About Us
Welcome to Olivet Deptford Baptist Church. Although Deptford is in the title of our church, it is actually located on the border with New Cross with our car park bordering New Cross Underground and main line railway stations.
Our congregation is made up of members from many parts of the world, including Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, Angola as well as members from Europe, including England, Ireland and we have a Welsh Pastor. We warmly welcome all visitors and we are known for our friendly and family atmosphere and new comers immediately feel very much at home on their first visit.
If you are new to the area, we are easy to find as we are on the corner of Edward Street and Arklow Road, opposite Deptford Green School and very near to the old St. Mark’s Church. Please see attached map of the area if in any doubt as to where we are.
Car parking space is available to the rear of the church.
Our History
THE HISTORY OF OLIVET
In May 2011, Olivet will be celebrating its 148th Church Anniversary. Way back in the 1860s, Deptford was classed as a very poor area, children roamed the streets, many had no schooling and certainly were not able to attend any Sunday School in order to learn about the Bible. Fortunately, the great spiritual man of that time, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, saw the great need for the people to learn about Jesus and for the young ones to be taught at a Sunday School. It didn’t need much persuasion on his part before a group of moneyed/business men put sufficient money together to have plans drawn up for a church and Sunday School. Charles Spurgeon was so intent on the children learning about the Bible that he made sure that the facilities for the Sunday School were built before the church itself.
The people of Deptford had a hunger to hear and learn about God and the church flourished.
Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the area of Deptford suffered from the bombing and this included Olivet, no direct hit but the building as well as the surrounding district, soon became a place where redevelopment was needed. Members from the church were relocated outside the area so the numbers in the congregation began to fall. Olivet was not left out concerning redevelopment and a Compulsory Purchase Order was put upon the church.
After much negotiation between the then Pastor and deacons, with the Council, the present site was agreed upon and the new Olivet Deptford Baptist Church was built and opened in December 1980.
The area of Deptford has changed and is still changing and much of the present rebuilding along the Thames bordering Deptford and Greenwich, has made the district quite expensive to live in, but no matter whether rich or poor, the Word of God still goes out each week from Olivet and other parts of Deptford each week to all who want to hear.
Our Motto
Our church motto for 2011:
“The Lord is high and mightier than the thunder of many waters” (Psalm 93 v 4)
Church Constitution
1. We believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit, and that these Three are One.
2. We believe in the Scriptures as the Word of God - His final
Revelation to man - and that they are the absolute authority
Upon all questions of Christian Doctrine, Faith and Practice.
3. We believe in the Baptism of Believers only, complete immersion;
And the observance of the Lord’s Supper at regular intervals.
4. We believe in the Personal return of our lord Jesus Christ, the
Security of Believers and the Eternal condemnation of unbelievers.