Bierton Strict And Particular Baptists

This new publication by Bierton Particular Baptist, in the UK , is written in an autobiography style telling of the life and times of David Clarke, who’s former years were that of a young criminal. He, at the age of 17, and his older brother Michael, were sent to prison, in 1967,  for malicious wounding and carrying a firearm without license.  

David became a Christian, in 1970 and sought to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and turned his back on his criminal past and sinful way of life. He sought the help Christian friends who directed him to the bible through which he learned to read, in order to educate himself   as he was virtually, and went on to study classical Christian literature. After one year he confessed to the police to 24 crimes that he had committed since leaving Dover borstal, in 1968.

 He Joined Bierton Strict and  Particular Baptists, in 1976, which became a Gospel Standard listed church, on 16th January 1981. He went on to Higher Education qualifying with a Cert. Ed awarded by Birmingham University, in 1978 an went on to lecture in Colleges of Higher  and Further Education, for over 20 years

 He was called by the lord and sent by the church to preach the gospel, in 1982.

The first part of this story, ‘Bierton Strict and Particular Baptists’, tells of his early life and conversion to Christ and like Augustine and William Huntington  leaves nothing out, in order to show the mercy of God in saving a sinner such as himself.   

David knew he had experienced the new birth and sought to learn all he could about the Lord Jesus Christ. He soon realised the doctrines of grace were taught in the bible, and appreciated the writings of Dr John Gill, Martin Luther, John Bunyan and many others.

As  a minister he  taught that salvation was only to be found only in the Lord Jesus Christ , that the forgiveness of sins was through the atoning blood of Christ, Justification was by faith alone in Christ and through the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. He taught God was sovereign and predestined all things for His own glory.

The second part of this book tells of ‘The Bierton Crisis’, that tells of those difficulties he experienced in the church, from those who were religious and ignorant of gospel truth. He goes on to  tell sadly, of his  secession from the Bierton church, in 1984, at which time he wrote his first book, The Bierton Crisis,  which was published privately and circulated to all concerned, with a view to help and direct others with similar problems. This was David’s defence of Particular Redemption. 

 This new book is written in a similar style to his recently published book, Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, which clearly demonstrates that leadership in church should be male and after a review was a recommended book by the British Christian Times. In this it was said, ‘it is written in a forthright English style  to the point of being unconventional with a long appeal to scripture as being the final word on such matters.

This book Bierton Strict and Particular Baptists, Including, ‘The Bierton Crisis’, which is written in a  similar style and treats issues that many fear to approach. He deals with controversial  issues such as no offers of grace, Fullerism, and the Law of Moses not rule of life for the believer. 

David tells of him coming to a full knowledge of the person and deity of the Lord Christ,  the way of salvation, justification by faith and by the imputation of Christ righteousness, which are the doctrines of grace.

 To David’s dismay sadness and  disappointment  the church lapsed into error teaching and encouraged children to sing hymns  that taught general redemption,  contrary their articles of religion. 

He also discovered that strange views regarding the communion table were held. It was claimed that the table was to be reverenced and that the Law of Moses was the rule of life for the believer,  and not the gospel of the lord Jesus Christ. All of which were contrary to the article of religion of their church. 

David Seceded from the church, over matters of conscience, in 1984,  and the second part of this book, The Bierton Crisis deals, in detail, with those serious doctrinal issues. 

Sadly those issues were never resolve by the church and their chapel was closed for worship, in 2002 after the last member died. The chapel was later sold as a domestic dwelling, in 2006.

David remains the sole remaining member of the Bierton church due to their strict rules of membership as the church never terminated his membership. He lives  to testify to these things. This book tells the whole story.

The book is available, in full colour, or Black and white, from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk