Our history
Selkirk Baptist Church
Selkirk Baptist Church has been around for a while! We go back to 1880, when James Brown, a local blacksmith became our first pastor, with a congregation of 19 people!
Our denominational label, “Baptist,” goes back even further. It all started in Europe with the Reformation of the Church in the early 16th Century. Then the first Baptist Church in Britain took root in 1611. Today, we’re nearly 2500 Baptist Churches with 180,000 members.
If you would like to know a little more about Baptist churches, visit the Scottish Baptist Union website here.
Of course, a denominational label is nothing in comparison to our identity as followers of Jesus of Nazareth, through Whom we belong to our Heavenly Father, alongside brothers and sisters from the many other Church traditions in the Scottish Borders and beyond.
Selkirk Baptist Church has been around for a while! We go back to 1880, when James Brown, a local blacksmith became our first pastor, with a congregation of 19 people!
Our denominational label, “Baptist,” goes back even further. It all started in Europe with the Reformation of the Church in the early 16th Century. Then the first Baptist Church in Britain took root in 1611. Today, we’re nearly 2500 Baptist Churches with 180,000 members.
If you would like to know a little more about Baptist churches, visit the Scottish Baptist Union website here.
Of course, a denominational label is nothing in comparison to our identity as followers of Jesus of Nazareth, through Whom we belong to our Heavenly Father, alongside brothers and sisters from the many other Church traditions in the Scottish Borders and beyond.
Our Vision
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Know To know Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour |
Grow As a church, to grow up into mature faith in God |
Overflow To overflow with the Good News in service and evangelism |
Jesus told us to go out into all the world to make disciples…Jesus Followers! And that surely starts with room for our friends and neighbours to ask questions, to examine the experience of believers, to test God’s words, and explore faith until they can say they personally KNOW Jesus.
We at church recognise then, that if we are to introduce friends to Jesus, we must provide platforms or safe spaces for our neighbours to explore faith, without feeling pushed, judged or stupid. One such place must be Sunday morning services, accessible to friends seeking to connect with God.
If KNOWING is an early step along the path of following Jesus, then GROWING shortly follows: growing in relationship, understanding and maturity as believers experiencing God in our daily lives. To grow then, requires time together getting close to Jesus and learning from each other. Our Connect Groups provide that space to GROW.
If we are GROWING, our hearts are changing, filling up with Jesus’ love for our neighbour, which will OVERFLOW into Christian service in our homes and workplace, in our church family and our local community. We all have stories to tell about what Jesus means to us and what he has done for us. We take these stories with us wherever we meet with people in our community.
The Discipleship Pathway then, provides a map and direction of travel for everyone of us to engage in this most amazing calling, to go into the world and make disciples!
We at church recognise then, that if we are to introduce friends to Jesus, we must provide platforms or safe spaces for our neighbours to explore faith, without feeling pushed, judged or stupid. One such place must be Sunday morning services, accessible to friends seeking to connect with God.
If KNOWING is an early step along the path of following Jesus, then GROWING shortly follows: growing in relationship, understanding and maturity as believers experiencing God in our daily lives. To grow then, requires time together getting close to Jesus and learning from each other. Our Connect Groups provide that space to GROW.
If we are GROWING, our hearts are changing, filling up with Jesus’ love for our neighbour, which will OVERFLOW into Christian service in our homes and workplace, in our church family and our local community. We all have stories to tell about what Jesus means to us and what he has done for us. We take these stories with us wherever we meet with people in our community.
The Discipleship Pathway then, provides a map and direction of travel for everyone of us to engage in this most amazing calling, to go into the world and make disciples!
Our Pastor
Denisy & Jaaziel Soles
Since January 2026
Selkirk Baptist Church is blessed to be led by Pastor Jaaziel Soles. Originally from Brazil, Jaaziel graduated in theology with a specialism in Missiology, and has served in cross-cultural ministry as a missionary in Portugal from 2001 to 2003. In January 2016, Jaaziel and his wife, Denisy, made Scotland their home, settling first in Edinburgh, where Jaaziel spent several years as part of a volunteer team helping launch a new church in Haddington.
Sensing God's call back into full-time pastoral ministry, Jaaziel was warmly welcomed as Pastor of Selkirk Baptist Church, and inducted in December 2025.
Jaaziel and Denisy have two daughters, Jamilly and Hadassah. Jaaziel and Denisy are grateful to now call Selkirk home, and are passionate about connecting people to Jesus, one relationship at a time. When he's not preaching or visiting members of the congregation, you'll often find Jaaziel playing acoustic guitar, or curled up with a good book and a decent coffee.
Selkirk Baptist Church is blessed to be led by Pastor Jaaziel Soles. Originally from Brazil, Jaaziel graduated in theology with a specialism in Missiology, and has served in cross-cultural ministry as a missionary in Portugal from 2001 to 2003. In January 2016, Jaaziel and his wife, Denisy, made Scotland their home, settling first in Edinburgh, where Jaaziel spent several years as part of a volunteer team helping launch a new church in Haddington.
Sensing God's call back into full-time pastoral ministry, Jaaziel was warmly welcomed as Pastor of Selkirk Baptist Church, and inducted in December 2025.
Jaaziel and Denisy have two daughters, Jamilly and Hadassah. Jaaziel and Denisy are grateful to now call Selkirk home, and are passionate about connecting people to Jesus, one relationship at a time. When he's not preaching or visiting members of the congregation, you'll often find Jaaziel playing acoustic guitar, or curled up with a good book and a decent coffee.
Our leadership
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Since September 2020, we have been led by a leadership team. The current team comprises:
Laura Bell Alison Brown Andy Carter (Treasurer) Dougie Kennedy George MacKenzie (Secretary) David Neilson Christine Pettie Andrew Rollinson Jaaziel Soles (Pastor and Chairperson) The team comprises two complimentary groups, an Administration Team and a Pastoral Team. The Administration Team deal with issues relating to finance, property and administration, while the pastoral team focus on the Sunday worship, pastoral support and prayer. The two teams work together on issues such as strategic planning and discerning God's direction for the church. The Administrative Team include; Andy Carter David Neilson Christine Pettie The pastoral team comprises; Laura Bell Alison Brown Dougie Kennedy George MacKenzie Andrew Rollinson Jaaziel Soles (Pastor) Please continue to pray for us as we seek to serve God and build his kingdom here in Selkirk. |
Selkirk Baptist Church, 35 Back Row, Selkirk
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Our building
Selkirk Baptist Church owns a building at 35, Back Row, Selkirk. We meet here for Sunday Morning Worship (10:30) and evening prayers (19:00), as well as many of our regular mid-week meetings. Over the last year a small team of enthusiastic volunteers have transformed the gardens. We have also begun to renovate the building. The main hall has been redecorated and a new carpet and chairs have been ordered. There are a number of smaller changes that we are working on as we seek the building more suited to what we need as a church. |
