The TASTE Trustees believe that it is a fundamental principle that Christians must demonstrate their faith in practical ways.
The following from Sir Fred Catherwood sums up the views of the Trustees on this subject in a way which they could not better:
“Many Evangelical Christians believe that the only way to turn the country round is through religious revival with leaders like Wesley and Whitefield in the eighteenth century or Spurgeon in the nineteenth. The last great commandment of Christ was that it is a Christian’s duty to preach the gospel of salvation, the offer of God’s forgiveness for our rebellion. Eternal salvation matters more than anything in this life. But the society in which we live does not believe in sin, so it sees no need for salvation. It sees the church as, at best, a cosy club of like-minded people and, at worst, as a dangerous sect. Words alone are not enough.
Our teaching has to follow that of Christ and the Apostles, who taught that ‘faith without works is dead’. We have to show our faith by our works; we have to be concerned, as Christ was and the prophets before him, for the injustices and injuries of this world and do our best to put them right and to meet the pressing needs of the poor, disabled, deprived and the very young and very old, all who cannot help themselves.
So I do not believe that we will win this public argument unless words are backed by deeds and especially by obedience to the second great commandment, to love our neighbours as ourselves. Christ taught the people, but he also healed and fed them. Because he showed his love by his care for the needs which they felt most acutely, many were prepared to believe him when he told them of a spiritual need which they did not yet recognise and when, finally, he gave his life, thousands were converted. Christians have to follow Christ’s example”.
“At The Cutting Edge” pg 215, Sir Fred Catherwood (1996), Hodder & Stoughton
TASTE Trustees must each subscribe to the Basis of Faith set down in the TASTE Constitution.
TASTE basis of faith
Trustees are all bound by the following extract from our Trust Deed:
5.1 No person shall be appointed as a trustee:
(a) unless he or she has attained the age of 18 years; or
(b) in circumstances such that, had he or she already been a trustee, he or she would have been disqualified from office under the provisions of the following clause; or
(c) unless he or she subscribes to the fundamental truths of Christianity as revealed in the Holy Bible, including:
- The unity of the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
- The Sovereignty and Grace of God in creation, providence, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
- The full deity of Christ Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, His death on the cross, His resurrection and His present reign in Heaven and on Earth.
- The divine and plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the Holy Bible in its message and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
- The universal sinfulness and guilt of fallen man, rendering him subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
- Redemption from the guilt penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, as our Representative and Substitute.
- The justification of the sinner entirely by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus, our Mediator.
- The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in making the atoning work of Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting him repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.
- The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all those who are regenerate, producing in them Christ like character and behaviour and empowering them for effective witness in the world.
- The priesthood of all true believers who form the Universal Church, which is the Body of Christ and of which Christ is the Head.
- The second coming, in power and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.