Statement of belief

• God is Trinity; Father, Son and Spirit united in the one eternal and sovereign Godhead.
• The world is God's good creation, and mankind was originally made in the image of God.
• All mankind is sinful and guilty before God.
• Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God born of the virgin Mary.
• Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the only Saviour and Lord of sinful men and women.
• In Jesus Christ alone do God's people receive by faith the gifts of his salvation.
• The Holy Spirit accomplishes the work of the Trinity in the Church and the world.
• The Church is the people of God, united with Christ in the Spirit through faith and baptism.
• Jesus Christ will reappear in power and glory to bring to fulfilment God's purposes of salvation and judgement.
• The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is entirely trustworthy.

The Seamen’s Christian Friend Society was founded in London in 1846. Its goal was to bring spiritual help to the seafaring community and those involved in maritime industries, trades and activities by telling them about the love of Christ. It also wanted to help them in practical ways through friendship and support. This objective was set out in the Society's Foundation Resolution, which reads:

“... the Society shall be engaged in missions to ships etc. in the Port of London and in the sea coasts, to barracks, prisons and the poor in general as heretofore having purely for its objects the moral and spiritual welfare of our sailors and soldiers and the poor...”

This goal of transforming lives through the Gospel of Christ is very much alive today and it forms the foundation for our Ministry in sea ports around the world. The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, God’s infallible written Word, as it appears in the Old and New Testaments and whose core precepts are encapsulated in our Statement of Belief: