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What we believe

What We Believe

Our Vision

Our vision is to see the Church uphold traditional biblical teaching on sexual relationships and gender with understanding and compassion, so that Christians who struggle with same-sex attractions or gender identity gain increasing acceptance, wholeness and maturity in faith within their local church

Our Mission

Our mission is to teach and encourage individuals, their families and friends as they deal with issues around same-sex attractions and gender identity, working in partnership with Christian leaders and local churches to promote a biblical pattern for gender and sexual relationships

people walking through field

Our Basis

Click on each keyword below to see what we believe.
The full text is also set out on our Basis page.

Scripture

We believe that all scripture is given by God (2 Tim 3:16), is authoritative, and that God calls us to belief and obedience in every area of our lives.

Design

We believe that the Bible teaches that God designed two distinct sexes, men and women (Gen 1:27). We hold that God intends sex to be enjoyed within the marriage of a man and a woman (Gen 2:24), and that all sexual activity outside of this context is what Jesus called “sexual immorality” (Matt 15:19 & 19:4-6).

Identity

We believe that God, in His grace, welcomes anyone into a relationship with Him, whatever their sexual orientation or experience of gender (1 Cor 6:11). We affirm that being made in God’s image gives every person inherent value and dignity, and that the church should be a place of welcome and safety for all. Within the need for a Christian’s primary identity to be found in their relationship with Jesus (2 Cor 5:17), we respect a breadth of opinion in the language used to describe sexuality and gender.

Hope

We believe that, as a consequence of the Fall (Gen 3), all people fail to conform to the whole of God’s moral law. We believe that part of the Bible’s good news for every Christian is that God works with us in the lifelong task of freeing us from sinful behaviours and making us more like Christ in all areas of our lives (Rom 6:1-14). We believe it is possible to work towards these goals regardless of the ongoing temptations we all face (Heb 4:15). As such, we do not aim to change anyone’s same-sex attractions or their gender incongruence, which we recognise are not chosen. We also do not practise any form of so-called ‘conversion’ or ‘reparative’ therapy.

Relationships

We believe that both marriage and singleness are gifts from God (1 Cor 7:7), and that a meaningful and fulfilled life is possible without any form of sexual relationship. We seek to encourage the important role of the church in fostering healthy intimacy and meaningful community (Eph 2:13-22).

Attitude

We accept that some people hold to alternative viewpoints on same-sex practice. Although we don’t consider this to be an area where Christians can simply agree to disagree (compare 1 Cor 6:9-10 with Romans 14:1-6), we lament the damage done to both the church and LGBT people when Christians have not exercised grace. We respect the freedom of everyone to choose how they live their lives before God, and we seek to encourage the church to respond with truth and grace (Ephesians 4:15).

TFT is a member of the Evangelical Alliance and we hold to their statement of faith. Our beliefs align with the "Affirmations" published by the Evangelical Alliance in 2012. We also have a theological reference group who we can consult on major issues of faith and practice.

Join our Membership

If you are in agreement with our beliefs (outlined above), please click here to discover more about TFT membership.