ReformedMandalorian: Created page with "{{Infobox_church | image = New Park Street Baptist.jpg | theological_tradition = Reformed Baptist | church_location = Southwark, London, United Kingdom | website = [https://MetropolitanTabernacle MetropolitanTabernacle.org] }} The '''New Park Street Chapel''' was a Reformed Baptist church in Southwark in London built in 1833. The fellowship began worshipping together in 1650. Its first pastor was William Rider, and many notable others have fi..."

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Created page with "{{Infobox_church | image = New Park Street Baptist.jpg | theological_tradition = Reformed Baptist | church_location = Southwark, London, United Kingdom | website = [https://MetropolitanTabernacle MetropolitanTabernacle.org] }} The '''New Park Street Chapel''' was a Reformed Baptist church in Southwark in London built in 1833. The fellowship began worshipping together in 1650. Its first pastor was William Rider, and many notable others have fi..."

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{{Infobox_church
| image = New Park Street Baptist.jpg
| theological_tradition = [[Reformed Baptist]]
| church_location = [[Southwark]], [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| website = [https://MetropolitanTabernacle MetropolitanTabernacle.org]
}}

The '''New Park Street Chapel''' was a [[Reformed Baptist]] church in [[Southwark]] in [[London]] built in 1833. The fellowship began worshipping together in 1650. Its first pastor was William Rider, and many notable others have filled the position since, including [[Benjamin Keach]], [[John Gill (theologian)|Dr. John Gill]], Dr. [[John Rippon]], and [[Charles Spurgeon|C. H. Spurgeon]]. In 1861, the church moved to [[Elephant and Castle]] and was renamed [[Metropolitan Tabernacle]].

==History==
From 1650, when the English Parliament banned independent Christian organisations from meeting together, this congregation braved persecution until 1688, when the Baptists were once again allowed to worship in freedom. At this point, the group built their first chapel, in the [[Tower Bridge]] area.

In 1720, [[John Gill (theologian)|Dr. John Gill]] became pastor and served for 51 years. In 1773, Dr. [[John Rippon]] became pastor and served for 63 years. During these times, the church experienced great growth and became one of the largest congregations in the country. The congregation moved to New Park Street from the Baptist meeting-house in Carter Lane, [[Tooley Street]] in 1833. The New Park Street chapel could seat 1200 people.

In 1854, [[Charles Haddon Spurgeon]] became pastor, and he quickly became the most popular British preacher of his day. The church soon became so full that services had to be held in hired halls such as the [[Surrey Music Hall]].

During Spurgeon's ministry, it was decided that the church should be expanded to accommodate the overflowing crowds who sat in window sills and lined up outside. In 1856 the expansion removed the wall behind the pulpit and allowed for about 200 more seats. As this was still not enough room the elders decided to move permanently to a larger premises. The location chosen was the Elephant & Castle, a very prominent location near the [[River Thames]] in [[South London]], partly because it was thought to be the site of the burning of the [[List of Protestant martyrs of the English Reformation|Southwark Martyr]]s. The church was finished in 1861, renamed [[Metropolitan Tabernacle]], and dedicated on March 18.

==Pastors both past & present==
[[Image:New Park Street 1889.jpg|thumb|410px|right|New Park Street Chapel after Spurgeon's expansion]]
*William Rider, c. 1653 – c. 1665 (12 yrs)
*[[Benjamin Keach]], 1668–1704 (36 yrs)
*Benjamin Stinton, 1704–18 (14 yrs)
*[[John Gill (theologian)|Dr. John Gill]], 1720–71 (51 yrs)
*Dr. [[John Rippon]], 1773–1836 (63 years)
*[[Joseph Angus]], 1837–39 (2 yrs)
*James Smith, 1841–50 (8½ yrs)
*William Walters, 1851–53 (2 yrs)
*[[Charles Spurgeon]], 1854–92 (38 yrs)
*[[Arthur Tappan Pierson]] 1891–93
*[[Thomas Spurgeon]], 1893–1908 (15 yrs)
*[[Archibald G. Brown]], 1908–11 (3 yrs)
*[[Amzi Dixon|Dr. Amzi Clarence Dixon]], 1911–19 (8 years)
*Harry Tydeman Chilvers, 1919–35 (15½ yrs)
*Dr. W Graham Scroggie, 1938–43 (5 yrs)
*W G Channon, 1944–49 (5 yrs)
*Gerald B Griffiths, 1951–54 (3 yrs)
*Eric W Hayden, 1956–62 (6 yrs)
*Dennis Pascoe 1963–69 (6 yrs)
*Dr. [[Peter Masters]], 1970–present

==External links==
*[http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/ Metropolitan Tabernacle official site]
*[http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/?page=history History page on official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041603/http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/?page=history |date=24 January 2019 }}

{{Churches in Southwark}}



[[Category:Churches completed in 1833]]
[[Category:19th-century church buildings in England]]
[[Category:Former Baptist churches in England]]
[[Category:Churches in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Former buildings and structures in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:1650 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in the 1650s]]
[[Category:17th-century Protestant churches]]

New Park Street Chapel - Revision history