Who are we?
Welcome!
We are simply a group of people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ our Lord for salvation. This salvation was required because, in common with everybody else, we are sinners in the sight of God (Rom 3:23) and can do nothing of ourselves to merit God’s favour. However Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Eternal God, became a man and gave His life on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for our sin. It is through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we have salvation and fellowship again with God. We do not belong to any ‘organisation’ or ‘denomination’. We believe that each local church, or assembly, is a fully independent body accountable to God. There are like-minded churches in the area and throughout the country and worldwide but each is fully independent, shepherded by a group of elders who are responsible only to God for this activity. Please view the links below for other local Gospel Hall’s websites: |
What do we believe?
Find below what we believe at Spencer Bridge Road Gospel Hall
The Bible, the best selling book in history, is God’s written revelation to man. The New Testament with 27 books and the Old Testament with 39 books, combine to make a library of 66 books. It is the complete Word of God to mankind and is fully inspired by God without error in the original manuscripts.
(See 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21).
Moved by the Holy Spirit, around 40 different men with their individual personalities and styles of writing, composed and recorded God’s Word for man. Some were fishermen, others kings, prophets, shepherds and doctors.
The Bible is our absolute standard, having absolute authority and completely sufficient in all matters of faith and doctrine.
(See Romans 10:17, 15:4, Psalm 1:1-3, 119:105, Hebrews 4:12).
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, on equality with the Father and the Holy Spirit, possesses all the divine excellencies, and is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (John 10:30, 14:9).
In becoming a man, He accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity yet without any trace of sin, being born of a virgin in Bethlehem. His purpose in coming? He had come to earth to reveal God to mankind and save men and women from their sins (Philippians 2:5-8, 1 Tim 1:15).
On the cross of Calvary, through the shedding of His own precious blood and sacrificial death, we believe that everyone who places their trust in Him is freed from the punishment and the power of sin, and is given eternal life and adopted into the family of God (1 Peter 2:24, Romans 5:8).
After His death, he was taken down and laid in a new tomb from which, three days later, he rose from the dead! Now ascended back in to Heaven, God has highly exalted Him and some day Jesus Christ will return to receive the church unto Himself at the rapture (Romans 4:25, 1 Cor 15:3-4, Acts 1: 9-11).
In a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth when He will establish His kingdom for 1000 years and be King of Kings. As the mediator between God and men, He will also be the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Saviour at the great white throne (Acts 17:30-31, Matthew 25:31-46).
In the beginning, on the sixth day of creation, man was created by God in His own image and likeness, created free of sin with intelligence and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25, James 3:9).
God created mankind so that the people of this world would glorify Him and enjoy His fellowship (Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 43:7, Revelation 4:11).
However, as a result of Adam’s sin of disobedience, mankind lost his innocence and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death – becoming subject to the wrath of God. Through Adam’s sin, sin has passed down to all men and women. All mankind are sinners by nature, by choice and by divine declaration.
Man is hopelessly lost in his own efforts to deal with this problem of sin. It is only by the grace of God through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that mankind can have their sins forgiven (Romans 3:23, 4:25 5:12, 6:23, 1 John 1:8, Acts 13: 38).
God’s desire is that none will perish but that all mankind would be saved from eternal punishment, freed from the power of sin and brought in to the family of God (1 Timothy 2:4, Acts 17:30)
Sin has destroyed our world but more than that it has brought with it terrible consequences for mankind. The Bible teaches that the penalty for sin is death. All men and women, regardless of race, gender and age, are born in to this world with a sinful nature: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. We need our sins forgiven or we can never be in Heaven when we die.
No amount of effort will ever be able to take away this internal problem of sin. The Bible says we are “without strength”. Good works, charity, money, goodness, a priest, confession and religious activities will never forgive sins (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God’s desire for mankind is that all men will be saved, therefore God sent His sinless, perfect Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Saviour of the world. God wounded and punished Him on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world so men and women could have their sins forgiven (Isaiah 53, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 Tim 1:15).
The Bible clearly teaches that sins forgiven and eternal security can only come through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19, 16:30-31, John 6:37).
The very first verse in the Bible tells us: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
In just six literal days God created the vast expanse of the universe, the land, seas, mountains, animals and humans. Oceans, land, towering mountains and fast flowing rivers all came into being because God spoke. From the highest mountain peak to the little worm, He made it all and after creating mankind in His own image, God looked at His vast creation and declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:1-31, Acts 17: 24).
As the Creator, He not only designed and created it, He continually sustains and perfectly controls it (Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, Psalm 19:1).
