ABOUT
OUR STORY
We are a local family-oriented church in Balaklava, a country town in South Australia. Our Church is so blessed to have a representation of multi generations with a contemporary Christian worship culture. We are a simple church, and it is important to us not to add nor subtract from the gospel, for it is the gospel itself which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Our prayer is to build a community of believers that serves Christ and others using the gifts and talents God has given us.
MISSION STATEMENT
An equipped church family led by God to care for others and transform our community
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe that there is only one true God who is the eternal King, Creator, and Redeemer of all that is.
He is perfectly holy, just, loving, and truthful. He has revealed Himself to be eternally self-existent – one being in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We believe that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God.
We believe that humankind was originally created in the image of God to know and enjoy Him.
He also gave us the ability to choose life or death and the ability to either accept or reject the Lordship and glory of God. Adam rejected God’s command and because of this, sickness, death, and judgment entered the world and now creation experiences the effects and consequences of sin.
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God, was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is God’s Anointed One, empowered by the Holy Spirit to inaugurate God’s kingdom on earth. He was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, and is now alive today in the presence of God the Father and in His people. He is "true God" and "true man."
We believe that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Anyone can be restored to fellowship with God through repenting, believing, and receiving Jesus as their Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and adopts us as we enter the kingdom of God as His sons and daughters. We believe in the baptism of repentance and that whoever repents from their sinful life can be born again.
We believe in the ongoing, sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life and minister super-naturally. We believe in the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 1:4-8 and 2:4, is poured out on believers that they might have God’s power to be His witnesses.
We believe the victorious, redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides freedom from the power of the enemy – sin, lies, sickness, and torment.
We believe that the Church consists of all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
He gave His Church the ordinances of baptism and communion. The Church exists to carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ and further advance His kingdom by undoing the works of the enemy, preaching and living the good news of God’s love, and discipling the nations – baptizing and teaching them to love and obey God. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, according to 1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
We believe in the unity of His body, the church on earth.
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV
We celebrate communion every Sunday when we gather together as the Lord’s supper. “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” I Corinthians 11:20 NKJV
We believe in the ever-increasing government of God and in the Blessed Hope, which is the glorious, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign with His overcoming bride – the Church.
We believe that heaven and hell are real places.
There will be a resurrection of the lost and the saved, the one to everlasting death and the other to everlasting life.
OUR HISTORY
A meeting was held in the home of John Fisher at Dalkey, on the 14th of October 1877, at which it was decided to plant a church in Balaklava, to be known as The Balaklava Church of God and later, The Balaklava Church of Christ. The first members were Mr & Mrs Thomas Dalton, Mr & Mrs John Fisher, Mr & Mrs George Dorey, Mr H.T. Sparks and Mr John Verco. On 25 October 1877 a meeting was held to proceed with the building of a Chapel. This was opened on the 16th of June, 1878. A four-week evangelistic campaign followed. The influence of the Balaklava Church of Christ was felt over the years to follow by planting churches and supporting churches in Bowilla, Halbury, Alma, Lochiel, and Owen. The Balaklava Church of Christ has been involved in building the community directly or indirectly through its members. The Church was instrumental in the forming of the Horizon Christian School, SWAP Shop, Millcourt and other community groups like the Friday Food
program.