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Dunstable Baptist Church has existed since 1652 - not exactly a new church plant! This is really a story of revitalisation. To test the progress of a church revitalisation project, vital signs must be identified and examined. According to Barry King, pastor of Dunstable Baptist Church and General Secretary of GBP, those vital signs invariably relate to membership, leadership, and stewardship.
Barry began leading Dunstable Baptist’s revitalisation in January 2017, accepting an invitation to the pastorate later that year. The vital signs are improving. Of those presently in membership, 37% have joined the church over the last four years, six by baptism. With regard to leadership, four elders have been recognised, two serving full-time and one part-time on the pastoral team. Three deacons have been appointed, each of whom joined the church over the past four years. And what about stewardship? Surely that’s taken a hit, what with the pandemic and all? By God’s grace, regular giving actually increased 20% over the past year! So what has made the difference? Barry answers:
“Preaching and leading. Preaching should not simply be exegetical but expositional, not just feeding the mind but the heart and enlivening the will. After a lengthy interregnum of nine years, the church didn’t just need one person providing consecutive ministry, but truly pastoral preaching. Leadership has meant resetting the ministry mindset, so that things we do in the week are not just activities, but in fact ministries. We’ve also had to grasp the nettle of some complex pastoral issues, and taken strong positions on disciplinary matters. Some people have been removed from membership, which was painful but necessary. One church member put it this way: ‘I don’t always agree with them, but our leaders have broken our culture of indecisiveness. And that is a good thing.’”
The past year’s lockdowns have actually helped, forcing the church to do things differently than they ever would have chosen, removing vestiges of pride and stubborn routine. As the Scriptures are proclaimed, the church is encouraged to see a gathering built that is not just elderly but all ages, not just families but singles and single parents, and not just white British people but ethnically diverse, where everyone is maturing in Christ (cf. Colossians 1:28).
Churches at Linslade and Langdale have noticed what is happening, and approached the church in Dunstable for assistance, and Dunstable is drawing on their own learning and experience to help them. The fruit of this revitalisation will be seen then not only in the local church, but other churches being revitalised.
Pray for the continuing work of the Holy Spirit through faithful Bible ministry, transforming the church at Dunstable’s membership, leadership, and stewardship according to his will.
Pray for the church’s effective witness in the local community and the revitalisation of other churches that have sought help.
Pray for Barry King and Steve Burton as they pastor the church as he balances church responsibilities with responsibilities to GBP.
You can make a gift to Grace Baptist Partnership and the ongoing work of leadership training, church planting and revitalisation, using this link: Donate | Grace Baptist Partnership.
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