God had made a world created without flaw, decay, death or sin. His desire in this world for mankind was that they would enjoy His fellowship and presence (Psalm 8:3-4, Isaiah 43:7).
We believe that after a person places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ they are immediately placed into one united spiritual body, the church, of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18).
On the Day of Pentecost, the church began and we believe that the church will be completed when Christ returns to the air for His own at the rapture (Acts 2:1-21, 1 Cor 15:51-52).
The purpose of this united church is to glorify God, by building itself up in the faith, by instruction of the Word, by fellowship, by keeping the ordinances and spreading the gospel to the entire world (Ephesians 3:21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Luke 22:19, Mark 16:15) .
Following the New Testament pattern for the local church, we believe that the Lord’s Supper (Breaking of Bread) is the commemoration and proclamation of the Lord Jesus’ death until He comes. The emblems of bread and wine used are only representative of the body and blood of Christ; this weekly event, is in accordance with Scripture, signifying the greatness of His person and the work He has accomplished (1 Cor 11:23-25, Luke 22:19-20).
The Hall
Testimonies of Salvation written by Christians from Spencer Bridge Road Gospel Hall
Our History
In 1962 a number of believers in fellowship at Duke Street Gospel Hall, after a period of prayerful consideration, commenced a Gospel witness in the Community Centre, Tintern Avenue, on the Spencer Estate. Their aim was to establish a work for God towards the western side of Northampton in fellowship with the assembly at Duke Street.
On 11th November 1962 the work commenced in the Community Centre with a Sunday School and Gospel Service and this evangelical witness continued for the next three years. During this time it became clear that there was good potential for the establishment of an independent local church, and after much prayer and consultation with the elders at Duke Street it was agreed that the Lord was leading them to this end. In October 1965, 21 believers left the fellowship at Duke Street to form the new Tintern Avenue Christian Assembly. A schedule of meetings was arranged, subject to the limited availability of the Community Centre. Every Sunday morning the believers met to remember the Lord in the Breaking of Bread, a Sunday School took place in the afternoon and a Gospel Service in the evening. A weeknight Prayer and Bible Teaching meeting was held in believers’ homes.
A monthly Bible Teaching meeting took place in the Community Centre, and at the first of these the elders of Duke Street Assembly publicly expressed their full fellowship with the believers at Tintern Avenue. In addition to these meetings, Gospel Tracts were distributed in the area on a weekly basis.
As the assembly prospered and numbers increased the believers were constantly looking for more permanent accommodation and eventually the St. James Church Institute came on the market in June 1978. The building was dilapidated but the assembly decided to take up the challenge of renovating it and by the end of the year the Institute had been purchased.
After much work, most of which was carried out by volunteers, a Praise and Prayer meeting was held upstairs on 23rd March 1979, followed by the first Sunday services on 25th March. Meetings continued to take place upstairs for almost two years while the ground floor renovations took place. The building has proved to be eminently suitable for the purposes of the assembly gatherings and various outreach works and the believers praise God for providing this in such a wonderful way.
After nearly 60 years, very few founder members are still in the fellowship but new generations are carrying on work for God as He continues to bless and enable.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Acts 4:12 – The Bible
An Explanation of Our Meetings
Please see 'This Week' for full, up to date, details.
Breaking of Bread
At 10.30am every Sunday, we gather to break bread “in remembrance” of the Lord Jesus according to the teaching of Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor 11:23-26. The meeting is for worship and hymn singing before members partake of the bread and wine. The meeting closes with the Word of God being read and explained. All are welcome to observe this meeting, we would love to see you.
Gospel Meeting
Every Sunday at 12.15pm the Gospel message is preached in the main hall. On the second Sunday of each month there is a hot lunch served after this meeting – check “This Week” for details
Sunday Evening Bible Teaching
At 6.30pm every Sunday evening, we enjoy Bible teaching on a variety of subjects. Full details can be seen on our “Events” page.
Tuesday Evening Bible Teaching and Prayer
On Tuesdays, at 7.30pm, we meet for prayer and Bible teaching. This can be from the platform or in the form of a conversational Bible reading. All are welcome to this meeting – details can be seen on our “Events” page.
Saturday Ministry
On the 4th Saturday of each month there is Bible teaching at 7.30 until 8.30pm on a variety of passages and subjects. Speakers from around the UK visit us on these occasions. Full details can be seen on our “Events” page.
Events
Meetings Upcoming
Audio Library
Explore over 1,100 sermons
The Gospel
Listen to Messages and Series
Social Media
Our Facebook Page