Our Commitment To Biblical & Confessional Association

We give thanks to God for our fourth association discussion meeting which was hosted by Christ Church Loughborough. On March 29th 15 men representing 9 churches met to continue to discuss the establishment of a national association of confessional Reformed Baptist churches. We thank God for the unity that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God, and moreover, the unity which we share in our common confession of faith. Please click below to see the schedule for the day, and a full report including a list of the churches involved.
We give thanks to God for our third discussion meeting held at Trinity Grace Church. On September 28th, 21 men, representing 12 different churches, gathered to discuss the establishment of a national association of confessional Baptist churches. It was an encouraging and fruitful day of discussion and fellowship, whereby we deliberated on nine topics which we hope will aid in the writing of a constitution for a future association of churches. May God be pleased to unite our churches together so that we might experience the peace, increase of love and mutual edification promised when we hold communion together according to the mind of Christ.
Dr. Robert Strivens is the pastor of Bradford on Avon Baptist Church and lecturer in Church History and Contemporary Studies at London Seminary. In this excellent article Dr. Strivens calls into question the isolationist and hyper-independent tendencies of many Baptist churches today and exhorts us to once again consider the inter-dependency of local independent churches. He exhorts us to reform our ecclesiology by emulating the example of the inter-church fellowship of our forefathers, based upon the apostolic example set forth in Scripture. Tracing the history of particular Baptist associations, Dr. Strivens helpfully lays out the theological principles that undergird biblical associations. Our forefathers believed it was their duty to hold communion together formally for defined purposes and for the good of the churches. Dr. Strivens gives a clarion call for the revival of formal inter-church relations, stating, “A lively reincarnation of such churches acting in association across Britain is, surely, greatly to be desired.” This article starts on page 24 of Reformation Today Magazine May-June 2018. See the link below.
On 29th June Trinity Grace Church hosted a second discussion meeting in Ramsbottom in order to consider the establishment of a national association of confessional Baptist churches. Over 25 men from 14 different churches gathered to pursue holding communion together. We were edified by lectures given by Dr Robert Oliver, Oliver Allmand-Smith and Josh Williamson. We give thanks to God for the unity and brotherly love expressed in this meeting, and for the desire to be united together under our common confession of faith for the sake of the gospel and the good of all of our churches.
Trinity Grace Church hosted our first discussion meeting in March 2021 to consider the establishment of an association of confessional Baptist churches. We were blessed with three lectures on the biblical, confessional and practical necessity of associations. We also enjoyed fruitful discussion deliberating on each topic and warm fellowship with like-minded brethren.
Trinity Grace Podcast exists for the edification of believers through the recovery of confessional Christianity. Attached are two episodes discussing the biblical and confessional necessity for associations. In order to recover our confessional heritage, we must recover associationalsim, where churches enjoy “mutual peace, love and edification” in communion together.