history
"You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Holy Spirit."
Ephesians 2:19-22
Early Beginnings
The first Sunday service of what would later become Dennistoun Baptist Church was in the Temperance Hall, Stockwell Street, Glasgow on Sunday 22nd June, 1851. It was originally constituted as Trades Hall Baptist Church, on Sunday 24th August, with 62 members. The church moved from Glasgow City Centre to Dennistoun in 1908 and officially moved into a newly constructed church building on Meadowpark Street in 1909.
Growth and Decline
Dennistoun Baptist Church grew to a membership of 520 in 1935, the highest in its history. However in the 1950s in line with many other UK city churches, it began to see a steady decrease in numbers; from 405 in 1953 to only a handful by 2015. One of the most important reasons for this decline was a significant population movement from Glasgow into the surrounding new towns.
A New Location
With the church continuing to get smaller, the decision was made to sell the premises in 2000 and move into the current location on Finlay Drive, in 2001. The original members look back with thankfulness at how God blessed the congregation in different ways. At the same time they are fully aware of some difficult seasons over the years. In 1951 J.L. Walker wrote the centenary history of the church and gave it the unusual title, "Ill that He blesses" - God's goodness will rise out of our hardships. This is a helpful insight into the history of this church.
A New Beginning
We are reminded at this point at how it is that God leads His people. In October 2015 the door was opened for a small team from Calderwood Baptist Church in East Kilbride, led by the Rev. Mark Morris to replant Dennistoun Baptist. We have seen God reverse this steady decline, leading us into exciting new growth. The church has replanted Dennistoun and in the middle of establishing another location in Riddrie. We look forward to all that God is going to do in the future within Dennistoun and beyond as we are faithful to this discipleship and church planting call.
"We praise Him for all that is past,
and trust Him for all that's to come"