Westminster Chapel
Encyclopedia
Westminster Chapel is an evangelical
church that has been based in central London
since 1840. Situated in Buckingham Gate, just 200 yards (182.9 m) from Buckingham Palace
and just off Victoria Street, the chapel has long been a popular place of worship for Evangelical Christians. The current building, seating around 1500, was opened on 6 July 1865. The church was founded by Congregationalists, and was pastored by the late Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
from 1939 to 1968. During the Lloyd-Jones pastorate, the church resigned from the Congregational Union and became instead a member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches
.
Subsequently, the church was pastored by Bible
teacher RT Kendall (1977 – 2002), and currently Greg Haslam is minister, having previously been the pastor of Winchester Family Church, a Newfrontiers
church.
(1904–1917 and 1933–1943), Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones
(1939–1968) and Dr RT Kendall (1977–2002).
in its beliefs. Services incorporate a time of worship
, including opportunities for prophecies
, and a sermon
, biblical in its manner and usually preached by the senior pastor Greg Haslam.
Westminster Chapel aims to be a prophetic voice to London
, the UK and the nations. It recently issued a "Mission, Vision, Values" brochure, stating that the church would be Spirit-led, prophetic, and be increasingly mission-minded. The church
aims to be a family and open to all who may want to visit. Sunday services are at 11am and 5.30pm, and a student group 20:20 Vision runs on Wednesdays from 7pm.
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
church that has been based in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since 1840. Situated in Buckingham Gate, just 200 yards (182.9 m) from Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
and just off Victoria Street, the chapel has long been a popular place of worship for Evangelical Christians. The current building, seating around 1500, was opened on 6 July 1865. The church was founded by Congregationalists, and was pastored by the late Dr D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
from 1939 to 1968. During the Lloyd-Jones pastorate, the church resigned from the Congregational Union and became instead a member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches
Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches
The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches is a network of over 500 independent, evangelical churches mainly in the United Kingdom that preach an evangelical faith...
.
Subsequently, the church was pastored by Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
teacher RT Kendall (1977 – 2002), and currently Greg Haslam is minister, having previously been the pastor of Winchester Family Church, a Newfrontiers
Newfrontiers
Newfrontiers is a neocharismatic apostolic ministry network of evangelical, charismatic churches founded by Terry Virgo. It forms part of the British New Church Movement, which began in the late 50s and 60s combining features of Pentecostalism with British evangelicalism...
church.
Origins
The Chapel's own website summarises the origins:"In 1840 the area where Westminster Chapel now stands was relatively undeveloped. Since that time the area has improved considerably and historic attractions such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey bring millions of tourists to the area each year."Prior to the arrival of Greg Haslam in 2002, Westminster Chapel had four particularly well-known pastors: the Rev'd Samuel Martin (1842–1878), Dr G. Campbell Morgan
G. Campbell Morgan
Reverend Doctor George Campbell Morgan D.D. was a British evangelist, preacher and a leading Bible scholar...
(1904–1917 and 1933–1943), Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
(1939–1968) and Dr RT Kendall (1977–2002).
Activities
The church is evangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
in its beliefs. Services incorporate a time of worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
, including opportunities for prophecies
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
, and a sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
, biblical in its manner and usually preached by the senior pastor Greg Haslam.
Westminster Chapel aims to be a prophetic voice to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the UK and the nations. It recently issued a "Mission, Vision, Values" brochure, stating that the church would be Spirit-led, prophetic, and be increasingly mission-minded. The church
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
aims to be a family and open to all who may want to visit. Sunday services are at 11am and 5.30pm, and a student group 20:20 Vision runs on Wednesdays from 7pm.
Pastors
- (1842-1878) Rev'd Samuel Martin BA (helped by Mr Simon for the last two years of his pastorate)
- (1876-1887) Rev'd Henry Simon
- (1887-1894) No settled ministry
- (1894-1895) Rev'd W Evans Hurndall MA
- (1896-1902) Rev'd Richard Westrope
- (1902-1904) No settled ministry
- (1904-1917) Rev'd Dr G Campbell Morgan DD
- (1904-1907) Rev'd Albert Swift (co-pastor with Dr Campbell Morgan)
- (1918-1922) Rev'd Dr J H Jowett CH MA DD
- (1923-1925) Rev'd Dr John Hutton MA DD
- (1926-1927) No settled ministry
- (1928-1933) Rev'd Dr Hubert Simpson MA DD
- (1933-1943) Rev'd Dr G Campbell Morgan DD (Associate Minister for one year with Dr Simpson)
- (1939-1968) Rev'd Dr D Martyn Lloyd-JonesMartyn Lloyd-JonesDavid Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
MD MRCP (Associate Minister with Dr Morgan until August 1943) - (1969-1974) Rev'd J Glyn Owen BA BD DD
- (1974-1976) No settled ministry
- (1977-2002) Rev'd Dr R T Kendall AB MA MDiv D Phil (Oxon)
- (2002- ) Rev'd Greg Haslam