Dagnall Street Baptist Church

24/06/2026

I remember preaching a lot in my early twenties in St Paul’s Baptist Church in Bristol. Becoming accepted by their incredibly warm congregation was such a joy, even though I was not officially a part of the church. This was ten years after the race riots, but the scars ran deep. As well as speaking in services, I found myself spending time with people listening deeply. It was in that loving congregation that someone first called me Pastor, though I had no training or official calling to that role. I can still remember the moment, feeling humbled, incredibly loved and about ten feet tall.

I’ve been listening deeply to people recently; it’s an amazing privilege when someone opens up about the thing that makes their heart ache, about something that troubles them, what makes them afraid, causes them to grieve, or even makes them angry.

This slow, non-judgemental listening requires a willingness to learn, to tread lightly, and the self-awareness to realise that my own contradictions and failings outweigh those that are vulnerably laid bare before me. The unspoken but ever-present realisation that the person before me is made in the image of God and is precious and honoured in his sight draws me in. As I listen, the conversation shifts, almost imperceptibly, towards the holy ground of people’s most intimate struggles and wrestling with God, and I listen with the same heartfelt awe as I did all those years ago. To be a Pastor is a precious gift, one of the most precious gifts life can bring.

15/06/2026

Did You Know ?

It’s become fashionable for people who have no faith to describe themselves as Cultural Christians.

What this means in reality is that they are pandering to what has been incorrectly labelled as Christian Nationalism. Christain Nationalism is an oxymoron because Jesus spent most of his time with people Jesus’ national religion claimed were unclean or unacceptable. Jesus rejected nationalism in both his teaching and. His actions.

When someone says I am a cultural Christian, they are using coded language to say I’m anti-immigrant, anti-other religions. I want society to go back to how it used to be before immigration.

There are multiple problems with this kind of attempt to appeal to this fearful intolerance.

Firstly, the idea that immigration is a recent thing is nonsense. My DNA was analysed recently. Although I am white and born in the UK, my DNA contains significant elements of Italian, Dutch, German, Ukrainian, Greek and Scandinavian ancestry. My DNA gives the lie to the idea of British ethnicity, or that immigration to these islands is a recent thing. My DNA shows that we have been trading with, invaded by and interacting intimately with people from other nations and cultures since the Bronze Age.

Another problem with the idea of being a cultural Christian is that cultural Christian Dailyns don’t exist. There’s one thing and one thing only that makes someone a Christian: a personal decision to believe in the resurrection of Jesus and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Being born in this country does not make anyone a Christian. A nostalgic desire for an imagined past that never existed does not make anyone a Christian.

Some of the rioters in Belfast and Southampton have talked about “Protecting our women.” Inferring that violence against women is coming predominantly from different cultures or ethnicities. But Police analysis of the data of protesters arrested for violence shows that one in five of them have previous convictions for domestic violence. In the general population, the proportion of convictions for domestic violence is one in every 1263 people, meaning that the violent protestors are 252.6 times more likely to have been convicted for domestic violence than the general population, including ethnic minorities.

When talking about the last judgment, Jesus tells a story about a person surprised to be admitted into heaven who says,

And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.

If you want to be a Christian, if you want to get into heaven, believe in Jesus and follow Jesus’ teaching, which includes welcoming the stranger in our midst.

Rev Mark.

16/05/2026

07/04/2026

Lovely to have a full church with new people who are returning, “You made it such fun we are coming back.” By God’s grace and mercy we are experiencing gentle growth.

The platform set up for today’s services with no more room for any more musicians. Fantastic to have brass, a contemporary music group, and some truely lovely unaccompanied four part harmony singing this morning. Thank you to all our musicians, sound and AV technicians, cooks who provided a lovely breakfast, Sunday school staff, flower arrangers, and readers Church Secretary and Deacons, those who prepared Holy Communion and everyone who contributed. The end of Holy Week feels like breaking the tape at the end of a marathon. Thank you to everyone who has kindly and generously travelled the journey with me and made it possible, The Central London Fellowship Band of the Salvation Army, the Dean and Chapter of St Albans Cathedral and wonderful vergers and volunteers. Peter Berners-Lee of Churches Together in St Albans and the wonderful St Albans Clergy and friends from the City churches. One holy, catholic and apostolic Church in many forms and places working together to serve the Kingdom of God.

06/04/2026

HE HAS RISEN

Actor Jonathan Roumie, known for portraying Jesus in The Chosen, shared a powerful Ash Wednesday reflection: “Ashes remind us that without God we are nothing, but with Him we are redeemed.”

02/04/2026

https://www.dsbc.org.uk/Articles/736443/Easter_Services.aspx

31/03/2026

It was a great joy and privilege to be able, (together with our Deacons) to pray for David and Vera Pinheiro our church supported YWAM leadership team missionaries during this morning’s service as they prepare for a time of sabbatical leave and mission work. I’m delighted with a growing partnership and working relationship with them, and other wonderful folk from the YWAM Harpenden campus
Rev. Mark Welch

30/03/2026

Our minister the Rev. Mark Welch preaching on how to handle anger

19/03/2026

Important information for all churches who employ staff
As of 6 April 2026, 3 new changes come into force for all employees. Churches will want to check their policies and practices as well as talking to their staff.
For more information and a handy guide visit 👉 https://ow.ly/II0a50Yv8lA

03/03/2026

Healing the wounds of Trauma by accredited facilitators.