Introduction
FEBE, as the name suggests, is:
- a fellowship of Baptist churches committed to the historic Christian faith as set out in the Bible and the evangelical confessions of faith down the centuries. We desire to express our inherent unity in visible ways;
- these churches are Evangelical: they are united in their common understanding of the centrality of the gospel, as the main revelation of God, to be the guide and direction for their life and faith;
- these churches are Baptist: they practise the baptism of believers only, by total immersion;
- these churches are European: their fellowship transcends frontiers, cultures and languages.
Churches affiliated to FEBE subscribe to the following Declaration of Faith:
- The unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the Godhead; their equality in power and glory.
- The divine inspiration and infallibility of the Scriptures as originally given; their supreme authority in matters, of faith and conduct; the definitive character of their revelation which cannot be modified or completed by any other.
- The universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
- The incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; whose humanity is real but perfect and sinless; who humbled himself voluntarily; who died a substitutionary and atoning death for sinners;who rose bodily from the dead; who ascended into heaven and is exalted at the right hand of the Father as the only mediator between God and man, who alone is both Saviour and Lord of the world.
- Redemption from the guilt and penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death, as our representative and substitute, of Jesus the incarnate Son of God.
- The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of Christ effective in the individual sinner, granting him repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; his indwelling and work in every believer.
- The personal coming in glory of the Lord Jesus Christ;< the resurrection of the dead;< the judgment of all men; everlasting punishment for the impenitent; everlasting happiness for the redeemed; the total renewal of all things to the glory' of God the Father.
- Membership of the local church is for those who have accepted the Gospel, testified to their faith by being baptised by immersion, and who live a consistent Christian life.
- The autonomy and congregational order of the local church under the unique headship of Jesus Christ.
- The real unity of all believers in the Body of Christ; the necessity of seeking to express that unity among the churches.
- The obligation of the churches to preach the doctrines of God's grace; to offer the gospel freely to all men calling on them to repent and believe the gospel and be saved, to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper.
- The maintaining of the purity of the churches in doctrine and life until the personal coming in glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
