Introduction
I am thankful for this opportunity to share with you some initial impressions in observing and reflecting on what the Holy Spirit is doing among our union of churches in this land of Scotland, as I embark on the ministry of seeking to advise and encourage pastors and congregations in mission and ministry. In order to gain an overview, I am undertaking an initial visitation around our churches and pastoral leaders, a process that I seek to complete within the next three years. The scope of ministry assigned to me in the office of Mission and Ministry Advisor is a privileged one, attempting to build on some of the excellent work undertaken by both Andy Scarcliffe and Andrew Rollinson, embracing both ideological and dynamic dimensions. I begin with some ideological comments and then proceed to rehearse present and developing dynamics embedded in our practices and procedures.
1. Ideological Observations
There are many fundamental changes taking place within our context and culture that have both theological and social aspects. Here I rehearse some broad features of these changes.
1.1 Theological Change
I detect in these days an encouraging re-emphasis and even a rediscovery of certain Biblical perspectives. In our Scottish environment these Biblical perspectives are exemplified in what I would describe as neo-Calvinist, Anabaptist and post-Charismatic narrative theologies. Let me briefly outline each of these general categories of theological approach and emphasis.
The neo-Calvinist renaissance represents a synthesis of movements originating in the traditions of Reformed thought, developed in North America over the last 150 years, yet easily married to the strong Reformed traditions of Baptists encultured in the Scottish setting. Its best known present proponents would be, ecclesially, Mark Driscoll and, theologically, John Piper. In emphasising a form of Bezan Calvinism that draws on theological indicators traced through the British Puritans, its insistence on an expository preaching of Scripture has salvation rooted in our election and predestination in Christ, the efficacy of Christ’s atoning death carrying us through to a life of sanctification by God’s grace. Such a theology happily emphasises God’s decision to love and to save; and the priority of His initiative over ours, inviting us to celebrate and rejoice in God’s character and goodness testified to in Scripture and replete in Christ.
Anabaptist revisioning describes a range of developments in mission and ministry. Its Anabaptist component is most readily associated with a particular expression of Anabaptist tradition traced through Mennonites. This is readily blended with other developments, such as Anglican initiatives that bore fruit in what is now widely coined ‘Fresh Expressions’; developing missional thought out of The Gospel And Our Culture Network; British Methodist traditions of social involvement revised into Scottish ones amplified through the Iona Community; and a fresh interest over the last two decades into research and writing on the nature of continental Baptist roots among the central European Anabaptist communities of the 15th and 16th centuries, work pioneered both at IBTS in Prague and Spurgeon’s College in London. In our British environment this strain is well represented in the work of Stuart Murray Williams. In terms of wider influence, it is best represented by the writings of John Howard Yoder. This Anabaptist revisioning brings to us an emphasis on radical forms of social engagement, conflict management and pacifism.
Post-Charismatic narrative theologies also embrace and express a blending of influences. On the one hand, the Charismatic Renewal that peaked in Scotland in the 1970’s through to the ’90’s stressed a personal experience of God in and through the Holy Spirit. Personal testimonies were looked for that spoke not only of conversion but of present engagement with God, both in the mountain heights and in the dark, deep valleys. A rediscovery of charismatic Healing Ministry also reinforced the need for stories of God’s transformative presence amidst pain and suffering. When this is combined with a growing emphasis, over the last 20 years and especially in New Testament studies, of looking to the Bible to describe the narrative of present experience and events and to root theological discovery in applying the ‘then is now’ of its stories to our lives, this has reinforced an approach to theology and an expression in worship gatherings that favours shared experience and story-telling over against propositional preaching phrased with precise, theological definitions.
Each of these three differentiated approaches can be found, in varying forms, among our Scottish Baptist churches. They are not exclusive of approaches to the Bible, mission and ministry, but they are in my observation significant within our constituency. What is of particular interest and should be encouraging to us all is the way that these differing approaches are often being blended in a manner that does not lead, as might first be imagined, to a discordance; but to congregational enrichment in discovering more of what it means to be creatively rooted in Christ. A creative confluence of contrasting approaches reinforces the key place of the Bible as our basis and starting point in theological exploration. The synergy arising as these three approaches interact also enriches our understanding of what it means to live our lives professing Jesus Christ as our only hope. I look with excitement and expectancy to see how Scottish Baptist theological perspectives and ecclesial expressions continue to interact and develop.
1.2 Social Change
All of us are affected by the immense, tectonic changes present across Scottish and wider European society, changes that have both economic and demographic implications for the life of our congregations and their memberships. Rising unemployment and the stretching of budgets means a lowering in levels of disposable income. Enforced movement in search of work has compounded problems already present in levels of high social mobility across the country. Not to mention the accompanying stress and its effects laid upon people, families and communities. Add to this the increased isolation arising from a subconscious cult of individualism and hedonism that has been germinating in our culture for more than a generation, we are left with a question: ‘where does all this take us?’ The answer: into a wonderful opportunity to bring the message of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to our nation in a fresh way, through our personal witness, our acts of social service and our heralding and proclaiming that the Good News of God’s Kingdom has come close and is already among us through Jesus Christ, present in and through the ministries of His church.
I would not minimise the difficulties and challenges so many people in our society presently face: these difficulties and challenges are more than likely to increase. But such stresses and strains push us as Christians towards a reappraisal of what it means to be God’s people who live in this present Age, but do not belong to it. The effect of this will mean an ongoing reworking of what it means for us to ‘be’ church and to ‘do’ church. To reimagine and rethink budgets and buildings in the light of God’s Kingdom priorities. To rediscover and redefine what is essential to our mission mandate and ministry responsibilities.
