About Us
A Partnership of Bible-centred churches in Sussex working together to train leaders, strengthen and plant churches, and advance the gospel.
Partnership
Not simply a fellowship of people who enjoy each other’s company, but a Partnership of churches who believe it is better, and more effective, to work together.
Bible-Centred
Joining together churches who are absolutely clear that the Bible is the unique and supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
Churches
Bringing together churches of different denominations, whose members can get to know each other and, wherever helpful, work together.
In Sussex
Working together in East and West Sussex to strengthen and expand gospel ministry.
Formation & Growth
Inspired by the development of a partnership of churches in the North West of England, a group of 20 Anglican and Free Church leaders from across Sussex launched the Sussex Gospel Partnership in 2007.
Since then the Partnership has grown to include more than 70 Churches and Individual Ministers with a shared vision of Bible-centred churches working together to strengthen and expand gospel ministry. The Sussex Gospel Partnership is now part of a growing network of gospel partnerships around the country.
Download an introduction to the SGP
Staff Team
Steering Group
Aims & Values
Convinced that Christ will build his church, we are passionate about working in partnership to grow local churches through:
Bible centred ministry
Uniting in prayer
Courageous evangelism
Authentic gospel unity
Under God we aim:
To encourage church leaders by working together
To recruit and train church leaders
To encourage and organise evangelistic initiatives
To encourage gospel growth in existing churches
To encourage and initiate the strategic planting of new churches
To work together for the preservation and advance of the gospel in our different denominations or affiliations
Unity In The Truth
The basis of the Partnership is that the fundamental truths of Christianity, as revealed in Holy Scripture, should govern the teaching and practice of the church.
Show the full doctrinal basis- There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
- God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
- The Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the supreme authority and sufficient in all matters of belief and behaviour.
- Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
- The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless; he died on the cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.
- Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
- Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God’s sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God’s act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in him and not by their own efforts.
- The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
- All those who believe in Christ are baptised with the Holy Spirit, who lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christlike in character and behaviour and equips them for ministry in the church and witness in the world.
- The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong. It is made visible in local churches and unity is expressed within and between local churches by mutual love, care and encouragement.
- The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person, to judge everyone justly, to execute God’s eternal condemnation on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed to eternal glory.
Membership
The strength of the Partnership lies in it being primarily a Partnership between churches. However, two sorts of Partnership are possible:
- Church Partnership where a church enters the Partnership, in accordance with its own decision making procedures
- Individual Partnership for ministers where the church they serve is not yet in a position to become a member
Church Partnership and Individual Partnership are open to churches and ministers who are clearly in sympathy with the values and aims of the Gospel Partnership, who subscribe to the doctrinal basis of the Partnership, and are willing to fulfil the Partnership commitment:
- Working together with other Partnership churches in furthering the Partnership’s aims
- Attending Partnership Meetings or sending apologies (Member Churches are represented by a senior member of the leadership team plus up to two other leaders)
- Praying for the work of the Partnership
- Signing the basis of faith annually
- Contributing at least annually to the finances of the Partnership
Joining as a Church or Individual Partner is subject to agreement by the Steering Group. It is usual for the church leadership team or minister to be visited by one or more members of the Steering Group before formally applying to join the Partnership.
Supporters
Supporters are individuals who pledge to support the work of the Partnership in prayer and financially. Supporters will receive regular updates of news for prayer and information.
Download the Supporters brochure
