In this report, following the earlier report submitted to Council in May, I again seek to highlight ways in which our Union is seeking to serve churches in helping to punctuate the power of the unchanging Gospel against an everchanging cultural and contextual backdrop.
FROM DECISIONISM TO DISCIPLESHIP
Surviving the war. The UN charter on Human Rights. Baby boom. The rise of the New Towns and Housing Estates. Billy Graham crusades. Renewed prosperity and the pound in your pockets. The end of Empire. Rock and Roll. Flower Power. Vietnam and Catch 22. Consumerism. The right to choose - your job, your orientation, your life. Making a decision. An invitation to believe. The age of decisionism. Is ended.
It can be a hard thing to swallow, but the culture that dominated the second half of the twentieth century and the one in which most contemporary Christians in Scotland were birthed and rooted is now radically changed. The age of decisionism has passed. People are beginning to feel constraints that limit their freedom. Economic change is the most immediate. The choices aren't there in the same way. And the choices that people make are not necessarily applauded or defended by others.
As I travel around I am seeing that, in Christian circles in Scotland today, people are talking less about decisions and stressing more the importance of discipleship. We live in a culture of cynicism where authenticity matters in the face of autonomy and disdain of authority. Being an authentic disciple is now more important to people than simply hearing of someone having made a decision to believe.
Of course the message of the Gospel has to be communicated and the Scriptures understood and applied. People need to be told about a living Saviour, the Cross and forgiveness, the opportunity to be born again. But there is a renewed sense that Christian Mission is about more than evangelism. Christian leaders are aware that we have to do something in addition to preaching and persuading people to believe about Jesus Christ.
Christian mission has to do about who we are as witnesses (literally, 'martyrs'), about the way we behave and serve others in Jesus' name (again, literally, as 'deacons'), in ways that earns credibility for the message that we share with: that Good News that God's rule comes among us with Jesus Christ. Schisms and scandals in Christian churches undermine credibility. What matters more than ever is the sequence, BE - DO - TELL: the order of the Mission of God.
This quest for authenticity is reshaping, in a very positive way, what it means to do mission and ministry now, in 21st century Scotland. Food parcels, charity shops, Street Pastors, Healing Rooms, Counselling services. These are just some of the ways our congregations are finding opportunity to serve. Relationships matter and congregations are increasingly asking the question, 'how can we meaningfully serve others?' rather than, 'how can we get more people into our building?'. Innovative ways of making meaningful contact and of building caring and compassionate relationships offer a real alternative in an increasingly fragmented and isolated culture. Enriching, Christian contact provides an alternative to substitutes forsurrogate comfort and relationship proffered through TV reality shows, drink and drugs.
MISSION
The DNA group continues to develop in serving our Union, looking to develop appropriate mission initiatives that reflect the context and culture we are dealing with today. Our primary strategy for mission lies in encouraging congregations and pastors to share stories of the BE - DO - TELL, in what they are doing to build meaningful relationships. The publications, Mission Scene and Connect, help in pursuing this purpose.
Surviving the war. The UN charter on Human Rights. Baby boom. The rise of the New Towns and Housing Estates. Billy Graham crusades. Renewed prosperity and the pound in your pockets. The end of Empire. Rock and Roll. Flower Power. Vietnam and Catch 22. Consumerism. The right to choose - your job, your orientation, your life. Making a decision. An invitation to believe. The age of decisionism. Is ended.
It can be a hard thing to swallow, but the culture that dominated the second half of the twentieth century and the one in which most contemporary Christians in Scotland were birthed and rooted is now radically changed. The age of decisionism has passed. People are beginning to feel constraints that limit their freedom. Economic change is the most immediate. The choices aren't there in the same way. And the choices that people make are not necessarily applauded or defended by others.
As I travel around I am seeing that, in Christian circles in Scotland today, people are talking less about decisions and stressing more the importance of discipleship. We live in a culture of cynicism where authenticity matters in the face of autonomy and disdain of authority. Being an authentic disciple is now more important to people than simply hearing of someone having made a decision to believe.
Of course the message of the Gospel has to be communicated and the Scriptures understood and applied. People need to be told about a living Saviour, the Cross and forgiveness, the opportunity to be born again. But there is a renewed sense that Christian Mission is about more than evangelism. Christian leaders are aware that we have to do something in addition to preaching and persuading people to believe about Jesus Christ.
Christian mission has to do about who we are as witnesses (literally, 'martyrs'), about the way we behave and serve others in Jesus' name (again, literally, as 'deacons'), in ways that earns credibility for the message that we share with: that Good News that God's rule comes among us with Jesus Christ. Schisms and scandals in Christian churches undermine credibility. What matters more than ever is the sequence, BE - DO - TELL: the order of the Mission of God.
