Beliefs, Values and Lifestyle Statement

2. CONTAGIOUS CORE VALUES, STANDARDS AND QUALITY STATEMENT

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The following statement defines the core values and standards we expect at Contagious.  We ask all staff, teaching leaders and volunteers to commit to uphold and protect the quality of Contagious for our delegates.  

2.1 Quality Bible Teaching

Our Bible Teaching will stretch young people further than a typical youth/children’s work programme.    We seek through the truth of God’s word, to bless young people as they consider doctrines and concepts to fill them with awe and wonder about the nature of God and the power of the gospel.  We are not afraid of complicated or challenging parts of the Bible.  We often teach through whole books of the Bible and/or consider big doctrines across a biblical framework.  Our teaching will be accessible and engaging so that young minds can grasp big concepts.  Complicated doctrine is not watered down but broken down into digestible pieces. We will create resources to aid the teaching and encourage the listener to engage at a deeper level. Good Bible teaching will be clearly applied to the lives of young people.  Biblical truth is essential for a fulfilled, purposeful, and content life.  We will take the principles of scripture and apply them to the cultural realities of today.  Often biblical truth opposes popular culture and exposes the lies of our secular world.  We aim to speak truth plainly, sensitively, and pastorally.  In God’s power, we seek to help a generation stand firm for Jesus and the gospel in a world that desperately needs the hope and love that Christ offers.   Our primary method for teaching will always be preaching (Mark 1:38; 2 Tim 4:2) following the model of Christ.  We recognise that preaching is complimented with other learning styles that help the young people to engage, grow and change.  

2.2 Quality Training

Training is enormously important to accurately communicate our teaching points to our leaders so they in turn deliver quality teaching to young people.  We also train leaders in ministry skills that they can use to bless their local churches.  We seek to train leaders for Bible-centred youth ministry to serve at Contagious and back in their home churches.  Our teaching material demonstrates sound techniques of Bible exegesis and hermeneutics. We hope that youth leaders will develop further skills in bible handling and have the confidence that Bible teaching will transform the lives of young people.  Furthermore, as we teach the Bible and young people love it, it will inspire youth workers to continue good Bible centred ministry in their churches. 

Many roles and responsibilities make Contagious conferences happen and we are hugely grateful to such a committed, talented and creative group of leaders.  We value leaders in all positions and recognise the need to train the next generation to fill every position.

2.3 Safeguarding

We recognise the importance of our ministry to children, young people & vulnerable adults and our responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of all those entrusted to the care of Contagious.  Safeguarding is not just a modern world thing; it is rooted in the Bible.  Jesus is concerned for the weak and vulnerable who he loves and protects. He is the greatest example of love.  The church needs to be a community of grace, love and safety as those called to follow Jesus and love others as he does.  Safeguarding is what Christians do.  We are committed to safely recruiting adults to serve at Contagious by preparing, following and regularly reviewing policies and procedures to keep them up to date.  We access expert advice from Christian Safeguarding Services who advise on all safeguarding matters according to Christian principles, law and best practice. Safeguarding Policy

2.4 Christian Lifestyle and Conduct at Contagious 

Contagious staff and volunteers will seek to live for Christ by following his way, obeying his commands, acknowledging sin, living each day in repentance and faith according to His Word the Bible. They will firmly believe in, and live accordingly, to our statement of faith (see below).  This will look like regular Bible reading and prayer, participation in a local church and living to serve others rather than ourselves.  

All Contagious staff and volunteers will accept that the only appropriate place for a sexual relationship is within a marriage between one man and one woman.

A Christian’s life will be marked by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

At conferences our leaders will live out their faith in attitudes of humility, serving, being slow to anger and abounding in love.

Our leaders will be marked by their love for the Bible, their love for others made in His image, and their love for the work of sharing the gospel.  Our leaders will accept their biological sex and live according to the gender God has given them.

Whilst we recognise that as sinners we often fall short of this ideal, we believe that God’s grace and forgiveness are always available to those who repent. We nevertheless expect that all those serving at Contagious will affirm these principles and be committed to work towards achieving such a Christian lifestyle with God’s help. 

