Broadway Baptist Church
Minister’s Page
Minister's Letter | Who are the Baptists? | Church History
One of the most famous characters in the Bible is Jeremiah. He is sometimes called “the weeping prophet” because his message was often not a very cheerful one. He wrote to his fellow Israelites who had experienced defeat in battle and the shattering of all their hopes and dreams. “Do not give in to despair or hatred of your enemies”, he said, “for God still has good plans for you”.
Coping with disappointment and failure is never easy. But things are rarely as bleak as they seem, and often God is most powerfully at work when things seem at their darkest. In the end, the Israelites’ experience of defeat helped them face the future and deepened their understanding of God. Looking back on my own life, it has often been the most difficult experiences that have taught me most.
God calls us to have patience and hope in the face of trouble, and not to allow our spirits to be defeated by apparent disaster. As King David said in his famous 23rd Psalm, God is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death, and he prepares a banquet for us even when we are surrounded by our enemies.
May God give us the patience and hope we need for the disappointments we face.
With best wishes from the minister,
Peter Shepherd
Baptists are part of the whole Christian Church and share its basic beliefs. They are made up of several different groups in most countries of the world, united by a conviction that baptism is only for people who have a Christian faith. For this reason they do not baptize (christen) babies. Baptist churches are self-governing and vary in the way they do things, working together through Associations and Unions. Most Baptist churches in
At the time of the Reformation in the 1500’s, many Christians began to think differently about their faith and the Baptists were one of the movements that emerged at that time. They were regarded as radical and sometimes dangerous, especially because of their commitment to religious freedom. The various Baptist groups in existence throughout the world today date their origin to congregations in
Peter is holding a special short series of weekly Bible study and discussion groups on Thursday evenings at the manse, looking, among other things, at baptism and church membership. These will start on 12th June, 7.30 – 8.30pm.
Contact Peter if you would like to know more about Believers' Baptism or Church Membership or if you would like to join in the groups.
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Our church began in 1791 when nine people were baptized in the river Derwent and formed themselves into a Baptist church. In 1802 the first church building was opened on
In 1939 the St Mary’s Gate building was sold, and soon afterwards demolished. A new building was erected on Broadway, then in a growing residential area at the edge of the town.
As with most churches, Broadway Baptist experienced a decline of membership during the twentieth century, but is still an active church with several organisations for young and older people and a dynamic witness in the area. It belongs to the East Midlands Baptist Association and Allestree Churches Together.
Office Address:
166 Broadway
DERBY
DE22 1BP