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.
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”.
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 have been agreed to at monthly Business Meetings. This forum also manages the day-to-day running of the Fellowship.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
