About us

Our history

Our Fellowship was formed in 1986 from an existing house-church. Our aim was, and still is, to share the message of God’s love with the local community, and to provide a meeting place for Christians in and around Creswick. We have a number of mid-week activities and a Sunday service which aims to glorify and worship God in an open and informal atmosphere.

Our nature

We believe in “ministry by the gifts of the Holy Spirit”. We understand that God has gifted everyone of His people with some special ability which is intended to help build the Church. We therefor encourage each person to exercise his or her gift(s) for the benefit of the whole Church.

As our name suggests, the Bible is the final authority when it comes to our beliefs. Because many over the years have espoused widely differing views, each claiming to be drawn from Scripture, we found it necessary to clearly define our own position. This is done in our Statement of Faith and a previously existing document titled “Basis of Fellowship”.

Our organisation

Direction is provided by an “Oversight” group comprising Elders and Deacons. We believe that Elder-ship and Deacon-ship are each an “office” not a “ministry gift”. In contrast, we believe pastoring is a gift not an office. Hence we look to those in the fellowship with the gift of pastoring to provide this element on the Church’s life, just as we look to others to provide the other gifts necessary for the local Church to function.

We have no official membership – fellowship is open to all who acknowledge Christ as their saviour. Christian Bible Fellowship has no formal constitution. We do however have a number of protocols and conventions which are agreed to at the monthly Vision & Ministry Team meetings. This forum also manages the day-to-day running of the Fellowship.

Funerals

We consider it an honour to be involved with a Christian funeral. Our desire is to enter into the joy and sadness of a servant taken home.

Baptisms

We believe in water baptism of believers. The exact location and nature of the ceremony varies depending on the wishes of those being baptised. Full immersion outdoors is common.

Our invitation

To join in as you wish. Be prepared to submit to a group which may disagree with you on peripheral things but will do it’s best to love and accept you irrespective of those differences. Join a group or activity – see our list of current activities. Click here to contact us.

Statement of faith

Basis of fellowship

The following seven paragraphs, written by Anthony Norris Groves (one of the influential men in the early Brethren Church), express our understanding of the Biblical basis for Christian fellowship. These words are in a style that, today, seems a little wordy, but despite our best attempts to re-write them, we have not been able to better express them!

  1. The basis of our fellowship is LIFE in the Christ of Scripture rather than LIGHT on the teaching of the Scriptures. Those who have part with Christ have part with us. Because our communion is one of life and love more than one of doctrine and opinion, we seek to show that the oneness in the life of God through Jesus Christ is a stronger bond than that of being one of us – whether organisationally or denominationally.
  2. Because our fellowship is based on our common life in Christ, we do not reject anyone because of the organisation or denomination with which they may be affiliated; nor would we hold them responsible for the conduct within that, any more than we would a child for the conduct in the home of which they are merely a part.
  3. We do not feel it desirable to withdraw from fellowship with any Christian except at the point where they may require us to do what our consciences will not permit, or restrain us from doing what our consciences require. Even then, we maintain our fellowship with them in any matter where we are not called upon to so compromise. This ensures that (insofar as we understand the Scripture) we do not separate ourselves from them any further than they separate themselves from Christ.
  4. We do not consider an act of fellowship to be indicative of total agreement; indeed we sometimes find it a needed expression of love to submit to others in matters where we do not fully agree, rather than to prevent some greater good from being brought about. Our choice would be to bear with the wrong (or different view) rather than separate ourselves from their good (or view).
  5. We believe it more scriptural to reflect a heart of love, ready to find a covering for faults, than to constantly look for that with which we may disagree. We will then be known more by what we witness for than by what we witness against.
  6. We feel it biblical never to pressure anyone to act in uniformity farther than they feel in uniformity; we use our fellowship in the Spirit as an opportunity to discuss our differences and find this to be the most effective way of leading others – or being led by them- into the light of the Word.
  7. While enjoying such a wide range of Christian fellowship, we would not force this liberty upon those who feel otherwise minded. In such circumstances, we enjoy fellowship as far as they will permit, then pray that the Lord would lead them further into this true liberty of the common life in Christ.

Max Coulter

Max was a founding elder of Christian Bible Fellowship. We would like to remember & honour Max as a key person in the life & history of this fellowship.

Max boldly went to be with his saviour 11.11.2020.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10