Baptists in the British Isles

OK, here's how I see the Baptists in the British Isles. The Baptist Union of Great Britain is a largely apostate, ecumenical union of churches, riddled with Charismatic error. The Baptist Union of Scotland is much the same. The Baptist Union of Ireland has less liberal influence than the other two, and ranges from broad new evangelical churches to would be fundamental churches, to one or two truly fundamental churches which are trying to extricate themselves from the Union. In the Republic of Ireland there are more IFB churches than Baptist Union Churches. Don't know much about the Baptist Union of Wales, but expect it is the same as its counterparts in England & Scotland. The Baptists in the British Isles are in a mess - much worse than Spurgeon could ever have anticipated in the Downgrade controversy, all I can say to any balanced IFB missionary candidates is "Come over . . . and help us." (Acts 16:9)

[ September 23, 2002, 05:21 AM: Message edited by: D Moore ]

 

D Moore, you have summed the situation up well! I never belonged to a church in the Baptist Union, so I can't really comment on it, although I only really heard bad things about it. I would never have attended the Baptist Union church in the town where I lived because it was charismatic and ecumenical. All the mainstream churches in the UK seem to have an obsession with ecumenical issues, which I think is essential for the European agenda.

In my last couple of years in the country I attended an evangelical church with "Reformed Baptist" as a suffix to its name. It only had about 20 members. Good full-gospel preaching churches are dying out in the UK, so you can imagine my surprise when I moved here and found 1000 people attending a Baptist church... and one that used the KJV at that! It certainly seems to be a different world over here in that respect.

 

I forgot to mention that I also attended some Gospel Standard strict baptist meetings for a while. I don't know if there is anybody on this board who attends these. They are quite an experience - very formal and silent (which gives a reverent atmosphere). They have closed communion and we felt like we had walked in on a private club. The people were really nice as soon as we got outside of the building though.

 

Warm Christian greetings!

My thanks to rlvaughan for pointing me to this thread.

I was converted in a Baptist Union church in Sheerness, Kent, England in 1975. The Pastor was a very godly man who preached the Gospel.

However, over the years the BU have become more and more liberal. Many of the good churches have left and joined what is called the "Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches" (FIEC). One church about 50 miles from me did this 10 years ago, it is called Rochester Baptist (that is Rochester in Kent, not Pennsylvania!). Most of the churches in the FIEC would be Baptist by persuasion, very few would baptise infants. My own church is aligned to the FIEC.

The leading college in the BU is "Spurgeons" but, although it claims to be Evangelical it has/had a principal who denies Eternal Punishment of the unsaved and denies Propitiation. There would probably be enough "Gospel" content in many BU churches for people who are really seeking the Lord to find Him, but they wouldn't get much teaching - if any.

The Gospel Standard is hyper calvinistic, that is they do not believe in the free offer of the Gospel; the "Strict" Baptist churches have largely changed their names to Grace Baptist. They believe in the 5 points of Calvinism but they also give out the free offer of the Gospel.

There are also a number of Independent Baptist churches who are not aligned to any group or denomination.

My apologies for a long post but I thought you might like some information from a "Brit".

Kind regards

Robert J Hutton

 

Thanks Robert. Is Spurgeon's college in South London? I think that is where my old church has their fellowship day. I didn't know that about the principal.

 

thanks to Rlvaughn for pointing out this page,and hello to Robert,we know Sheerness very well,we often go to Sheerness market on saturday,and visit Wellans for our garden ornimants,
I am not realy a baptist,5 years ago when I got saved i joined a church(charasmatic)and i may not fully agree with all that goes on,i dont wont to church hop,so i believe God has put us there,however some sunday evenings we do go to our local baptist church,some sundays i have to work.and we went to Israel with a baptist group,
we seem to be attracted to the baptist church.i only joined this site because it seems to give God the reverence,but sometimes we make our christian life complecated,when we talk of the ELECT or soul sleep,i am still on the stage that Jesus loves me,and at 52 i am saved,oh i have gone on a bit,sorry see yer. .

 

I have never "belonged" to anyone but Jesus, he has bought me with his own blood. I see no reason to give my self any other `label` . Denominations - what are they for? There is one God and one Saviour, and The Holy Spirit which comforteth us.

 

well said Gwyneth,thats what i tell folk the gospel message is simple,why complicate it,the reason i said i warm towards the baptise is because it gives reverance to God,after all church should not be a time of entertainment,we are praying and worshiping the living God,the person who made us,he deserves our respect,
even if you are WELSH, only joking,ha..
God bless you Gwyneth,love redrover

 

I belong to a grace baptist church, which is a little livlier than the gospel standard type.
there are quite a few solid grace baptist churches but taken as a proportion of the general church in england they are few.