Resources
Welcome to our resources page. Here you can find downloadable booklets on how we view topics like membership, The appointing of elders and more.
Resources
Welcome to our resources page. Here you can find downloadable booklets on how we view topics like membership, The appointing of elders and more.
Our Mission Statement
"RBC seeks to exist as a loving Christian community working together to make disciples for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ".
We have been given a mission by God to go and make disciples. So what does that look like here in this community in the 21st century?
RBC Seeks To Exist:
As a Church - we are not called to go through life without purpose. As children of God we have a purpose because of the race that He has set before us (Heb 12:1-2)
As a loving Christian community - we cannot underestimate the profound difference it makes to take a hold of this and live it. If our message to a broken world is that there is a better way of life - Jesus - then that world is going to look at us and look at the alternative.
If all they see is a people that attend meetings and programmes then what they see is a club, but if they see a people who love one another, will do life together, that says something very different. When people see that, they are either offended because that is what the gospel does, or they will be attracted and drawn to Jesus.
To work together - We are called to labour for the gospel. Not in isolation but together like the city on a hill with lots of different lights shining with one purpose. Where there is unity, God commands His blessing. Community is to have a common unity.
To make disciples - this is the mission that God has called us to, to make disciples. God is a missional God, therefore the Church should be missional.
For the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ - We want something that is distinctively Christian. In today's society people have all sorts of ideas about God. It also says something of our motive - everything that we do we do to the glory of God.
Our Core Values
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Christ Exalting - In everything that we do, we seek to see God glorified. (1 Cor 10:31)
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Bible Rooted - We seek to ensure that all we do is inspired by the Word of God. (Tim 3:16)
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Spirit Led - We seek to ensure that all we do is inspired, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:16-18 & Rom 8:14)
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Gospel Driven - We seek to ensure that all we do is motivated and shaped by the gospel. (2 Cor 5:14).
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Ministering Together - We seek to be a community of believers that will sacrificially love one another and love the lost. (Mark 12:28-31 & John 13:35)
The Doctrinal Basis Of The Church Shall Be Summarised As Follows:
The divine inspiration and infallibility of Holy Scripture as originally given, and its sole authority in all matters of faith and conduct (see 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
The unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit eternally in the Godhead. (see John 17:3+21; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:19-22)
The full deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth and His real and sinless humanity. (see Matthew 1:18-25; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:16)
The sovereignty of God in redemption, creation, revelation and final judgment. (see Colossians 1:12-20)
The universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall, rendering Man subject to God's wrath and condemnation. (see Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:19+23; Romans 5:12; John 3:18+36)
Redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin and from the dominion of Satan, only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (as our representative and substitute). (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Peter 2:24)
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; John 20:11-31)
The necessity of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting him repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (see John 16:7-11; Acts 20:21)
The justification of the sinner solely by the grace of God and only through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (see Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8+9)
The indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit, producing His life, fruits and gifts in the life of the believer. (see Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22+23)
The expectation of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (see Acts 1:6-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
The eternal blessedness in heaven of the redeemed and the eternal punishment in hell of the unbelieving. (see Luke 16; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8)
The one holy universal Church, which is the Body of Christ, and to which all true believers belong. (see Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 4:4-6)
The baptism of believers only, as ordained by our Lord, practised by the apostles and taught in the New Testament. (see Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38)
Each local Church is called to be an autonomous (self-governing) "called out and gathered community" of regenerate believers living in fellowship with all other believers within the one Body of Christ and is thus sufficient under Christ for the ordering of its life in obedience to His will.
Our History
Redruth Baptist Church began when Opie Smith came to Redruth at Christmas 1801, hired a room in the town and held preaching meetings. By August 1802 four people were ready to be baptised by full immersion on profession of faith at Blowing House Bridge, near Carn Brea Hill. In the evening these four men were the first members of the newly constituted Baptist Church. The first man baptised was Malachi Hancock.
By 1866 the first building stood where the Town Café is in Baptist Court. It was described like this:- “Ebenezer Baptist Chapel is a neat, comfortable building, within a few yards of the market place. The minister is supported by a large society.”
Ebenezer (meaning “thus far the Lord has helped us”) is still the official name of the Church on the marriage registers.
The second and current church building was built on the junction of Falmouth Road and Station Hill. It cost £1367 and opened in 1877. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the famous Baptist minister of the time, paid the last £20 of the building debt out of his own pocket. The work at Redruth Baptist Church fluctuated, as Cornwall, in Spurgeon’s own words, “is hard ground for Baptists”.
A severe period of decline began in 1915 and lasted into 1965 when the Church could no longer afford its own minister, even for a time sharing a minister with Hayle Baptist Church (now the building used by the Roman Catholic Church).
A remarkable intervention then happened in 1967, which prevented the closure of the work. A local school teacher, called Ken Mullis, began to affect a number of young people spiritually at the local Grammar school and, with other older youth from The Loft, they came to the rescue. Soon baptisms took place again; there was a strong emphasis on biblical preaching and evangelism; real and sustained growth took place.
Now over 50 years later we have much to celebrate in all that God has been doing. With much emphasis still being placed on Christ centred bible teaching and evangelism we look forward with expectancy to all that God will do.
Deo Gloria!