Which Christian denomination do you belong to?
We are not part of any formal denomination. “Conference Hall” is the name of the building we use for our activities, because it has been used over the years for many Bible conferences and other special meetings. We gather in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:20) because “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). We keep close fellowship with other like-minded local assemblies in Australia and around the world. Each assembly is autonomous and responsible to the Lord alone, without external organisations controlling them.
Who is your Pastor?
We do not have one Pastor but a group of elders who are responsible for the government of the church. The head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is done according to what we find in the book of Acts (the first record of the beginning of the Christian church) and in the epistles (letters written to the first churches). See Acts 14:23, 20:17; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5).
What are your most important beliefs?
Although we do not have an official “statement of faith” besides the Bible, we accept that the whole Scripture (Old and New Testament) is inspired by God. We find that the doctrine for the church is given and developed in the New Testament.
The beginning point is salvation. We all are sinners (meaning that we all break God’s laws one way or another) and in that condition we cannot be in the presence of God for all eternity (Romans 3:23). However, because He loves us, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us (1 John 4:10, John 3:16). He came back to life on the third day and 40 days after he returned to heaven (Acts 1:3). Now, we sinners can have the assurance of eternal salvation by believing in Him (John 3:36). That means we must recognise we are lost in our sins and turn to Him as the only Saviour.
Although salvation is forever, true Christians demonstrate with their lives the reality of their salvation. We are not saved because of how we live – we have a new life because we have been saved. We find in the Bible that after being saved, people are baptised and become active part of a local church, where they grow in their faith, have fellowship with other Christians and help to spread the gospel to others.
Do you ask for money during your meetings?
We don’t. We do not ask for or accept money from our visitors. Those who are regular members contribute voluntarily to the expenses of the church and to missionary work at home and abroad.
Do you put pressure on visitors to join the church?
No. Many people who have visited us in the past have been here only once or a few times, and we are friendly and respectful to everybody, as we are sure visitors will be to us. If you come for the first time, you will be welcomed at the door, and someone may offer you a Hymnbook and a Bible to use during the service. See the Meeting section of this site for more details of the times and desciptions of the activities of the church. We will be happy to answer any questions.