North Curry Independent Baptist Church.
Who we are!
‘North Curry‘ is where we are but not really who we are! A few Christians from the village do worship with us, and we’d really love for more to join us, but most of the fellowship are drawn from in and around the Taunton area, with one or two from even farther afield.
‘Independent‘ just means we’re free of any national denominational oversight or from any external interference of any kind. We are governed by our membership. Who makes up the membership? Anyone who is a Christian in sympathy with the Statement of Faith and Church Constitution and who wants to make N.C.I.B.C. their spiritual home is invited and encouraged to come into membership. We are financed solely by the tithes and offerings of the congregation.
‘Baptist‘ lets people know that the normal practice of this church when a person believes on the Lord Jesus and is born again is to baptise them by full immersion. We have a wonderful baptistry for that very purpose and would love to see it filled more often! But you don’t have to be a ‘Baptist’ to fellowship with us here. The essentials for fellowship are laid out in the Statement of Faith and anyone of any denomination who can agree to that statement is welcomed equally as a brother or sister in Christ.
‘Church‘ – is not a building…It’s a people. The church at N.C.I.B.C. is a mixed bunch of believers with a variety of denominational backgrounds including: Brethren; Anglican; Methodist; Free Church; and Pentecostal and we all get along just fine because we consider it a happy privilege to humbly bear with one another in love.
As you might expect with such a mixed bunch, you’ll find a variety of doctrinal understandings on the ‘secondary’ issues not covered in the Statement of Faith. Some are persuaded the sign gifts have ceased whilst others are not. Some have a dispensational end time theology whilst others do not. Some are five-point Calvinists, and some are not. Some are undecided or unconcerned about such things, and still we all get along fine because what binds us together is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace not uniformity on every theological point.
We are a small congregation of about 30 people, but we are looking to the Lord for increase. Many of the fellowship are in their ‘senior’ years, but if the Lord allows we don’t want it to stay that way! All in the fellowship are prayerfully longing for the Lord to bless us with new people – anyone who loves the Lord and his people and has a heart to serve him in the gospel work would be a welcome addition, and with the future of the gospel witness here in mind, we are praying for younger Christians and families with children too.
That’s a brief summary of who we are at North Curry Independent Baptist Church. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch.