Who we are

Greenstead Church isn't a building, it's a group of people.

We come from different backgrounds, we’ve had different experiences, but we all believe the same message - that Jesus Christ is the only person who can bring us true forgiveness, hope and life.

That's why everything we do as a church is all about him!

What we’re about

Gospel

The Gospel is the good news about Jesus Christ. It tells us that Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live, died the death we all deseve, and then rose to life so that all who trust in him can be forgiven, transformed and brought back into a relationship with the God who loves them.

Community

We believe the church is not a building, it’s a family. And as a family we are called to love each other, and our community, in the same way Jesus loves us.

Mission

We believe that because the Gospel is the best news ever, everyone should have a chance to hear it. Our mission as a church is therefore to make the good news about Jesus known to people in our communities, City, and across the world!

What we believe

The following statement of faith summarizes beliefs that we hold in common with Christians around the world and throughout history.

  • There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in His holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator; Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His own glory.

  • God has revealed Himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with the final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.

  • All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him.

  • The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and his words are true. On the cross he died in place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of his Father.

  • Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is offered to all in the gospel. God in His love forgives sinners whom He calls, granting them repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.

  • The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and apply His work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He gifts and builds up the church, empowering its members for worship, service and mission.

  • The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; for pastoral care and discipline and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.

  • The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.

Leadership

Matt Palmer

(Pastor, Elder)

Simon Ford

(Elder)

Ben Johnson

(Elder)

Trustees

As a charity, Greenstead Evangelical Free Church has six trustees who are responsible for our legal governance and safeguarding. The trustees are Matt Palmer, Ben Johnson, Simon Ford, Brian Rayner, Derek Dykes and John Ford.

Safeguarding

Matt Palmer and Dorothy Slatter are our safeguarding officers at GEFC. If you have any safeguarding questions or concerns please contact them at safeguarding@gefc.org.uk.