This quest for authenticity is reshaping, in a very positive way, what it means to do mission and ministry now, in 21st century Scotland. Food parcels, charity shops, Street Pastors, Healing Rooms, Counselling services. These are just some of the ways our congregations are finding opportunity to serve. Relationships matter and congregations are increasingly asking the question, 'how can we meaningfully serve others?' rather than, 'how can we get more people into our building?'. Innovative ways of making meaningful contact and of building caring and compassionate relationships offer a real alternative in an increasingly fragmented and isolated culture. Enriching, Christian contact provides an alternative to substitutes forsurrogate comfort and relationship proffered through TV reality shows, drink and drugs.
MISSION
The DNA group continues to develop in serving our Union, looking to develop appropriate mission initiatives that reflect the context and culture we are dealing with today. Our primary strategy for mission lies in encouraging congregations and pastors to share stories of the BE - DO - TELL, in what they are doing to build meaningful relationships. The publications, Mission Scene and Connect, help in pursuing this purpose.
In the coming year, we will launch initiatives in bringing together leaders to learn from one another. These already include a planned gathering of leaders fromcongregations; and another for who don't have buildings, as well as one for those leading new church-plant initiatives. We are also looking towards a gathering of ministers who live and work in a bi-vocational context. DNA also oversees new church plant initiatives, and news of these are contained in the Mission Development Coordinator's report.
MINISTRY
We know that the quality of leadership in any Movement, including that found withinour congregations, will directly affect those in membership. Those with accredited ministry serve us all in this wider work of nationally recognised leadership ministries:those who have submitted themselves to be recognised as fitted for trans-local, Christian leadership. For those who seek to embrace this accreditation, the 2008 publication, That Journey Called Ministry, still serves to lay out levels of expectation, emphasising accountability with minimum levels of control. We continue to develop this ‘pursuit of excellence’ in ministry further. We will strive towards ensured that every accredited pastor is well supported in a network of encouragement and accountability.
MINISTRY
We know that the quality of leadership in any Movement, including that found withinour congregations, will directly affect those in membership. Those with accredited ministry serve us all in this wider work of nationally recognised leadership ministries:those who have submitted themselves to be recognised as fitted for trans-local, Christian leadership. For those who seek to embrace this accreditation, the 2008 publication, That Journey Called Ministry, still serves to lay out levels of expectation, emphasising accountability with minimum levels of control. We continue to develop this ‘pursuit of excellence’ in ministry further. We will strive towards ensured that every accredited pastor is well supported in a network of encouragement and accountability.
As with gatherings for accredited ministers, we are presently looking to set up similar opportunity for Church Secretaries who want to improve their skills in their important ministry.
Further, important developments relating to the work of the Board of Ministry are outlined in the Ministry Development Coordinator's Report.
REGIONAL PASTORS
The role of the Regional Pastor is essentially relational and supportive. We therefore hasten slowly in their recognition and appointment. These are senior, Christian leaders serving in a non-stipendiary capacity. We rejoice in recognising and appointing those who have already responded to God's calling, to support and seek to help colleagues in pastoral ministry. Derek Murray, Alan Berry, Edwin Gunn and Bob Baxter have all agreed to serve in this way. We await the Lord's leading in identifying others called to this invaluable ministerial role among us.
REGIONAL PASTORS
The role of the Regional Pastor is essentially relational and supportive. We therefore hasten slowly in their recognition and appointment. These are senior, Christian leaders serving in a non-stipendiary capacity. We rejoice in recognising and appointing those who have already responded to God's calling, to support and seek to help colleagues in pastoral ministry. Derek Murray, Alan Berry, Edwin Gunn and Bob Baxter have all agreed to serve in this way. We await the Lord's leading in identifying others called to this invaluable ministerial role among us.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Dr Ken Russell has kindly agreed to put together a team of able and qualified Christians to assist in the task of conflict resolution, as this is called upon or requested by congregations within our constituency. We pray that congregational leaders willavail themselves of this valued ministry when such needs arise. Ken and his team will liaise directly with myself and members of the National Team in assisting wherever this ministry might be needed and requested.
In addition, we have a vision to see conflict training to be offered to congregational leaderships. John Howard Yoder wrote, 'To be human is to have differences; to be human wholesomely is to process those differences, not by building up conflicting power claims but by reconciling dialogue’. We aim to offer such training to congregations who request it: for further details, please contactministry@scottishbaptist.org.uk
THEOLOGICAL AND MINISTRY TRAINING
Our new partnership with DNA-UK will offer and provide training in the practice of mission and ministry, for both younger and older Christians, in the local congregational setting.
The Scottish Baptist College continues to offer an expanding and practical selection of courses, offering an integrated menu of courses, from those accessible to all church members through to courses suited to continued, professional development by ouraccredited ministers. The partnership of our Union with the Scottish Baptist College in shaping the INITIATE programme, designed to
replace the the Christian Workers’ Certificate and Diploma, will allow folk to enrol in courses that can count towards recognised and nationally accredited qualifications. We look forweard to courses in this being launced over the coming academic year.
replace the the Christian Workers’ Certificate and Diploma, will allow folk to enrol in courses that can count towards recognised and nationally accredited qualifications. We look forweard to courses in this being launced over the coming academic year.
