OUR BELIEFS

The focus of the ministry at Hope Church Toronto West is to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37–39). This is fulfilled as disciples of Jesus Christ are made. God is glorified as we manifest His presence in doing so (2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

Our obedience to the Lord’s command is revealed in our lives as we worship Christ, walk with Him, and work for Him.

We believe the disciples of Jesus Christ should minister to one another in the local church. It’s not about one or a small number of pastors bearing total responsibility to care for the entire congregation. It’s about all disciples using their God-given spiritual gifts to provide mutual ministry in the context of the vibrant and strong local church. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Hope Church Toronto West offers many opportunities for every disciple to grow in relationship to Jesus Christ and connect with others. These opportunities include dynamic weekend worship services, church-wide prayer meetings, special events as well as small groups and other fellowshipping activities.

OUR DOCTRINE

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the full record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind.  Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings.  Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word.  Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and sufficient authority for all of life (2 Timothy 2:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

THE TRIUNE GOD

We believe in the one living and true God, eternally (John 17:3) existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).  Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory and honor and obedience (John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3-4).

GOD THE FATHER

We believe God the Father created all things in six literal days for His glory according to His own will (Revelation 4:11), through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He upholds all things by the Word of His power and grace, exercising sovereign headship over all creation, providence, and redemption (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3).

GOD THE SON

We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, moved by love in accordance with the will of the Father, took on human flesh (John 1:1, 14, 18).  Conceived through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the virgin Mary.  He, being fully God and fully man (John 14:8-9), lived a sinless life and sacrificially shed His blood and died on the cross in our place accomplishing redemption for all who place their faith in Him.  He arose visibly and bodily from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven, where, at the Father’s right hand, He is now Head of His Body the Church, the only Savior and Mediator between God and man, and will return to earth in power and glory to consummate His redemptive mission (1 Timothy 3:16).

GOD THE SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age.  He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  He draws the unredeemed to repentance and faith, and at salvation imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the Body of Christ.  The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, permanently indwells at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christ-like living and service (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 11-13, 19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 2:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).

MANKIND

We believe that God created mankind-—male and female—in His own image and likeness, free of sin, to glorify Himself and enjoy His fellowship.  Tempted by Satan, but in the sovereign plan of God, man freely chose to disobey God, bringing sin, death and condemnation to all mankind.  All human beings, therefore, are totally depraved by nature and by choice.  Alienated from God without defense or excuse, and subject to God’s righteous wrath, all of mankind is in desperate need of the Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, 32).

SALVATION

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ.  Before Creation, God chose those who would be saved and granted this unearned grace solely based on His sovereign good pleasure.  Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Christ alone by grace alone.  At salvation each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever.  Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

THE CHURCH

We believe that upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, that believer is made part of the Body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head.  The Scriptures command believers to gather locally in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, fellowship, the ordinances of baptism and communion, service to the local body through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world to make disciples (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20).  Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church under the watchful care of a plurality of elders.  A church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

BAPTISM & COMMUNION

We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water.  The Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by a careful self-examination (Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29).

MISSIONS

We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations.  We believe the primary focus and priority of this call is centered on efforts that establish, strengthen, and reproduce biblically-based churches, which will then plant churches that plant churches for future generations and God’s glory (Matthew 11:18-20).

MARRIAGE, SEXUALITY & GENDER

We believe that marriage is created by God to be shared between one biological man and one biological woman, in a lifelong holy covenant, for the purpose of companionship, sexual intimacy, and procreation. Our created gender, sexuality, and sexual fulfillment are gifts from the Creator and are to be embraced with gratitude and worship. God designed sexual intimacy to be expressed and consummated only between a man and a woman when they are united as one flesh in marriage (Genesis 1:27–28, 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6).

Men and women are created in the image of God and stand equal in dignity and worth. (Gen 1:27; 9:6; Gal 3:28; James 3:9.) God designed gender, recognized through our biological sex, as an immutable reality essential to our identity as male and female. While the fall distorts God’s design for men and women (Gen. 3:16-19), Jesus makes men and women fellow heirs of God’s eternal grace (1 Peter 3:7) who differ in complementary and mutually beneficial ways.

We affirm the significant role women should play in the local church and that every leadership opportunity is open to women except those excluded by Scripture in the home and church. Specifically, the Scriptures state that husbands are called to lead and love in the home as Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:22-33) and that a plurality of men are to serve the church as elders/pastors (1 Timothy 3:2).

As a church, we adopt the Nashville Statement on Biblical Sexuality and Gender. You can read the full text of the statement HERE.

THINGS TO COME

We believe in and expectantly await the glorious, visible, personal, return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The blessed hope of His return has a vital bearing on the personal life, service, and mission of the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18).  We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost.  The lost will be raised to judgment and experience eternal wrath in hell.  The saved will be raised to eternal joy in the new heaven and new earth in the manifested presence of God (Acts 1:3, 9; Hebrews 7:25-26).

