Other denominations and how we view the Bible

looking at bible

Sometimes people ask why other churches and denominations hold different views on things. It often boils down to what their starting point is, about the Bible. In our basis of faith we affirm that the Bible is “our supreme and sufficient authority for all we believe and do.” That’s our starting point. I want to explain what that means, where it comes from, and how it should play out for us.

A good place to go is 2 Timothy 3v16-17. Paul is writing to a church leader telling him that the one thing he must keep doing into the future is to preach the Bible. Reason? “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The Bible is supreme

God is supreme and has no rivals; and, Timothy is told, that Bible is God’s very word, and so it must be supreme and have no rivals. It isn’t just inspired or an inspirational book. If it were we could pick and choose and have a dialogue with it. But the Bible is “God breathed” literally “Spirited out/exhaled” by God. Humans wrote but in a unique way, “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1.21) so that every word is from God, with God’s authority. It needs reading carefully (considering genre, context, purpose etc.) but above all it needs reading humbly (Isaiah 66.2).

This will mean:

We should go to the bible first. As we open up a Bible, we’re humbly asking God to be involved, and saying “Lord you know best.”
We shouldn’t put anything else on a level with the Bible such as: our feelings, thoughts, wider reading, experience, church tradition.
If there is a clash we go with the Bible. We expect (because we all have a long way to go) to regularly find God “correcting” us.

This is what Jesus did. It’s what it means to be an “evangelical.” It’s why our church motto says we‘re a church that is “listening to the Bible.”

The Bible is sufficient

Timothy is told that he can be “thoroughly equipped for every good work,” through the Bible. What a relief that must have been for him in the changing times he lived. Having a Bible in his hand was like having a tool box for the Christian life, that God had generously stocked with every tool he would ever need.

That isn’t to say that God never speaks in other ways, or that we can’t benefit from wider reading, or experiences. But that we don’t need them. Scripture is enough.

It’s a comfort to me to know that the Bible is sufficient for our children and grandchildren. Our generation have had to dig in and find principles that apply to the internet, medical ethics, and gender. Who knows what they will need God’s wisdom for. But we know they can be “thoroughly equipped.” The Bible is sufficient for them.

In recent debates in various denominations about marriage two things are notable: 1) that the Bible is barely ever referred to, 2) it was assumed that the Bible wasn’t clear, didn’t have anything definitive to say, and that wider consultation was needed. So although the debates can sound complicated, it all boils down to how they view the Bible.

When I talk to Christians from other denominations I try not to bring up differences. That’s not my place. I try just to be encouraging. But if they ask why we do such and such I try to say “well our starting point is always the Bible.”

Barnaby, 18/07/2023

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Welcome...

Come and join us...

Hello, my name is Barnaby, and I am the Pastor here at Lancing Tab. The aim of this website is just to give you a flavour of who we are and what we're about as a church.

	We’re a church for the whole community in and around Lancing. Come as you are whatever doubts and questions you have.
	As a church family, we all face different challenges, but we believe the Bible’s message about Jesus’ love and rescue are what we most need.
	We meet at our building on North Road (next to the Co-op) at 10.30am each Sunday. It’s free and informal with tea, coffee, and kids’ groups.

Sat Nav Postcode BN15 9BB

Our address is:
105 North Road
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 9BB

There is limited street parking around the Tab. A public car park in North Farm Road is a two-minute walk. The charges for the cark park are £1 on Sundays.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets available.

Sundays...

Our 10:30am service is simple and informal and normally runs for just over an hour. People wear anything from T-shirts to suits. You are welcome to bring kids of any age.

We do the following:

Share news – because we’re a family.
Sing – because we love God.
Confess sin – because we don’t want to pretend, we’re anything but people in need of grace.
Look at the Bible – because that’s how we listen to God.
Pray – to ask God for his help.
We might have a baptism or take the Lord’s supper - to celebrate Jesus’ rescue.
We have coffee afterwards - to take real time together.

What about my kids?

We love having the noise of lively children – so don’t worry! They stay for the first 15 minutes of the service and then head to some excellent groups. (Link to Itab) Creche (0-3), 4-10s group, and 11-15s group. Older teens stay in the service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games, and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

More than a Sunday...

While Sundays are a fantastic way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our pastoral groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet during the week, some daytime, and some evenings.

	Kid’s club (£1 per child) Reception to year 6 Wednesday 6-7pm, term time Lots of fun. Bible stories. Hide and seek. Sports. Tuck shop!
	Toddler group (£1 entry) Wednesday 10-11.15am, term time. Toys, craft, and songs. A chance for parents to meet and chat and have a cup of coffee.
	Youth group (£1 entry) School years 7-11 Wednesday 7.30pm, term time. Lots of fun. Opportunities to ask questions about the Christian faith. Games, trips to the beach, camping and much more!
	Older people’s group Tuesday fortnightly, 10.30am. Hymns, prayer, Bible talk, coffee, and biscuits. A great place for friendship - all welcome.
	Cafe in the church 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 10am-12. Free coffee and cake. Kids toys. A friendly space.

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