Our Purpose and Statement of Faith

Who are We?

Chinese and Australian Baptist Church - Thornleigh was founded in July 1989. Since 1984, Rev. Joseph Fung responded to God's guidance, and, together with Rev. Burman of Eastwood Baptist Church began to reach out to the Cantonese speaking Chinese migrant community, resulting in the establishment of CABC Thornleigh. All this time the Church has upheld its foundation – the Word of God. The ministry of our church has always centred on the Word of God – our Sunday worship, our all-age Sunday school, our cell groups and fellowship groups all built upon this foundation; but from the beginning, never forgetting the Great Commission. Right from the beginning, CABC-Thornleigh already established a mission fund, supporting local and overseas mission.

Here we see a beautiful picture, the Australian and Chinese pastors and brothers and sisters then, in responding to the gospel need of the community, joined in local mission, establishing the church, spreading the Word of God, and supporting overseas missions. Just as the Lord Jesus, before his ascension, instructed the apostles and said, “…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We thank God for His provision throughout the years, for establishing CABC-Thornleigh this big spiritual family to proclaim Christ and witness the power of His Gospel.

Our Purpose

CABC is a church which is predominately ethnically Chinese, but which itself increasingly welcomes, reaches out to and engages the mainstream of Australian society, as well as having fellowship with other local churches.
CABC is a church which is deeply committed to its own growth, both in increasing numbers of faithful believers and their depth of Christian living, fellowship and service. It will also be deeply committed to the growth of God's kingdom through mission. The Chinese Congregations are committed to pray for, plan, and outreach to Mandarin speakers.
CABC will be an all-age church which is particularly attractive to teens and young adults, both those who have grown up and come to faith in the church and bringing in others also. A church with congregations geared specifically for teens and young adults.
CABC will be one church of many congregations, which serve to work together in unity.

Statements of Faith

We believe:

The Nature and Unity of the Godhead

There is one God who is eternal personal Spirit. He is infinite in power, wisdom, holiness and love. He is Triune in essential being and revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Deity and Humanity of Christ

Jesus Christ as the second Person of the Godhead is eternally one with God the Father of Whose Person and glory He is the accurate expression. To become man He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, the nature of God and the nature of man, were united in one Person; truly God and truly man.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit as the third Person of the Trinity is eternally one with the Father and the Son yet He is sent by Them to achieve the Divine purpose in the world and in the Church.

The Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures

The Scriptures, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, are the infallible Word of God. They were written by holy men of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and have supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

The Sinfulness of Man

Man was made in the image of God and for fellowship with Him. By transgression of God’s command he fell from fellowship with God and his nature was corrupted. As a consequence, all men are spiritually dead under Satan’s dominion and control and subject to God’s wrath and condemnation. Therefore, apart from God’s grace, man is helpless and hopeless.

Christ's Atonement for the Sin of Man

In order to redeem mankind from the guilt, penalty and power of sin, Jesus Christ became man and died a sacrificial death as our representative substitute. By His resurrection, God’s acceptance of His atoning death was demonstrated. This atonement is sufficient for the whole world but effective only in those who receive it. The sinner is justified and reconciled to God, not through any personal merit but solely on the basis of God's gracious gift of salvation in Jesus Christ received through faith.

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is necessary for the acceptance of God's provision of salvation. The Holy Spirit convinces sinners of their sinfulness, leads them to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and so brings them to spiritual birth as God's children and to fellowship in Christ. Working within the life of believers the Holy Spirit makes real the presence of Christ, witness to their relationship with God, leads into all truth, bestows gifts for effective service and produces graces for holy living.

The Church

The Church is the body of people whom God has separated from the world through faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. All regenerate persons are members of the universal Church of God which takes local form wherever groups of believers unite for worship, fellowship and service in accordance with scriptural principles. All believers are called to a priestly ministry in the offering of spiritual sacrifices and sent into the world to be witnesses. God calls individuals to positions of oversight and leadership or to special ministries. The Church recognizes such by ordaining pastors, commissioning missionaries, appointing deacons and other leaders, following New Testament practice.

The Baptism of Believers Only, by Immersion

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a public declaration of a person's faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In accordance with New Testament Scripture it should be administered only by total immersion which symbolizes the believer’s identification with Christ in death, burial and resurrection, the remission of sins and the believer’s dedication of himself to God to live and walk in newness of life.

The Communion

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ, instituted by Him to celebrate with the elements of bread and wine by believers in Christ until the end of the age. It commemorates and declares our thanks for the Lord’s substitutionary death. The celebration of the ordinance expresses our fellowship with and in the Lord Jesus Christ as members of the Body of which He is the Head.

The Return of the Lord Jesus Christ

At the end of this age, according to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in His glory to the earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom of God awaits His return.

The Resurrection of the Dead

At the end of the age, there is to be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous. After death, bodies of men return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God – the righteous to be with Him and the unrighteous to be reserved for the judgement.

Rewards and Punishments in a Future State

God has appointed a day of final judgement for the world. At that time Jesus Christ will judge every man and each will receive reward or punishment according to his deeds. Those judged righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment.

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Cantonese Bible Study	9:00am
English Service	9:00am
AM Children Sunday School	9:00am
English Bible Study	11:00am
Cantonese Service	11:00am
Prayer Meeting	1:30pm
Mandarin/Cantonese Service	3:00pm
PM Children Sunday School	3:00pm
Youth Bible Study	3:00pm
Cantonese Bible Study	5:00pm
English Family Service	5:00pm
Mandarin Group	5:00pm


Cantonese Playgroup	10:00am
PLUS	7:30pm
Prayer Meeting	8:00pm


Family Growth Group	8:00pm
Workers Fellowship	8:00pm


Theophilus Youth Fellowship (TYF)	7:30pm
Chinese Youth Fellowship (CYF)	7:30pm
Playtime	10:00am