2.5 Quality Residential Venues

We seek to provide a residential experience that enhances delegates’ learning, fun and encourages community. Our residential venues should provide a comfortable, safe environment where the young people can hear, engage and learn from Bible teaching.  

2.6 Activities in an Enjoyable Community

Whilst our focus at Contagious is the Bible Teaching, it is hugely supported by the activities and entertainment programme. Our primary aim for the activities is to create a community of friendship and fun, where enjoyment is experienced with others and not at the expense of others. Activities are selected to provide group experiences rather than individual entertainment and we like to plan big activities that can involve the whole group. We also seek to encourage people to express their gifting in sport, music, creativity, or puzzling through a full programme of options to suit everyone. SUS leaders are encouraged to get involved in planning, participating, and enjoying activities, alongside young people to build friendships and community.  All activities will be assessed for risks and where necessary mitigating measures included to reduce the risks of harm.

2.7 Supervision and Care

Contagious is a place where young people should feel safe and be well cared for.  An environment where volunteers can thrive, try new opportunities and are richly blessed though serving. Contagious endeavours to provide excellent care for all delegates: 

2.7.1 Safe Recruitment

Suitable people will be recruited through an application process involving DBS/PVG (or equivalent) checks and two favourable references are required. All leaders will be appropriately supervised, accountable to one another and be able to carry out the tasks allocated to them.  

2.7.2 Communication

Contagious will work hard to communicate clear information to all delegates beforehand via email and our website so that they can feel confident and prepared for our conferences. TEAM and CREW will have the appropriate training delivered in relevant and engaging ways.

2.7.3 Supervision

SUS groups sizes will be 8-12 young people with at least 2 leaders, to ensure adequate supervision, manageable groups sizes for good discussion and ease for partaking in activities together.  Activities will have a minimum of two leaders up to 20 people then additional leader for every 10 delegates (or higher ratio’s should a risk assessment deem that necessary).  

2.7.4 Medical and Care

Medical Supervisors will be in place at every conference, overseeing young people’s medication and onsite illness, and supporting the TEAM and CREW. 

The health and fatigue of volunteers will be taken seriously, and opportunities for rest built into the programme and clearly explained. 

The roles of safeguarding officer and pastoral lead seek to protect and care for attendees during their stay.

The Care Team (including: Event Co-ordinator, Medical Supervisor, Safeguarding Officer, Pastoral Lead) are encouraged to meet together during conferences to support, review needs and concerns, share the workload and make action plans. 

2.7.5 Review

We will annually review volunteer and young people feedback and make improvements where necessary to ensure we provide excellent support.

2.8 Quality Assurance 

The Director, Trustees, Staff and Senior Leadership Team are responsible for monitoring the quality of the Contagious events.  If an activity, venue, meeting or any person is deemed to be operating below the quality expected for a Contagious conference, the Director or the Teaching Leader of a conference, under the authority of the Trustees, can and will act. 

Action could include:

• Stopping or preventing an activity from taking place.
• Requiring adjustments to be made to an activity.
• Closing or partially closing a site.
• Finishing a conference early or preventing it from going ahead.
• Removing a person from the conference.
• Preventing a person from leading an activity.
• Requiring changes to a programme or stopping a programme. 

If such action is needed an explanation will be provided to the Leaders of the conference and a report submitted to the Senior Leadership Team for review.  The objective in all circumstances is to maintain the quality of the ministry and activities of Contagious.  If anyone feels the action taken was unjust or disproportionate, we have a complaints procedure to follow via the website. 

3. Our statement of faith

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Contagious holds to the same Basis of Faith as the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and is committed to these truths of historic, biblical Christianity.

3.1 God

There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator; Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his Sovereign will for his own glory.

3.2 The Bible

God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.

3.3 Humanity

All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. God created us male and female, which is identified by our biological sex. Marriage is the exclusive union of one man and one woman and is a picture of the relationship between Christ and his bride the church. Sexual intimacy is a gift from God to be enjoyed only within the context of marriage.

3.4 The Fall

As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him.

3.5 The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father.

3.6 Salvation

Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is offered to all in the gospel. God in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.

3.7 The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.

3.8 The Church

The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.

3.9 Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been given to the churches by Christ as visible signs of the gospel. Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and entry into his Church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and wine. All its blessings are received by faith.

3.10 The Future

The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.