Everybody's Lane Church

Church Lane Evangelical Church in Stafford has somewhat playfully altered its name to ‘Church Lane Everybody's Church’ on its website. Its building was originally a Plymouth Brethren meeting room dating to 1839 and is built in a classical style, quite close to one of the town’s grand parish churches. As it has regular lady preachers, it is not somewhere I could call my own church but I guess that the sobriquet is an invitation to any who are looking for a church rather than a declaration that everybody must attend it or that every single person owns it. Ironically, assemblies of the Brethren are often prefixed by the word ‘exclusive’ with visitors being somewhat less than welcome.

The gospel is for all who are willing to receive it, and therefore, so is membership of the church, the body of believers. On the other hand, it excludes all those who exclude Jesus Christ, and eternally. The Bible can call Him Saviour of the world, while also teaching that He only saves those who respond to His call. 

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

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