To my learned friends

 I wish to share a few thoughts with my learned friends concerning the situation at Hellier Street Gospel Hall.

I was shocked to find the hall silent when I first came in January and I have been attempting, with my very limited resources, to make up for a singular lack of praise and worship, sporadic teaching, and little to no encouragement although betimes assisted by my brethren. I sometimes wonder whether my regular speaking is resented, for reasons I cannot discern. I have no wish to clamber up to the platform or aggrandise myself in any way. I do enjoy speaking but also listening. 

I had hoped the direction, given indispositions and silencings, would be that of a general return to a more open style assembly in which the role of preacher is removed and all those present take it in turns to share thoughts and expound the Bible (only men for teaching) as they understand it, also from the front of the hall for clarity and for the acoustic comfort of all.

Evangelism also is absent: there is a sign on the church door stating “for believers”, but if we only admit believers how can we teach and share the Scriptures? As a man saved in later life I find that sign very offensive. I would never have come to Christ if there were only Hellier Street to attend because I would not have been admitted. I wonder what Scriptural authority has been jemmied into service to display such a heartless message.

The church is quite clearly on its last legs and has been teetering there since I arrived. It needs renewed vigour so changes must be made. The burden has been borne stoically by mainly one man over the years, which is not to detract from the important role played by all and some in particular, and it is clearly time to move on, so why not share the burden among all rather than calling in visiting preachers (sometimes at a cost)? We must read and praise, every man on his own terms. If there be differences of interpretation (as there must be) these shall not divide us as long as we keep our eyes on the cross. 

I have changed my theological position greatly since I first attended, but I am opposed to falling out over the niceties of doctrine and so I returned after my long hiatus, which I took because I had been tacitly disqualified from mentioning anything pertaining to Biblical cosmology. I still think this was unjust censorship but I hold no animosity. The same silencing has been imposed in most churches.

I have now come to reject the premillennial view of the end times and have instead embraced a more postmillennial or preterist outlook. Essentially I am looking to the future with blessed hope rather than quaking with fear. I know that I am saved by the blood of Christ and I feel very secure in my salvation so I don’t fear war, sword, famine, unjust and overbearing governments, climate change, pandemics, and the new world order. I fear the Lord, not Satan. Even in the very unlikely event that the Apocalypse should occur in our lifetime surely we should present ourselves ready and willing workers, busy building the kingdom of God rather moping and crying.  I would like to share these ideas in church and point to their scriptural support, allowing each to reach their own conclusions in friendship and acceptance, but I feel that I would be fighting against the tide. A rebuke from the platform even among so few is often swift in coming if a man veers even slightly from accepted dogma. Even our hymn writers  are chastised!

The church needs to open its doors to the local community, real flowers in the building, an open day. A welcoming Sunday. We have the truth, we have the Bible. But where is the heart and where the passion?

I have been very disappointed.

The church will not survive without a congregation. I have prayed over this in the assembly and without and more prayer is required. I am personally an unfit church member because of the distance involved, apart from my many personal inadequacies. I want to support a local church in my community, as it should be.

Hellier Street is in desperate need of joy, tuneful singing, flowers, incense, an organ or guitar? Why is the atmosphere always so dour?

There is also spiritual bondage at work in the heart of the church, and this matter must be addressed. Prayed over, and resolved. I am not the only member to have noticed that the body and blood of our saviour are eschewed and offended week after week without redress. Such grave matters must be remedied, and the Bible gives believers authority to act in cases of spiritual bondage and attachment.

Also, why are the women placed under a curse of silence based on a single verse of the Bible? It is unduly harsh to prevent a woman from uttering a prayer before God or from reading a Psalm. Silencing in the Bible is always a curse. Many scholars claim that Paul was speaking to a contingency in Corinth rather than silencing all women worldwide. He was a lawyer and a scribe, he uses language as an advocate, employing hyperbole, ridicule, satire. He requires careful interpretation and this matter is very important. The rise of women pastors and women in places of authority over men is absolutely unscriptural, but to silence them otherwise cannot be justified if the Bible is considered in its entirety, although such a practice will certainly help to keep an empty church empty. What incentive does a young woman have to attend if she is prohibited from open prayer or even so much as speaking a word?  

Now even the teaching she might have received (the sole justification) has been removed, and yet the silencing persists.

There is no animosity in my words. I like you all individually and have become very attached to you. But together, the thing that is being attempted is clearly not working, so the hand of the Lord is not with you. The hall could be let during the week, for example. This might bring non-believers into the church, can constitute a blessing, an occasion for witnessing, and also generate a small income stream.

I know there are practical matters to overcome, but surely they can be resolved. A local man could be paid a retainer to keep an eye on the building during events, thus establishing some kind of economic link with the community. Also the garden could be placed in the care of someone local as can odd jobs around the property, for the same reason: bringing the community into the church rather than standing empty and silent and then hosting eight or nine souls once a week. Of course the quality of workmanship may vary but it is the spirit that matters. What is the point of it? Without local members the church is dead. So surely it is better to simplify the requirements for entering, make the assemblies more appealing – especially for newcomers – e.g. by allowing women to speak, sharing encouraging messages in addition to woeful ones (which of course have their place, but with an empty church  it hardly matters), and so forth. If we still retain the Bible, progress has been made. I am not suggesting a departure from Scripture. Just a more flexible and joyful approach to the freedom we have in Christ. I would contribute more freely from my own limited funds if the monies were used in a more tangible and local manner. The Trinitarian Bible Society  and the Christian Institute have no need of our financial support. They have many wealthy benefactors already. I did object when I first attended, especially since the important statement of faith that appears on the Church website proudly removes the assembly from any interference of the church with state affairs, while this is in clear conflict with the practice of supporting an organisation that exerts pressure on the government to promote Christian values. My objection was heard and acknowledged but the practice continued and the statement has never been adjusted to reflect it, resulting in an act of wilful deception. The first of one of my many experiences at Hellier Street of being ignored.

I expect I shan’t return after having spoken so plainly – certainly not without an invitation. I never felt there was any incentive to share my views in church and every proposal I made was consistently rejected so I am quite sure that this rambling letter will follow the same path, but it seemed right to me to sound the alarm. If anyone cares to reply privately I will read and reply as fitting. My message is intended to goad into action rather than criticise, but it is necessarily critical at the same time, and the matter cannot be avoided. 

I will gladly attend services of course if people will still have me. We have broken bread together and are instructed to practice friendship, but one thing I do like to do with friends is to speak plainly when the time comes. I try to be diplomatic and usually fall at the first hurdle, but my intentions are friendly.