Preaching at Blessings Christian Church
this past Sunday evening reminded me once again of the miracle
happening at the corner of Locke Street and Stanley Ave. in the lower
city of Hamilton. Stanley Ave. Baptist Church (a church of the
Reformed persuasion although holding to believer baptism) was a
shrinking and struggling church. The members are getting old, some
even too old to attend services, and not many people were joining the
church. It was facing what many churches in Canada are up against,
declining membership. Many churches are closing. I learned recently
from a reliable source that the Anglican Church of Canada is in the
process of shutting down 50 parishes in the GTA.
 |
| Stanley Avenue Baptist Church, founded in 1889 |
The members of Stanley Ave., about
30-40 mostly old people, were praying that God would send a church to
“take them over.” Their pastor was retiring (he has since retired
and moved away from Hamilton) and the last thing they wanted to do
was to sell the building and see it demolished and replaced with a
condo tower.
Enter Blessings, a Canadian Reformed congregation! They had outgrown the
SDA building they were renting and, in the good providence of God,
happened upon Stanley Ave. After a series of meetings it was mutually
decided that Blessings would take over the Sunday services. Both
congregations attend the worship services which are completely under
the leadership of the Blessings elders and pastors. It was a great
blessing to meet some of the Stanley Ave. brothers and sisters this
past Sunday at the evening service. We should understand
that to attend both services on Sunday is not the custom of most
Canadian church-goers. One typically attends at 11 AM, “holy hour,”
and the rest of the day is filled with personal and family
endeavours.
 |
| A beautiful auditoreum |
Are there going to be any hiccups along
the way? Undoubtedly. But if everyone moves along in faith, and with
charity and compassion, the bumps will be successfully navigated.
We are living in a post-Christian
Canada. We need to know who our enemies are, and the Baptists are not
our enemies. Countless of our people listen to the online Baptist
preachers such as Alistair Begg, John MacArthur, John Piper, Albert
Mohler, Russell Moore.... Many of our people go to conferences that
include Reformed Baptists: Banner of Truth, TGC, Ligonier....
May the Lord bless Blessings Church,
and make it to be a blessing to Stanley Ave. Baptist Church and the
Kirkendall neighbourhood of Hamilton!
(See some further thoughts...)
(See some further thoughts...)
