Disciples Baptist Church is a church where every worshipper is equipped with factual Christian doctrines and values as we journey together to meet our Redeemer, Jesus Christ

Worship which unites us in prayer and praise to God and prepares our souls for the seed of the Word and encourages openness to the Holy Spirit; A church which is tolerant of a range of styles of worship and is open to innovation; A church which offers training, opportunity and encouragement to use spiritual gifts in order to build up the body of Christ; A fellowship where differences of view are discussed openly and where there is no place for destructive criticism in either public or private; A church which strives to “present every man mature in Christ” by providing opportunities for collective prayer, bible study and Christian service.

A – ACKNOWLEDGE Every man and woman in this world is a lost sinner. No-one can escape this position, for the Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are lost because God is holy – absolutely good and morally perfect – and He will allow no sinful person into heaven. We are so lost that without God’s help nothing can be done to save us. As a result of sin, we have lost our likeness to God, our love for Him and deserve eternal punishment. We must take our place before Him, firmly acknowledge this and turn from our sin to the Lord. B – BELIEVE We are believing something every minute of the day, but in order to become a Christian there must be not merely a head belief, but belief in the heart. You can believe in your head that on the Cross of Calvary Jesus Christ died to forgive your sin, but if that belief does not pass into your heart, it will do you no more good than believing that food will sustain you yet doing nothing to eat it. To believe in Christ means to believe He died for you personally to remove the sin that separates you from God and to ask Him to be your Saviour as you turn over your life to Him. C – CONFESS To confess Christ means to make known to others that you have become a Christian. Don’t be ashamed to do this for it will bring you out on His side and make clean-cut the decision you have made. If you want to become a Christian, say this prayer, at the same time turning your life over to Christ: “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. At this very moment I confess my sin and believe in my heart that you will save me. Make me a Christian now and help me to tell someone today that I have found you as my Saviour. Amen.

The Lordship of Christ
Baptists affirm that 'Jesus is Lord'. He is Lord over our individual lives, the life of each church, and the life of the whole world.
The Authority of the Bible
The Bible is described as the 'Word of God' because Baptists believe that its writers were inspired by God's Spirit. As such, it has authority to guide both what we believe and how we live our lives.
Believer's Baptism
From the example of the New Testament, Baptists believe that baptism is only for those who believe and are able to declare personally that Jesus is Lord. As a symbol of Jesus' claim on our lives, we practise baptism by immersion, representing a desire to die to self and to live for Christ.
A Believer's Church
Baptists understand the church to be a community of believers gathered in the name of Jesus Christ for worship, witness and service. There is no set Baptist liturgy. Each local church and community is free to determine its own pattern, though prayer and praise, listening and reflecting on scripture, and sharing Holy Communion will always be central.

The Priesthood of all Believers
Baptists believe that everyone that belongs to a Baptist church has a role to play and can use their God-given skills and talents for the good of the church and the community. These gifts include teaching, evangelism, social action, pastoral care, prayer, healing, taking part in worship, administration or hospitality.
Church Members and Church Meetings
When a person is baptised in a Baptist church, they normally become a church member. Church members are called prayerfully to discern God’s will for their shared life. Final authority does not rest with the Minister, Deacons or any other local, national or international body, but with the members meeting together under God’s guidance. The Church meeting makes appointments, agrees financial policy and mission strategy.
Interdepence
Baptists believe that churches should not live in isolation from one another but rather be interdependent. Our church is linked locally with the South East Thames Group of Baptist Churches, and regionally through the London Baptist Association, for support and fellowship. We also have close links with other local evangelical churches for worship and learning together.
Sharing the faith
Baptists believe that each Christian has a duty to share their faith with others. We recognise that mission is not just evangelism, but also includes promoting justice, social welfare, healing, education and peace in the world.
Religious freedom
Religious freedom for all has always been a keystone of Baptist understanding. Acceptance of differences of outlook and diversity of practice is encouraged within Baptist churches, as well as in our wider world. To find out more, take a look at this website www.baptist.org.uk where you will find "Who'd be a Baptist?"
To find out more about Baptist History visit the Baptist Historical Society website.