LifeStream Christian Fellowship is affiliated with the Australian Churches of Christ, a world-wide movement of churches committed to living out the gospel of Jesus Christ, firmly based on the Bible as the sole authoritative basis for faith and practice. On matters where the Bible is not conclusive, we believe there is freedom for personal interpretation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is expressed through the saying, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty.” To this end, three fundamental convictions shape our view of church life and government:
- We believe that Jesus Christ was sent into the world as God’s Son for the redemption of all humanity, to bring about reconciliation with God. Through the life, death and resurrection of Christ alone we find forgiveness with God for our sin. We are saved from the repercussions of our sin, eternal punishment, through faith in Christ thus receiving the grace of God and entering into eternal life.
- The church was established by and through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2, and is designed to function in the charisma (gifting) of the Spirit, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
- The form of government clearly established in Scripture is theocratic in nature. It is not autocratic; governed by one man. It is not bureaucratic; governed by a few. It is not democratic; governed by the people. In a theocracy, God appoints, God chooses, calls and equips certain people to be leaders and rulers for His people.
Our leadership structure is apostolic in function and we are committed to relational networking, rather than hierarchical networking. We seek to grow as a prophetic missional church, working in unity with all churches that are committed to the call of Jesus as expressed by the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
The Great Commandment
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength… and love your neighbour as yourself.
(Mark 12:30, 31)
The Great Commission
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18, 19)
The Great Commandment is to love, and the Great Commission is to share that love. As the Holy Spirit continues to transform us into the image of Jesus, our understanding and practice of “being Church” will be transformed as well. This process of growth will constantly challenge the understanding contained in this constitution.