Barnoldswick Baptist: Blessing upon your Barn

Submitted by Alan Marsden on Tue, 06/11/2018 - 07:00

This building doesn’t look special. It’s now a just converted home, and rather pleasant it is, too. It was originally an old barn, a perfectly useful building, but again, not particularly noteworthy. Yet it was here in 1689 that the Baptists of Barnoldswick registered as their place of worship. It makes it the oldest baptist building in Yorkshire and the second oldest ‘church building’ in Barnoldswick, junior only to Ghyll Church.

Some might think it strange that they worshiped in a barn. For years they had been persecuted and probably met in secret. When some religious liberty was allowed, the barn was probably the best they could afford. And maybe this was fitting- the One whom they sought to worship was born in a stable.

The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Deuteronomy 28:8