The Christadelphians:
Background and Beliefs

What does the name Christadelphians mean?

The name Christadelphians means "brothers (and sisters) in Christ" - the term used by followers of Jesus in New Testament times.

What are Christadelphians?

Christadelphians are a worldwide body of baptised believers in the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12).

We are of all ages and from all walks of life. Our beliefs are based solely on the Bible, which we believe to be the Word of God, and our ecclesias (churches) are modelled on those of the first century. We have no full-time ministers or priests, recognising Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and man.

Why are Christadelphian churches called ecclesias?

The word ecclesia is the original Greek word used in the New Testament for an assembly or congregation of believers in Jesus Christ. Meaning literally "those called out", it is usually translated "church" in English. The word "church" has, however, taken on different meanings over the centuries; sometimes, it is used to refer to the building in which religious services are conducted. Our customary use of the term ecclesia reflects the desire to follow New Testament practice as closely as possible, and to emphasise that the ecclesia consists of people, rather than a building or an organisation.

What do the Christadelphians do?

We:

try to uphold the teaching and example of the Lord Jesus Christ in our personal lives;
hold memorial services every Sunday morning, at which we read the Bible, sing hymns, offer prayers, listen to an "exhortation" or sermon, and share bread and wine as the symbols of Christ's body and blood;
hold public meetings, usually on Sunday evenings, for the preaching and discussion of the gospel;
run Sunday Schools for children between the ages of 5 and 16;
hold Bible Classes, usually on a weekday evening, in the ecclesial hall or in the homes of members of the church, at which a speaker presents a Bible study, followed by general discussion;
run Bible Reading Groups in a number of locations in Scotland;
organise preaching efforts and Bible campaigns, in obedience to Christ's commission to

... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

(Matthew 28: 19, 20)
contribute towards the running of homes and a hospital for the care of the sick and the elderly in our community, and towards mission work overseas;
look forward to the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth at the return of Jesus Christ.

Who is in charge?

As explained above, we have no full-time paid ministers. All members of an ecclesia have equal status, and all share in its work on a voluntary basis. For administrative purposes, we appoint members to act as secretary, treasurer, Sunday School superintendent and so on, but all decisions affecting the ecclesia are taken collectively and democratically. Christadelphian ecclesias are autonomous, cooperating in preaching and pastoral work.

Christadelphians are not a "cult" in the accepted sense, and do not follow any particular leader with supposed special revelations or gifts. The head of our church is the Lord Jesus Christ.

What do Christadelphians believe?

The beliefs of the Christadelphians are based solely on what the Bible teaches.

We believe:

in one true God, the Father, Creator of all life;
in His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins but rose from the dead;
that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and the only source of divine truth;
that man, although created in the image of God, is inherently sinful, and as a result, mortal;
that death is the punishment for sin, the violation of God's commandments;
that man can be saved from death only through belief in Jesus Christ;
that repentance and baptism are essential to this salvation;
that Jesus Christ will return to the earth to establish the kingdom of God;
that the kingdom of God will encompass the whole earth, with Jerusalem as its capital city;
that at his return, Jesus will raise to life all who have died having heard the gospel;
that Jesus will judge all those held accountable, according to their response to the gospel;
that those who have been baptised into Christ and have remained faithful to him will receive everlasting life.

Many of the things we believe are different from what other churches teach. We aren't just being awkward; we genuinely believe that many people have a mistaken understanding of Bible teaching. Important truths clearly taught in the Scriptures have been distorted or replaced completely by ideas that are nowhere to be found in the Bible.

For example, we reject the following widely-held doctrines as contrary to the teaching of Scripture:

that the Godhead consists of three indivisible persons (the Trinity);
that man has an immortal, indestructible soul;
that present-day believers receive gifts of the Holy Spirit;
that the wicked suffer eternal torments in hell when they die;
that righteous people's souls go to heaven when they die;
that the devil is a supernatural being who opposes God and induces people to sin.

We invite you to consider these statements (both positive and negative) and confirm from the Scriptures that they are valid.

A list of basic Bible teachings and references is available in the Summary of Bible Teachings from the Bible Reading Planner.

See also the online version of the booklet Who are the Christadelphians?

If you would like more information or clarification on any of the points raised above, please contact us by e-mail or complete our online feedback form. We will try to answer your queries, or, if you wish, put you in touch with Christadelphians in your area.

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