How is a Gospel Hall different from other Christian churches?

There are very many Gospel Halls throughout the world. Here are the main things that make us different from other types of church such as the CofE, Roman Catholic, Methodist and even some evangelical types of church.

1. Taking the Bible Seriously First, and most importantly, we take the contents of the Holy Bible to be (a) the authentic Word of God and (b) an account of events that actually took place: from the creation of the world through to the missionary work of Jesus and the early apostles.

Although some parts of the Holy Bible describe life that is very different from modern times, everything written in that book has lessons for us today in how we should live as Christians.

Consequently, a major priority here at Bensham Gospel is what we call "Gospel Always". Very simply, this is the desire we have, as local Christians, to bring the good news of eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to the population of our locality. Our burning ambition is to make the Lord Jesus Christ as widely known as possible.

2. Church as a Local Gathering of Believers The Gospel Hall movement, as such, began in the 1820s and was motivated by a great concern that Christian churches were not true to what Jesus Christ had originally intended. Gospel Halls are an attempt to go back to the purer form of Christ’s church in the days of the Bible.

Accordingly, each Gospel Hall is an independent ‘assembly’ of believers (or brethren). There are no bishops, archbishops, cardinals or popes. Instead, each Hall has a small number of ‘Elders’ who care for the spiritual health of the Hall’s members. And the roles played by professional paid clergy (vicars, priests or pastors) in other types of church are, in Gospel Halls, filled by people chosen from among the membership itself. And it is also very important to understand that the true head of each Gospel Hall is actually Jesus Christ himself.

Gospel Halls also distinguish themselves from other types of church in other ways:

  • they have ‘meetings’ (not ‘services’ or ‘mass’);

  • they refer to ‘the Lord’s Day’ (rather than ‘Sunday’);

  • they meet for ‘Breaking of Bread’ (rather than ‘communion’ or ‘Eucharist’).

3. Purity and Simplicity Gospel Halls - because they look to the Holy Bible for guidance on everything – regard many of the trappings of other churches as, quite simply, unbiblical and, therefore a diversion away from the true nature of Christianity. Consequently, in Gospel Halls, you will NOT see:

  • crosses, stained glass windows, or icons;

  • officials dressed in ecclesiastical robes or dog collars;

  • people performing ritual gestures such as making the sign of the cross

  • musical instruments being used to accompany the singing of hymns

    (except for the Sunday afternoon ‘Gospel’ meeting)


4. Conservative Christians Gospel Halls are explicitly, and joyously, conservative (ie. ‘traditional’) in their belief and in their values. The truth and wisdom contained in the Holy Bible is all we need as Christians. God and His Word are unchanging and unchangeable. It must not be added to, or reduced, or re-interpreted according to the new values and practices of modern society.

The members of Gospel Halls conduct their lives – within and without the church – in a spirit of holy ‘lovingkindness’. But as for their Christian ‘duties’, the way they live their lives as Christians and the evil of sin, these are taken most seriously.

Whilst a dress code is never imposed, and often people will attend dressed casually, no one would arrive at a meeting dressed immodestly. And some members, opt to wear their ‘Sunday best’ on the Lord’s Day.

Finally, the duties of saying public prayer and of giving sermons are carried out only by men while women follow the spiritual instruction of wearing an head covering during worship.

5. Meetings at Bensham Gospel Hall

Although our meetings might seem somewhat informal when compared with other types of church, there is a structure that we always follow:

  • We will sit quietly for a time in holy contemplation;

  • During which various members will – if and when they are so moved - stand to pray out loud and/or to request that we sing a particular hymn;

  • Later a sermon will be delivered by one of those members deemed to possess this special gift and this is an opportunity for all to hear about the Gospel;

  • At the end, there is a time for fellowship, involving informal chat over tea/coffee and biscuits.


6. Money

We never ask for cash donations from people attending a meeting. The modest expenses incurred by the Hall are met solely by the members (ie. the people who - on becoming regular attendees and who have been baptised - are invited formally to join the assembly).