THANK YOU for taking time out to find out a little more about us. We could easily save you some reading time and simply say that Edmonton Baptist Chapel is an Evangelical Reformed Baptist church. End of the “about” section. Is that enough? No it isn’t, not in the United Kingdom at least. Due to the perplexing variety and differences between churches these days even a Basis of Faith doesn’t necessarily mean much in practice, let alone the once defining and descriptive terms such as we have used in the second sentence. Important words long associated with a particular stand or constituency have now become very broad in their meaning. They are now used by people in such a way that they no longer present and convey a definite and clear statement of belief and practice. Even though we describe ourselves as being Evangelical, Reformed and Baptist we must now include more information in the form of negative statements simply because all three words have been high-jacked by unscrupulous people. Such people are keen to employ such words, even though historically and etymologically the words do not describe their doctrinal beliefs and ways of worship. So, as a consequence, we have to add other descriptive terms like non-charismatic, non-ecumenical, non-modern worship forms (including the use of hymn/song books that are from, or contain compositions from those who are involved with, or sympathetic to the new forms and styles of worship – e.g. Mission Praise, Living Waters, Praise, etc., etc.). You have to stop somewhere but we are simply trying to illustrate that the abandonment of the old paths, and therefore the resulting declension in many churches, necessitates now such an attached list of “nons” rather than just two or three words that once would have incorporated all the negatives, while presenting a clear and positive statement of belief and practice.

When it comes to the matter of Bible versions we prefer, and use, the NKJV as our chapel Bible. This is not the place for listing arguments for and against different versions, though we do not share the view that all versions are equally as good and an accurate translation of the original languages. While our churches, Pastors, and individual believers are not without fault in this, there may well be good reason to believe that a connection exists between the deplorable state of Christendom in general, and evangelicalism in particular, and the confusion over, and the use of, certain versions of the Bible (and song books) that have been adopted by the churches over the past 40-50 years.