All Saints, Benington

'The Beonna at All Saints' in the Lincolnshire village of Benington is a 'community hub, venue and centre' meeting in a redundant parish church. This had closed in 2003, for want of congregations, presumably, and was ‘reborn in 2019 as it combines the splendour of a medieval church with the imposing renovations of the Victorians and the comforts and convenience of the 21st century.’

I approve. I would rather the community take control of it than have it left empty or turned into another mansion for the rich. It is interesting how the current website describes it as having been reborn, an expression used by Jesus the Christ to describe those who enter into saving faith in the Living God. In one respect, All Saints’ church experienced the opposite; having been consecrated for worship, it is now deconsecrated and put to secular use. I repeat, I approve of what has happened, and yet it also reminds me of many others who convert away from Christianity. My own theology says they were never truly saved to begin with; having forms of godliness, having tasted but never ingested, having sprouting a stem but never a root, these folk who become atheists, or Muslims, or JWs or agnostics never truly knew the Son of God who loved them.

That said, scripture has many warnings against falling away, against exchanging the wonder of the gospel for a false hope and false teachings. We must guard against our churches becoming consecrated to man's use rather than God’s, and we ourselves must guard against exchanging the word of God for a lie. All Saints was reborn, for all saints are reborn, but false saints are 'reborn', too.

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22

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