Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East)

Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East)
Abbreviation AGBC(SE)
Formation 1871 (as Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches (M.A.S.B.C.)
Legal status Registered charity[1]
Headquarters London
Location
  • 7 Arlington Way, London EC1R 1XA
Region served
London and South East England
AGBCSE Secretary
 Paul Spear
Website www.agbcse.org.uk

The Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East) (AGBC(SE)) is an association of churches in London and South East England.

As of 2016 there are 65 member churches in the association.[2] All the members of the association are independent Baptist churches of an evangelical persuasion.[2] All member churches with income of £100k or less are Excepted Charities.[3]

The association is a registered charity.[1] and is a corporate partner of Affinity.[4] As part of its work it provides advice and support for its members. It is also involved in lobbying the government on issues important to its members, through its membership of Churches' Legislation Advisory Service (CLAS).[5]

History

The Association was established in 1871 as the Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches (MASBC),[6] an association of 23 Strict Baptist churches. John Stevens, a Baptist minister in London, was noted for his influence in the formation of the association, which was motivated by concern to maintain clear Calvinist doctrines.[7]

The name "Strict" represented the position that the churches had on a strict or closed communion (also known at the Lord's Table), whereby the churches required all those taking part in this ordinance to be baptised by immersion.[8] The name "Strict" was, however, often misunderstood and gave the wrong impression to those outside of the churches, and so they later became known as "Grace Baptist" churches. This was reflected in the association's change of name to the current form.

As of 2016 there are 26 member churches in the association.[2]

Member churches

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Charity Commission. Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East), registered charity no. 276352.
  2. 1 2 3 "Our History". Association of Grace Baptist Churches (South East). Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Excepted Charities" (PDF). Church Charities. Charities Commission. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Corporate Members". Affinity. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Member of Churches' Legislation Advisory Service (CLAS)". Churches' Legislation Advisory Service (CLAS). Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Public Records". The National Archives. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Baptist churches in London" (PDF). Open University. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "History of UK Baptists". London Baptist Association. Retrieved 5 October 2016.

External links

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