CSF Conference 2026 – Our second CSF Conference will take place (God willing) at 2.30pm on Saturday 13 June 2026 at Otley Baptist Church, Chapel Road, Otley, Suffolk IP6 9NU. There will be short presentations of the CSF work and a message by Jonathan Northern (Baldock).

The Church Support Fellowship is a group of experienced ministers sharing a deep concern for the spiritual state of reformed churches in the UK. With God’s help, we desire to support such churches with guidance, assistance, and encouragement in order to ‘strengthen the things that remain’. We also desire to support churches being established in other areas where no sound gospel witness exists and where Christ is not named. The need is very great, but our God is greater than the need. We wholly rely upon the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, absolutely necessary to the advancement of Christ’s Church in our day and generation.

The encouraging story of Florrie Walton .. By 1963 the work at Zion Strict Baptist Chapel in Hebden Bridge had been reduced to a single member, the sixty-six year old Florrie Walton.  For several years before that, she had been the only regular worshipper, the one other member being too unwell to attend.  Many people tried to persuade Florrie that the time had come for the chapel to close.  She, for her part, argued that God had enabled his people to build the chapel in 1881 and it was not for her to close it without some clear indication that that was God’s will .. Click link to read on

“Care of all the churches”
devotional Message by Malcolm Watts  – 2 Corinthians 11:28 

The Apostle’s words in verse 28 are noteworthy, touching on, and summing up, the reason for the existence of the Church Support Fellowship. For, at the end of this verse, Paul writes: “that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” The word ‘care’ often occurs in Scripture: sometimes it means ‘anxious care’ (as in Lk. 10:41 and Phil. 4:6), but at other times, as here in this verse, it means being mindful, thoughtful, and concerned (cf. 2 Cor. 7:12; Phil. 4:10).

Sadly, and all too often, believers can become self-orientated, focusing upon on their own needs and problems. Paul reminds us of this when he said, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” and, again “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s” (Phil. 2:4, 21). The psalmist once stated that he experienced this to his great distress. He wrote: “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Ps. 142:4). At that time, he felt isolated, and nobody cared for him. It is tragic when a believer feels like that, his sadness increased by the fact that the Lord’s people fail to show compassion and pity. However, such a one can always turn to the Lord, and say, “Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living” (Ps. 142:5). Yet true as that is, the fact remains that we still need the care and concern of others, the friendship and fellowship of those in God’s family.

In contrast to selfishness, our Lord Jesus Christ talked of the ‘good Samaritan’ who “took care” of the man who had been attacked and exhorted the innkeeper to “take care of him” (Luke 10:34,35). The Lord spoke well of this man, although a Samaritan, because he did what he could to help another who was in difficulty and distress. Similarly, the apostle Paul teaches us that we should feel and demonstrate spiritual and practical care for others. He himself had a genuine concern for the good of churches, and he could write to such churches, desiring that “our care for you in the sight of God might appear” (2 Cor. 7:12). Furthermore, he encouraged others to show empathy and sympathy to those outside their own personal and family domain, reminding Timothy, and other ministers, of the need to “take care of the church of God” (1 Tim. 3:5). And here, in the verse before us, he mentions “that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (v.28).

If someone doesn’t care, what sort of Christian is he or she? Our God cares: Scripture refers to the land (the promised land) as “a land which the Lord thy God careth for”, so that “the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year” (Deut. 11:12). Believers, whatever their state, may find great consolation here: “He careth for you” (1 Pet. 5;7).  Is it not an essential part of godliness to be caring, even as God is caring?

We are to pray after the manner of the Lord’s Prayer, which means that we should pray, feeling a concern for God’s people everywhere in this world: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

All this leads to asking ourselves three questions –

The first question is: Why should we care for the churches?

(1) Each local church is the throne of Christ’s kingdom; and by such churches He advances His cause (Ps. 2:6; Jer. 17:12; 1 Thess. 1:8). Surely, we should do everything we can to support and strengthen the means whereby He promotes His interests in this world. (2) God’s love and favour are towards these churches: “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” (Ps.87:2). We should also love these churches; and express our love for them in both spiritual and practical ways. (3) Those embodied together in churches are divinely chosen to be His, redeemed by the precious blood of His Son, and called by the blessed Holy Spirit into wonderful communion and fellowship with God (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13. Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 6:20. 2 Cor:13:14; 1 Jn. 1:3). These churches, so highly valued by God, should be reckoned most precious by us. (4) Believers in a church-state have the presence of the Lord with them. He is pleased to visit them, walk in their midst, and attend to their many and various needs (Ps. 9:11; 68:24; 132:13,14; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:22; Rev. 2:1). These churches are His palaces; and we should ensure that they lack nothing, so that they made worthy for Him. (5) It is in the churches that the Lord is praised and glorified. “In his temple doth everyone speak of his glory” (Ps. 29:9). As the apostle writes to one such church, “Unto him be glory in the church throughout all ages, world without end” (Eph. 3:21). If we would promote His glory, we must do everything in our power to look after His churches. (7) Just think for a moment. If His churches were removed, what a terrible loss that would be. Perish the very thought. Let us renew our efforts to care for these churches. The Church Support Fellowship was born out of a concern for them and it is the reason for its existence.

The second question is: What are these churches’ needs?

(1) In some churches, there may be a loss of vision and purpose. We need to help them see that God is with them and that a divine mandate has been delivered to them, so that they recover a sense of mission (Matt. 28:19,20). (2) Perhaps there has been a sad spiritual declension, resulting in a lack of desire and endeavour (Gal. 5:7; Rev. 2:4); in which case the remedy may lie in godly conversation, together with anointed preaching, which together may effect a spiritual recovery (Acts 14:21,22; Rom. 1:10-12; Gal. 6:1,2). (3) Over the years, disappointments of various kinds may have brought about a great discouragement; and, as a result, there is now in the church a tragic absence of hope and expectation. These may be best recovered by reminding members of the promises of God and what God has done in former days by means of divine visitation and revival (1 Sam. 23:16; Ps. 119:81; Acts 18:9-11). (4) Time may also have brought about the loss of sound doctrine, and perhaps the loss of a clear understanding of the gospel and the biblical way of presenting the gospel. This challenge will be met by biblical and doctrinal teaching, together with help in preparing and encouraging evangelistic outreach (2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 2:1. Lk. 4:14-21; 1 Cor. 9:16). (5) Numerical smallness and weakness may be a serious problem; and perhaps some churches stand in need of others visiting them and affording real practical help. As the Lord enables, we may be able to assist them (Acts 16:9).

The third question is: How can we help these churches?

(1) By enquiring about their state and listening sympathetically to their problems and challenges. (2) By praying for them, with love and concern. (3) Perhaps by offering appropriate counsel and advice, in a sensitive way. (4) By passing on to them the names of good, proven preachers. (5) Perhaps by offering practical help in some way such as with finance, documentation, setting up a church website, or even with respect to the building in which they meet or with outreach. 

This is the challenge. We need to examine our hearts. Do we have a godly concern? Does the will to care for the churches come upon us daily? Alas! so often we are parochial in our thoughts and endeavours, wholly taken up with the churches we attend or have pastoral charge. Our vision must be enlarged and become more general, reaching out to God’s people elsewhere, in the spirit of Isaiah 54:1-3: “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes”.

The Lord grant us such grace that we shall both feel and show due “care of all the churches”, and thus serve this, our own generation, by the will of God.