Our Beliefs and Priorities

At St James we recognise the Bible as God’s word, so what we believe comes from its pages. It makes clear that we can have hope for this life and the next through Jesus Christ, who is revealed in the Bible as “the way, the truth, and the life”. He is the only way for us to know and be reconciled with God, which is the true purpose for which every person exists.

Estrangement and rebellion from God is as old as the human race itself, and is true of every person regardless of their background or moral character. It is a double tragedy: we not only miss out on the wonder of relationship with God, but we are guilty before him and deserve his judgement.

Because of his goodness and love, God has sent his Son into the world to be what we could not – a perfectly faithful human being – and yet to accept God’s judgement for our sin by dying on the cross in our place.

By turning from our resistence to God and trusting in the risen Jesus we can have forgiveness and reconciliation with God, and the expectation of eternal life.

To be Christian is to be part of the kingdom of God which begins with Jesus, includes all who follow him, and will be fully realised at Jesus’ return.

Along with Christians all around the world and over the past 2000 years, our understanding of the Bible’s message is summarised in the historic creeds (belief statements) of the church, and in an Anglican statement called ‘The 39 Articles’.

More about Christianity

Investigate what the Bible teaches about God, His Son Jesus and our need for a relationship with him.

Our Priorities


Much of what we believe and do at St James is similar to other Anglican or Bible-based churches in Sydney. But we have committed to a set of 3 specific priorities which shape our church life, our programmes and our use of resources.

Reach the Lost

Jesus summarised the reason for his coming into the world as ‘to seek and save the lost’. As his followers, our first priority as a church is to seek people who are ‘lost’ – estranged from God – and help them be ‘found’ by trusting Jesus and coming to know God as their father.

Disciple the Young

We live in a part of Sydney with lots of families, schools and young people. Recognising this reality about the community in which God has put us, we have made the task of helping young people from babies to school-leavers become and grow as disciples of Jesus.

Grow Believers

Becoming a Christian is not the end of Christ’s work in a person’s life. It’s more like the sprouting of a plant which experiences steady growth. Our third priority is to help Christians to continue to grow in their love, confidence and service of Jesus.