What are the effects of this on our avowed intent to be unashamedly missional and intentionally relational? It means we prioritise our Union resources to investing in developing disciples as ministering saints, rather than delivering decisions as membership statistics. It means stressing that we are committed to building people more than peopling buildings.
2. Dynamic Observations
Our goal is to further develop among our Union a culture of missional ministry. Where we have in the past differentiated between ‘mission’ and ‘ministry’, we will now look at the way this affects the practices and procedures in place for both of these.
2.1 Missional Practices
Where our primary interest lies in seeking to develop Christians who are people bearing witness to Jesus Christ, we will seek to encourage the development of congregational life in a way that leads to building people who are ‘witnessing, serving heralds’ of God’s Kingdom come through Jesus Christ. We will seek to invest together in identifying and encouraging people who are pioneers, who will take opportunity to form new disciples of Jesus Christ. We will look to help congregations redevelop present structures and ministries in ways that emphasise mission over maintenance, whilst seeking to maintain congregational and other structures that healthily facilitate mission.
2.2 Missional Procedures
Our Union’s ‘DNA’ group, now constituted under the chairmanship of the Rev Mark Bentham, will play a key role in looking into areas for missional initiative and investment of resources, effectively replacing the ‘Mission Resource Team’. This task group will be serviced by appropriate members from the National Team together with a revolving constituency of local leaders from across our Scottish Union. This group also oversees our ‘Prism’ initiative, planning our united initiatives in church planting.
Other initiatives are presently being envisioned and explored and it is heartening to welcome the Rev Judy White as a valued and experienced colleague in joining in this task in looking to encourage, help, develop and facilitate missional initiatives in conjunction with other colleagues throughout the country and beyond. We are committed to observing, noting and highlighting commendable practices and procedures as these emerges among our churches.
2.3 Ministry Practices
Our accredited ministry programme has, since the publication of A Journey Called Ministry in 2008, sought to emphasise that those accredited to lead us should exemplify excellence in ministry. We will seek to further this through encouraging increased networking among our accredited ministers, stressing the importance of continuing, ministerial development for all, as emphasised in Mike Breen’s favoured maxim, ‘high on accountability, low on control’. We will continue to develop and improve upon the ‘Next Stage in Ministry’ and similar conferences aimed to inspire, refresh and encourage. We will also seek to model, within the National Team, the ministry mentor relationship commended within A Journey Called Ministry and presently practised among our pre-accredited ministry candidates. We would encourage all accredited ministers to take part in a mentor relationship. It is anticipated that we will continue to work with neighbouring Baptist Unions with whom we presently share a mutual recognition of accredited ministries. We also will continue to look towards the ongoing emergence of regional pastors in seeking to serve and promote this practice, as suitable candidates emerge and are identified by colleagues locally and nationally.
2.4 Ministry Procedures
The procedures of the Board of Ministry, now served by the Rev John Greenshields, are referred to in his report: it bears only for me to make mention of what a pleasure and privilege it is to be working closely with John, a close friend as well as supportive colleague of over three decades. It is also good to have Dr Jacqueline Primrose as a valued contributor to the Board, together with the Rev Judy White: as the Board answers to Council through the National Team, the contribution of National Team Members as well as other Council members on the Board assists this strategic group in executing its remit. An expanded Board of Ministry is expected to ably serve in accommodating and absorbing initiatives previously undertaken by the Ministry Resource Team.
We have instigated a system of sharing news of items for prayer pertinent to pastors by means of the internet, and this is proving to be both popular and well used by many serving pastors in keeping abreast of such matters. Areas of wider church news and immediate but not confidential prayer concerns are accessible to those interested through our Union website. Ministry Matters will continue to be published, highlighting stories and accounts told by local ministers from across our Union of the challenges and encouragements in seeking to develop missional ministry.
I cannot conclude this section without highlighting the excellent work done by our Scottish Baptist College both in synchronising with the values expressed through our Board of Ministry and in preparing candidates for ministry, together with developing courses for ongoing ministries within our family of churches. I would especially thank the Principal and staff for their unrelenting labour in serving our Union. The College has a long and valued history in preparing candidates for ministry, and I would join with the whole of our National Team in unreservedly commending our Scottish Baptist College to all seeking to train and develop in ministry, both full time and part time, and also to the prayers and continuing support of our Union.
3. Conclusion
As Scottish Baptists, we seek to operate as those ‘high on accountability, low on control’: we are a networked union of congregations, College and Christians, not a hierarchical denomination.
We readily affirm the Bible to be God’s Word to us, testifying and leading us to confess none but Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Sovereign Lord. We firmly believe in the importance and value of communally discerning God’s Word to us in our local context and culture within a congregational setting, whilst also making reference to the wider Christian family: those in our wider context and culture who own faith in Jesus Christ, fidelity to the Bible and communal discernment as central tenets of our life together. This is what we mean when we describe ourselves as those Christians constituting the Baptist Union of Scotland, part of the Fellowship of British and Irish Baptists, the European Baptist Federation and the Baptist Word Alliance.
In closing, I would want to thank the Rev Alan Donaldson for his excellence of leadership within the National Team and as a valued colleague; thanks to each of my fellow team members and support staff for their generous, friendly and open welcome of me into the environment of the offices at Spiers Wharf; and for the colleagues and congregations that I have already enjoyed visiting and meeting throughout the nation, a special ‘thank you’ for their wonderful encouragement and receiving of me into this new role. Pray for God’s enabling of us all in engaging with the tasks that lie ahead and faithfully fulfilling the remits entrusted to us through our Union of Churches.
