What We Believe

At Matson Baptist Church we believe that God has spoken to us uniquely in his Son, Jesus Christ. This was the climax of God’s plan to break down the barrier that stands between us and Him. God loves us, but we have turned our back on Him. Jesus came, not only to make God’s love known, but to live a fully human life, to die a terrible death to deal with our rebellion, and to rise to a new life in which we can share. He calls us now to be his disciples and to join Him in establishing his rule.

Believer's Baptism

Library picture (2)

Believer’s baptism is a very special moment on the journey of faith. It is a moment when God's presence and blessing meets us, and when we make our personal commitment of faith in Jesus as Lord.

It signifies the end of our old life and of being born again to new life in Christ. Normally taking place by full immersion in water, it speaks of repentance and cleansing, of being united with Christ in his death and resurrection, and of witnessing to the call of God upon our lives.

Baptism is also about receiving God's Spirit for service in the church and in the world.

The vast majority of Christian churches affirm baptism as a moment when we receive God's gift and respond in faith, but not all practise believer's baptism. Many baptise those who are too young to make their own response of commitment to Christian discipleship, and so parents make promises on their behalf that are later 'confirmed' by the person themselves when they are of an age to do so.

Many Baptists will want to welcome and affirm those who have a different story to tell of how they have been baptised and come to faith, while still declaring our conviction that believer’s baptism is the pattern that is set out for us in scripture:

1 Jesus set an example: Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).

2 Jesus commands us: In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

3 The early church practised it: On the Day of Pentecost, Peter tells the people to “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38).

There are other examples of baptism throughout the book of Acts which suggests believer's baptism was an integral part of early church life.

Taken from The Baptist Union of Great Britain website
www.baptist.org.uk

Cross & Flowers

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello From Matson Baptist Church

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10 minutes early to ensure you find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop (use T setting) for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, bible readings, prayer and a talk given by one of our leaders or a guest speaker which is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. We then finish with a final worship song, a blessing or we say the Grace to one another. There is an opportunity to receive personal prayer after the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

Sunday School is back during the service with bible teaching, games and fun activities. The children join the rest of the Church family for the last part of the service where they can show everyone what they have learnt in Sunday School. Each child can feel part of the church family and know that they belong to Jesus.
For families with babies and younger children you are welcome to stay in church.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Bob Allen

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes
Bob