What We Believe
Our roots
Our roots as Zion Baptist Church run deep in the heart of Cambridge, stemming back almost 200 years, to October 1837. It was then that Henry Battiscombe, a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, established our church on its present site.
From that day forward, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to the Declaration of Principle set forth by the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB). This foundational ethos guides our beliefs and actions, and we are proud to be a part of a larger community of Baptist churches across the nation who share our values and vision. Over the years, our church has grown and evolved, but our roots remain firmly planted in the rich history of the the Baptist union and timeless truths of the Bible that have guided us from the beginning. As we look to the future, we remain committed to honoring our history while also embracing innovation and progress, always with the goal of serving God and our community to the best of our ability.
Our Core Believes
Our Core believes are taken from the ‘Declaration of Principle' which forms the basis of understanding for all who belong to the Baptist Union. It was introduced in 1873 with the intent of holding in Union Baptists with widely different theological understandings, and progressively refined (1904, 1906, and 1938).
It is rooted in Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) with its threefold pattern of authority, baptism and mission. The first clause of the Declaration focuses on the absolute authority of Jesus Christ, with clause two on baptism into the life of God. Clause three is all about mission.
The Basis of the Baptist Union is:
1. That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is the sole and absolute authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy
Scriptures, and that each Church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His laws.
2. That Christian Baptism is the immersion in water into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of those who have professed repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who 'died for our sins according to the Scriptures; was buried, and rose again the third day'.
3. That it is the duty of every disciple to bear personal witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.
further information about the Baptist Union of Great Britain is available here.
Our Values
At ZBC intentionally seek to develop a culture where we:
Are a Spirit-led community.
Feel like one team.
Embrace God’s will and adventure.
Inspire others.
Share a hunger for God’s coming kingdom.
Our Vision
We see ourselves as a ‘sending church’ – A place where all are welcome, all can grow, and all are sent out to serve local and global communities.’
We seek to offer a Christ-like WELCOME that recognises the value of every human being.
We help people GROW in recognising, developing and using their gifting as part of a journey of knowing and following the ways of Christ.
We help to equip people to be SENT out to SERVE local and global communities with humility, kindness, compassion, and to work for peace and justice.