christ. Whatever we do, if it is washed by Christ's blood is is holy. Everything else is unholy.
God is Sovereign
To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou?. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is "The Governor among the nations," setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the "Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." Such is the God of the Bible."
God is Love
The love of God is uninfluenced. By this we mean, there was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in them; but the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused. The only reason God loves any is found in His own sovereign will: "The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the LORD loved you.". God has loved His people from everlasting, and therefore nothing of the creature can be the cause of what is found in God from eternity. He loves from Himself, "according to his own purpose."