About Us
Find more about who we are
Yardley Baptist Church
Also known as YBC
We are a church that seeks to be rooted in the local community, wanting to see everyone become all that they can be, through encountering Christ and His Kingdom. Our aim is to be ‘A community deeply rooted in authentic Christian discipleship, branching out to embody and share God’s radical love for the whole world.’
The church supports many charitable organisations such as BMS World Mission, Tearfund, Christian Aid, SAT-7, The Leprosy Mission, Slavic Gospel Association and Birmingham City Mission amongst others.
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Leadership
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Our History
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Verse of the Year
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Our Vision for This Season
Our focus is to be a people who are being transformed by God. As we follow Jesus together, we believe He is renewing our minds, shaping our character, and changing the way we live.
We are learning what it means to trust God more deeply, listen to His Word, and walk closely with Him in everyday life.
As this transformation takes place in us, we pray it will overflow into our church family, our local community, and the wider world around us.
What's a Baptist?
Declaration of Principle
Yardley Baptist Church is in membership with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and holds to its declaration of Principle.
That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is the sole and absolute authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and that each Church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His laws.
That Christian Baptism is the immersion in water into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of those who have professed repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who ‘died for our sins according to the Scriptures; was buried, and rose again the third day’.
That it is the duty of every disciple to bear personal witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.
Common Baptist Beliefs
Every Baptist church is independent and autonomous so beliefs may vary
The Lordship of Christ
Baptists affirm that ‘Jesus is Lord’. He is Lord over our individual lives, the life of each church, and the life of the whole world.
The Authority of the Bible
The Bible is described as the ‘Word of God’ because Baptists believe that its writers were inspired by God’s Spirit. As such, it has authority to guide both what we believe and how we live our lives.
Baptism for Believers
From the example of the New Testament, Baptists claim that baptism is for those who believe and able to declare that Jesus is Lord. As a symbol of Jesus’ claim on our lives, baptism by immersion is practised, representing a desire to die to self and to live for Christ.
A Believers Church
Baptists understand the church as a community of believers gathered in the name of Jesus Christ for worship, witness and service. There is no set Baptist liturgy. Each local church and community is free to determine its own pattern, though prayer and praise, listening and reflecting on scripture, and sharing Holy Communion will always be central.
The Priesthood of All Believers
Baptists believe that everyone that attends a Baptist church has a role to play and can use their God-given skills and talents for the good of the church and the community. These gifts include teaching, evangelism, social action, pastoral care, prayer, healing, taking part in worship, administration or hospitality.
Church Members and Church Meetings
When someone is baptised in a Baptist church, they are usually invited to become a church member.
Church members share responsibility for the life of the church. Together, we pray, listen, and seek to understand God’s direction for our shared life. We believe that final decisions are not made by the minister, deacons, or any wider organisation, but by the church family meeting together and seeking God’s guidance.
In these church meetings, members take part in key decisions such as appointing ministers and leaders, and agreeing how the church’s finances and mission are directed.
Interdependence
Baptists believe that churches should not live in isolation from one another but rather be inter-dependent. Our Baptist churches are linked regionally, nationally and internationally for support and fellowship.
Sharing the Faith
Baptists believe that each Christian has a duty to share their faith with others. We recognise that mission is not just evangelism, but also includes promoting justice, social welfare, healing, education and peace in the world.
Religious Freedom
Religious freedom for all has always been a keystone of Baptist understanding. Acceptance of differences of outlook and diversity of practice is encouraged within Baptist churches, as well as in our wider world.
Verse of The Year
“Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 12:2
At Yardley Baptist Church we take a verse from the Bible as a theme and focus for the year ahead. For 2026 our verse is Romans 12:2. With the key focus on the phrase ‘Be transformed’ that will underpin our focus throughout the year ahead.
This builds on the verses we’ve thought about over the past couple of years:
~ 2024 ~
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”.
– Psalm 119:105 NLT
~ 2025 ~
“Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace”.
– Matthew 11:29 MSG
As we walk closely with God along the path illuminated by His word this leads to our transformation – personally and as a church family that we pray will lead to transformation in our local community and the wider world.