OUR 4 PILLARS

I

UNAPOLOGETIC
PREACHING

Proclaiming the authority of God’s Word without apology

 

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
2 Timothy 4:2

II

UNASHAMED
WORSHIP

Lifting high the name of Jesus through worship

 

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24

III

UNCEASING
PRAYER

Believing firmly in the power of prayer

 

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18

IV

UNAFRAID
WITNESS

Sharing the good news of Jesus with boldness

 

“And also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:19-20

CHURCH GOVERNMENT

TWO CHURCH OFFICES

The biblical teaching on the subject of two church offices is found in I Timothy 3:1-16 and Titus 1:5-9. Though there are three terms used for the offices of the church, i.e. bishop, elder, and deacon, a careful analysis of these terms indicates that bishop and elder are used interchangeably.

ELDERS

Responsibilities

The Scriptures are clear that the elder’s responsibility is the spiritual oversight of the congregation. The elder’s responsibility can be broken down into three main areas:

  • Ensuring that the doctrine of the church remains purely biblical; all doctrinal issues in the church will be settled by the Board of Elders.
  • Ensuring that the direction of the church remains consistent with our statement of purpose and the four pillars statement as outlined in the Constitution.
  • Administering in love and humility the biblical process of church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6:1-4.

All decisions affecting the overall doctrine, direction, and discipline of the church will be the responsibility of the Board of Elders.

Plurality

Scripture teaches a plurality of elders governed individual New Testament churches (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5; Philippians 1:1). Scripture does not mention any congregations featuring a stand-alone pastor and leader. A plurality of godly elders, exercising their individual giftedness, squares with the Scripture’s teaching that wisdom is found in a multitude of godly counsellors (Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 19:20; Proverbs 24:6). This truth does not eliminate the fact that all the elders may not serve in precisely the same way. In 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul allows for some distinction in focus and intensity of role. This means that one or more elders may stand out from the others as more public or influential in their ministries.

Qualifications (Titus 1:6-9)

  • Above reproach
  • Able to teach
  • Husband to one wife
  • Not addicted to wine
  • Temperate
  • Not antagonistic
  • Prudent
  • Uncontentious
  • Respectable
  • Free from the love of money
  • Hospitable
  • Manage own household
  • Not a new convert
DEACONS

Responsibilities

The office of deacon is one that exists biblically to give leadership to the serving and belevolent functions of the church (Acts 6). The qualification for deacons are the same as elders in the area of character, but different in aptitude. The elders are to be “apt to teach” while the deacons are to be “able and proved as servants”.

Qualifications (I Timothy 3:8-12)

  • Individual of dignity
  • Above reproach
  • Not double-tongued
  • First tested as servants
  • Not addicted to wine
  • Spouses must be faithful
  • Dignified Temperate
  • Not fond of sordid gain
  • Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience
  • Husband of one wife
  • Manages household well

WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT…

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe all of the Christian life is supernatural. The Holy spirit empowers every believer with spiritual gifts for the purpose of building up the church. (1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7,12)

Much debate surrounds the question of whether certain gifts we read about in the New Testament are still in operation today. We see nothing in scripture that would convince us that these gifts have ceased. We believe the spiritual gifts we see on display in the New Testament are still active today in varying degrees. Unfortunately, we live in an age where spiritual gifts have been abused. When spiritual gifts are not exercised biblically, the church can drift into extreme forms of subjective personal experience that detract from the clarity of the gospel. For this reason, all expressions of spiritual gifts exercised in meetings of Hope Church are to be characterized by clarity and order.

We also recognize that spiritual gifts are often neglected in the church. We encourage every believer to use their Spirit-given gifts for the upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation of others in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:3) while recognizing the God-given role of spiritual leaders to ensure that all things are done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40) By God’s grace, the application of our various spiritual gifts will not be a source of division at Hope Church. Rather, we will be a church that loves one another as we experience the power of the Holy Spirit on display in spiritual people using their spiritual gifts to make disciples to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2).

COUNSELLING PHILOSOPHY

We believe the Bible possesses supreme authority (2 Tim 3:16-17) as it regards mankind, human nature and motivation (Heb 4:12), the purpose and process of change (Ps 119:9-11), and man’s relationship to God (Is 53:6). We recognize that secular attempts to answer the ultimate questions of psychology and counselling (i.e., Who is man? Why do people do what they do? How do people change? Why should a person change?) fall short in their answers since they do not acknowledge the reality of a personal God in whose presence mankind is always functioning and developing (Rom 1:18-23, Col 2:8-10). The Bible is sufficient in constructing a comprehensive model of biblical counselling (Psalm 19:7-14, 2 Pet 1:3). The work of biblical counselling is an endeavour in which all believers should participate (Col 3:16) and it is a work to be shared by the entire body of Christ (Eph 4:11-25).

*Adapted from the Association of Biblical Counselors – “Our Philosophy” section: https://christiancounseling.com/mission-beliefs

SUNDAY SERVICE

10am | John English Junior Middle School
95 Mimico Ave, Etobicoke

CHURCH OFFICE

Mondays - Thursdays | 8:30 am - 5 pm
26-1255 The Queensway, Etobicoke

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