Mountsandel Christian Fellowship is a church made up of ordinary people from a wide variety of social and religious backgrounds. We’re united by our shared commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord.
We don’t have any denominational label, but try to keep our focus on the central Christian message – the good news about Jesus Christ and his call to love God and love other people.
MCF began in 1981 with a few families meeting in each other’s homes. We now meet in the Sandel Centre, a community centre which was built by the church and is used by many local groups and charities. Our desire is to be a vibrant Christian witness at the heart of the local community in Mountsandel and Coleraine.
Even if you haven’t been to church for years, or are just wondering about life and faith and spirituality, you are very welcome to join us. We won’t make any assumptions or put any pressure on you. Come and listen and join in the conversation.
Statement of faith
We believe:
- There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
- God reigns as King in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgment.
- The Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God, and the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.
- All people are created in God’s image to live in love and holiness, and are deeply loved and valued by their Creator.
- Since the fall, all people are sinful and guilty, so that everyone is justly subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
- Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless and fully human life, died on a cross, was raised bodily from death, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in person to bring restoration to all things.
- Human beings are rescued 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 Holy Spirit makes the work of Christ effective in each person who turns to God from their sin and trusts in Jesus Christ.
- Salvation is a gift that is received by faith, and brings peace with God and confidence of eternal life.
- The Holy Spirit lives in all believers, making them increasingly like Christ in character and behaviour, and empowering them for their witness in the world.
- All true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are united as members of the Body of Christ, the one holy universal church, which is made visible in worshipping and witnessing churches making disciples throughout the world.
“in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love”
(Augustine)
Core Values
These are the things we really care about, the things we are committed to:
GOSPEL
Our life together as a church is always dependent on the good news of God’s grace, which is our only hope for the forgiveness of our sins and the renewal of our lives and the world.
DISCIPLESHIP
We are committed to living in a personal relationship with the God who loves us – loving God, following Jesus, walking with the Spirit. Our hope is that everything we do together will deepen and strengthen our intimacy with God and glad obedience to Jesus as Lord.
COMMUNITY
We are committed to becoming a church community in which the love of God and the peace of the gospel are made visible through our life together. We are committed to welcoming and accepting each other, caring for each other, forgiving each other, challenging each other, and spurring each other on to love and good deeds. Our goal is to be a community in which each person knows that they have a unique and vital part to play as they use their gifts to serve others.
LOCAL MISSION
We are committed to reaching out to the wider community in Coleraine with the good news of God’s grace, and inviting everyone into a life-changing encounter with Jesus. We are committed to living out Christ’s good news through acts of practical love and service, and caring for people with spiritual, emotional, relational and physical needs.
GLOBAL MISSION
We are committed to loving our neighbours in other parts of the world by participating in global mission through prayer, giving, partnership, sending and going.
SCRIPTURE
We are committed to listening to and learning from Scripture together, and allowing it to shape every area of our thinking, our hearts, and our lives.
PRAYER
We are committed to being a community of prayer, as we learn to pray in the Spirit at all times, with humility and with bold expectation.
