Grace Baptist Church is a Christian fellowship located in Kimberley, South Africa (Latitude: 28°42’7.22″S; Longitude: 24°44’50.26″E). Our fellowship had its beginning in January 1974 as an Evangelical Alliance Mission church plant. Around 1978, we withdrew from the EBC association and were an independent church for a short while, until we sought membership with the Baptist Union of South Africa. The name Grace Baptist church was adopted when membership to the Baptist Union of South Africa was acquired in 1984.
Our Journey
Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, secundum verbum Dei—the church reformed, always reforming, according to the Word of God.
Since 2012 Grace Baptist Church has embraced the doctrines of grace, which necessitated much reform in our church life. We have not been content with a mere correct understanding of reformed theology, but we have embarked on our own reformation. Reforming our evangelism (getting the gospel right), reforming our preaching (unto magnifying the majesty of God’s monergistic work in salvation), reforming our worship (to be more God-centred, proclaiming biblical salvation) and reforming our church practice (revising our church constitution, statement of faith, and recognising members through the “right hand of fellowship,” whom Christ places in his body). By the grace of God, our own reformation has been a sincere truth-seeking endeavour, marked by an openness to self-examine, to be corrected and to live correctly.
Our Unique Tapestry
Although we are a fellowship of individuals and families from diverse denominational backgrounds (EBC, Pentecostal and Charismatic), we nevertheless are brought together by our reformed theological convictions. Hence, we are not traditionally Baptist (in the postmodern sense), but we are distinctly Particular Baptist by conviction. Being fresh from the barren theological deserts of synergism and man-centredness, we are eager to reach our nominal, Pentecostal and Charismatic brothers.
We now exist for the good pleasure of God’s will and to the praise of his glorious grace. Our biblical mandate and privilege is to preach the biblical gospel in Kimberley, South Africa and among the nations beyond our borders.
Our goals are to:
- preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19);
- be a fellowship that nurtures and cares for believers unto Christlikeness (Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 4:11–16);
- work in partnership (Philippians 1:5) with Baptist churches in Kimberley and the Northern Cape to advance church reform and plant new churches of like persuasion (2 Timothy 2:2).
We are confessional, Particular Baptists. We hold to adult believer baptism (by full immersion) following a credible confession of faith as the only biblically acceptable way to administer the ordinance of baptism as commanded by our Lord in his Great Commission.
We are Reformed. As Particular Baptists, we hold to the Calvinistic understanding that Jesus died only for the elect, and died to actually secure their salvation (i.e. particular atonement).
We teach the doctrines of grace. We teach total depravity—that man is corrupt in every facet of his being. We teach unconditional election—that God chooses to make certain individuals the objects of his unmerited favour. We teach limited atonement—that Christ’s sacrificial death was sufficient for all but applied, with intent, only to the elect. We teach irresistible grace—that salvation is an act of God, and whatever God decrees to happen will inevitably come to pass. We teach the perseverance of the saints—that our salvation is secured by God.
Church Name: Grace Baptist Church
Country: South Africa
Region: Northern Cape
City: Kimberly
Physical Address:
Corner of Natasha Street & Riverton Road
Homestead, Kimberley, 8301
South Africa
Elders
Collin Baartman
Earl Damons
Church Office Email: gracebaptist.kbly.sa@gmail.com
Church Website: http://www.gracebaptistkimberley.weebly.com