The members of Drummoyne Baptist were once in rebellion against God, but instead of receiving eternal punishment we have inherited eternal life in heaven. This is possible through our belief in Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the payment for our sin.
Nevertheless, we are still sinners and so we unite together to encourage each other in our fight against evil and to wait patiently for the return of Jesus. We also seek to make the good news of Jesus known to people who are not Christians and are always happy to answer any questions you may have about him.
We are a Reformed Baptist church, which means we hold to the beliefs that are summarised in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith and the 1655 Midlands Confession of Faith (see below) Our constitution outlines how we seek to govern ourselves.
Our History
Drummoyne Baptist was begun on Sunday 3rd March 1910 with twenty members under the leadership of Pastor J. H. McDonald.
Later that month they declared:
‘That this church shall consist exclusively of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, holding the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed and inspired word of God to mankind and as their special tenets the doctrine of the sinfulness of man, the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrificial atonement for the Son of Man, the need of the Holy Spirit for the conversion of sinners, the resurrection of the dead and rewards and punishments in a future state and holding and practising only the one baptism taught in the New Testament; namely the immersion of believers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’
Over a hundred years has passed and, by the grace of God, the same beliefs are held by Drummoyne Baptist members today.
In the second half of the 20th Century, the church embraced a solidly Reformed understanding of the Scriptures and has joyously held onto the doctrines of grace ever since.
Our Vision
Our church exists by the grace of God, for the glory of God, which is the ultimate purpose in all our activities.
We seek to glorify God by loving Him and obeying His commands through:
a) Worshipping Him;
b) Equipping the saints through Bible instruction and study;
c) Proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through preaching and personal evangelism, and any other means consistent with the teachings of Holy Scripture;
d) Encouraging, supporting, and participating in missions work, domestic and international;
e) Administering the ordinances of baptism and communion;
f) Encouraging Biblical fellowship among believers;
g) Serving other individuals, families, and churches by providing for physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Leadership
Drummoyne Baptist leadership team consists of four elders.
Three elders are lay-elders. One elder is employed fulltime and is the elder for preaching.
We also have a deacon who handles administrative issues.
We also have a deacon who handles administrative issues.
Joel Radford
Preaching Elder
Joel Radford has served as the preaching elder of Drummoyne Baptist since 2009.
Joel holds a Master of Divinity from the Australian College of Theology which he earned through studying at the Sydney Missionary Bible College and the Presbyterian Theological Centre. Before entering fulltime pastoral ministry Joel worked as a podiatrist and earned a PhD by doing medical research on heel pain.
Joel and his wife Jill live in Drummoyne and have two young children, Joshua and Philippa.
Lord willing, they plan to be at Drummoyne Baptist for a very long time.
Ray Oweis
Danny Jankovics
Joshua Parker
Anthony Constantine
Statements of Faith
Elders of Drummoyne Baptist must affirm the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession with some slight modifications and freedom of conscience on a few paragraphs.
Members of Drummoyne Baptist must affirm the 1655 Midlands Confession of Faith (in Modern English as below)
1st. We believe and profess, that there is only one true God, who is our God. He is eternal, almighty, unchangeable, infinite, and incomprehensible. He is a Spirit, having His being in Himself, and giving being to all creatures. He does what He wills, in heaven and earth; working all things according to the counsel of His own will.
John 17:3; Psalm 90:2; Genesis 17:1; Malachi 3:6; Psalm 147:5; Romans 11:33; John 4:24; Acts 17:24-25, 28; Daniel 4:35; Ephesians 1:1.
2nd. That this infinite Being is set forth to be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three persons are one in essence.
Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
3rd. We profess and believe the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, to be the infallible word and revealed mind of God, which are able to make men wise for Salvation, through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. They are breathed out by God, serving to equip us for every good work; and by them we are (in the strength of Christ) to test all things that are brought to us.
2 Timothy. 3:15-17; Isaiah 8:20.
4th. That though Adam was created righteous, yet he fell through the temptations of Satan; and his fall overthrew, both himself and his descendants, making them sinners by his disobedience. Thus all people are by nature children of wrath, and defiled from the womb, being formed in iniquity and conceived in sin.
Genesis 3; Psalm 2:13; Romans 5:12-15.
5th. That God elected and chose, in His Eternal counsel, some people to life and salvation, before the foundation of the world. These He effectually calls, and He will certainly keep them by His power, through faith to salvation.
Acts 8:48; Ephesians 1:2-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2
6th. That election was free in God, of His own good pleasure, and not at all based on any foreseen works of faith in the creature.
Ephesians 1:4, Romans 11:5,6.
7th. That Jesus Christ was, in the fullness of time, revealed in the flesh. He was born of a woman; being perfectly righteous, and gave himself for the elect to redeem them to God by His blood.
John 10:15; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 5:9.
8th. That all men (until they are made alive by Christ) are dead in sins, and therefore have no power in themselves to believe savingly. But faith is the free gift of God by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. This is the mighty work of God in the soul, even like the rising of Christ from the dead.
Ephesians 2:1; John 15:5; Ephesians 1:19.
9th. That Christ is the only true King, Priest, and Prophet of the Church.
Acts 2:22-23; Hebrews 9:14, 8:1.
10th. Man is justified by Christ alone, and this is received by faith alone. No man is justified in the sight of God partly by Christ and partly by works.
Romans 8:33; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 3:20,28,30; Galatians 5:4.
11th. That Jesus of Nazareth, of whom the scriptures of the Old Testament prophesied, is the true Messiah and Saviour of men. He died on the cross, was buried, rose again in the same body in which He suffered, and ascended to the right hand of the majesty on high and appears in the presence of God, making intercession for us.
John 5:39; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 1:3; Romans 8:34
12th That all those who have faith worked in their hearts by the power of God, according to his good pleasure, should be careful to do good works, acting out of true faith and sincere love, looking to God’s glory as their main goal. By the Spirit they put to death the deeds of the body, and walk according to His Word.
Titus 3:8; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 10:31; Romans 8:4-14.
13th. That those who profess faith in Christ, and show it by their fruits, are the proper subjects of Baptism.
Matthew 3:8; 28:18-19.
14th. That this baptising is not by sprinkling, but immersing of the persons in the water, representing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:38,39.
15th. Those who are baptised in this way ought to gather and walk together, (as God shall give opportunity) in distinct churches. They ought to continue in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers, as fellow-Christians caring for one another, according to the will of God. All these ordinances of Christ are encouraged in His Church, being observed till His return, which we all ought diligently to wait for.
1 Corinthians 11:18a; 14:23a; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 12:25; Colossians 3:12-15; Matthew 24:44; Titus 2:13.
16th. That at the time appointed by the Lord, the dead bodies of all men, just and unjust, shall rise again out of their graves, that all may receive according to what they have done in their bodies, be it good or evil.
John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:10
17th.That after the coming Day of Judgement, the wicked will suffer eternal destruction, the wrath of the Lord, and eternal agony in the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his fallen angels.
2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 14:10; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:48; Revelation 21:8
18th. That after the coming Day of Judgment, God’s children will live forever in glorified bodies in the new heavens and a new earth. There will be no sin or suffering, but God’s people will be in the joyful presence of God for all eternity. They will see Christ, be like Christ and will reign with him forever.
1 Corinthians 15:42-54; Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; John 14:3; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:3-5