Kraaifontein is a Reformed Baptist Church in Cape Town.
About our logo
A logo explains something of the organisation to which it belongs, that has not yet been explained by the name of the organisation. In the case of Kraaifontein Baptist Church, our name tells us where we are situated (Kraaifontein), that we are Baptist, and that we are a Church. Our logo, therefore, must further define who we are and what we believe.
Our logo has two tulips growing out of a book, set in a stain glass effect, yet in a very modern format. What is the meaning of this?
Firstly, the two tulips define our theological position. We are Reformed Baptist (see What Are We?), and thus the acronym TULIP places us within the Reformed theological tradition.
Secondly, the book represents the Bible, and the significance of this is though we hold to a historic theological position, we believe that this tradition has grown out of the Bible and thus the doctrines have a strong biblical basis. The Bible is our foundation, or in other words, our ultimate source of authority.
Thirdly, the stain glass effect reminds us of tradition (see Our Confession). We believe that we stand upon the shoulders of those who preceded us, and therefore profess the same faith as those faithful believers who went before us. Fourthly, the modern effect is to remind us that we live in a particular historical context, and therefore our historic faith must be applicable to the context wherein we find ourselves.
Who are we?
Kraaifontein Baptist Church
We are situated in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa, in a rapidly growing suburb called Kraaifontein. We are a Reformed Baptist Church, as reflected in our logo: we hold to the doctrines of grace as expressed in the acronym TULIP.
A local church
We are a gathering of believers who meet regularly on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) under the faithful preaching of God’s Word, where the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are administered, and church discipline is lovingly applied. The local church, also called the visible church, is made up of both believers and unbelievers , and so the gospel must be central to the entire worship service:
in the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
within the petitions and prayers , and
in the proclamation of God’s Word
Part of a global church
Any local church is part of a larger global church, often referred to as the invisible church or bride of Christ. The global church is made up of all true believers across the world, from all ages past until Christ returns. The term often used of this group of believers in Scripture is the remnant. This concept is taken from the Old Testament and means that not all people who gather in a local body are necessarily true believers. Every local church, as mentioned above, is made up of believers and unbelievers, but the true believers from all parts of the world are part of a spiritual union with Christ that unites all of them together in one body, called “the body of Christ” or “bride of Christ” in the New Testament. This is the global church.
What are we?
We are Protestant
Being Protestant means that we believe that Scripture alone is the final authority for all faith and practice. It means that we are justified by faith alone through the grace of God alone in Christ alone, and can do nothing to add to our salvation through merit or good works. We believe that the whole life of the Christian must be devoted to the glory of God alone.
We are Reformed
Reformed churches are historically characterised by three distinctives:
They are confessional: they hold to a historic Reformed Confession which encapsulates the doctrines of grace summarised in the acronym TULIP.
They see that God’s salvation plan is covenantal: He deals with man on the basis of covenant.
Reformed churches are regulative in their worship: Scripture informs and shapes every part of the worship service.
We are Baptist
Baptists believe in:
The direct Lordship of Christ over every believer and over the local church;
The church as the whole company of those who have been redeemed by Jesus Christ and regenerated by the Holy Spirit; each local church being a part of the global church;
Believers’ Baptism as an act of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ and a sign of personal repentance, faith and regeneration;
Congregationalism. Each member has the privilege and responsibility of using his/her gifts and abilities to participate fully in the life of the church. God also gifts His church with Elders and Deacons. Elders primarily lead in a spirit of servanthood, equip and provide spiritual oversight. Deacons primarily facilitate the smooth running of the church in practical matters.
The priesthood of all believers, by which we understand that each Christian has direct access to God through Christ our High Priest, and shares with Him in His work of reconciliation.
Religious liberty: no individual should be coerced, by the State or by any secular, ecclesiastical or religious group, in matters of faith; and
Separation between church and state: in the providence of God, the two differ in their respective natures and functions.
We are confessing Evangelical
Traditionally, evangelicalism has been characterised by four main emphases:
Scripture as our source of authority;
The gospel (Jesus’ substitutionary life, death, resurrection, and ascension) as essential to the message of salvation;
A great emphasis on personal conversion, and
A passion for evangelism (hence the term evangelical).
Christians who agreed on these four basic elements were considered evangelical, and so would work together on mission and outreach initiatives, regardless of denominational differences. However, since all four of these elements have been redefined in our own day and lost their initial meaning, we find it necessary to add confessing to the term evangelical. This means that as a confessional church, we work together with other confessional churches in outreach initiatives, regardless of denominational differences.
