Our Core Values

The word ‘gospel’ simply means ‘good news’, or ‘great announcement’. At the heart of what Christians believe is a great announcement, good news for the world.

Think of the gospel as a great story, with Jesus as it’s central character. And, if Jesus is to be believed, it’s not simply a story to be heard and forgotten. This story includes all people, including you and me, because while it’s wonderful it’s not a fairy tale; while it tells us of a great tragedy it’s not a Shakespearian play; while it can fill us with joy it’s not another comedy sit-com. According to Jesus, this story is the true story of God, the world, and you.

This is God’s world, but right from the start people have turned away from God’s rule. By rights, God could have come in judgment on this rejection, what the bible calls sin. But out of his deep love, he came instead to heal our brokenness and bear for us the penalty that our rebellion deserves. He achieved this great act of love in Jesus’ death on the cross. Three days later, God raised Jesus to life as the first of a new humanity, free from sin, and as Lord of a new world of life and peace.

Jesus will return to finish his renewing work, fully establishing God’s kingdom and finally judging all that is evil. Those who have put their faith in Jesus will share in his resurrection, raised to joyful, thankful never-ending life under his good rule. But, tragically, those who continue to reject Jesus will be excluded from God’s world together with all that is evil.

Today, then, is a day of great hope. God calls all people, including you and me, to turn from our rebellion against him, and to entrust ourselves to Jesus as our Lord and saviour. God promises to give his free gift of forgiveness and new life to all who turn to him, as well as his own life-giving Spirit to empower them for a life of joyful obedience to him.

Life under this gospel is in opposition to both legalism (‘I obey, therefore I am accepted’), and lawlessness (‘I am accepted therefore don’t need to obey’), instead providing a third way: ‘In Christ I am accepted; therefore in joyful and thankful response, empowered by His Spirit, I trust and obey’.

Here at Trinity Church Victor Harbor we’re a group of people that exist only because of this gospel. All of our life is lived grounded in and in response to this reality.

The Bible has two parts to it, the Old and New Testaments, and Jesus is the key to both. The Old Testament, that part of the story before Jesus came, points forward to Jesus as the climax of the story (Luke 24:27, 44). The New Testament points back to Jesus as the one who came to fulfil the gospel story. It was written either by Jesus’ close followers, or people who knew them, who proclaimed ‘that which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched’ (1 John 1:1).

Careful reading and application of the Bible is core business for Jesus’ people. Growth as a Christian comes as we immerse ourselves in the story of the Bible, and meet God in the person of Jesus Christ.

The church is the community of God’s saved people gathered together ‘in Christ’.
Jesus is present and active among his church in his word and by his Spirit.
The church is called out by the word (1 Peter 1:23),
and sent out by the Spirit (John 20:21-22)
to bring glory and praise to God (1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 1:6);
to be Jesus’ witnesses in the world (Acts 1:8);
to be zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:14);
to be built up to maturity (Ephesians 4:12);
and to uphold the truth of God (1 Timothy 3:14-16).

All this is done in love and grace, as an overflow of the love and grace that God has shown us in Christ

‘God opposes the proud, but shows favour to the humble’ (James 4:6).
‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain’ (Psalm 127:1).

Prayer is the expression of our dependence on God in all things and through all times. When we pray, we express most truly who God has made us to be in Christ—those who are loved, forgiven, and brought to life by God’s Spirit and into God’s family.

Salvation belongs to God (Revelation 7:10). Central to the gospel is the reality that on our own we are dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1), and can contribute nothing to our salvation. People can only be brought to life by the sovereign, electing love of God applied to their lives by his Spirit.

However, God’s saved people, having been brought to life by his Spirit, are invited and called to join in his great work of salvation through the proclamation of the gospel of grace (e.g. Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:14-15).