Sheer variety in how we go about 'doing church' is a beautiful and powerful characteristic among Scottish Baptists.
But there are common emphases. As I travel and visit I see that both our larger and smaller churches are seeking
to express excellence and effectiveness in ministry. Meaningful involvement with the community through servant-
ministries; equipping and making disciples; exploring alternatives that express Christ-like conformity, not mere
novelty: these are goals found in congregations throughout our Union, the length and breadth of our nation.
How to improve the ‘more’? Every Christian among us and every baptist congregation can be intuitively engaged in
addressing at least three questions, daily and worshipfully, in the light of both the driving truth of Biblical revelation
and the peculiar culture and context in which we find ourselves placed by God.
The Gospel tells us WHO God is, WHAT He does and HOW He does it.
So the question we answer, in response, is:
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* Who are we?
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* What does our Lord want us to do?
- * How, in practices, can we begin to do this?
- Increasingly surveying the length and breadth of our nation of Scotland, highland, lowland and islands, it is heartening to see and hear (YOUTUBE - 'drjimpurves') how congregations are actively engaged in pursuing answers to these questions; answers that are leading to renewed and fresh expressions of life as Christian disciples. In our last report, we noted the importance of holding together a dynamic that reflects the Mission of God, in preserving the integrity of BEING, DOING and TELLING; for all three together need to be present, where the presence of God is to find expression among us. In this regard, throughout our land many are gainfully and fruitfully working through the challenge of 'An Invitation to a Journey' that was issued by our Union in 2011, and we have witnessed at our recent Assembly a significant increase in the number of new churches coming into membership of our Union - with more making enquiry - as we pursue, in the words of that document (http://www.scottishbaptist.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/InvitationJourney_final%20version.pdf) our common resolve to live Under Christ’s Rule and to be Intentionally Relational, Unashamedly Missional and Creatively Rooted: part of a common answer that is highlighted by our Baptist Union of Scotland's Declaration of Principle which, in all its profound simplicity, has punctuated who we are for around 100 years:1. That the Lord Jesus Christ our God and Saviour is the sole and absolute Authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and that each Church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His laws.2. That Christian Baptism is the immersion in water into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of those who have professed repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures; was buried and rose again the third day.3. That it is the duty of every disciple to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.We have over the past year been looking to continue to develop integrated Mission & Ministry as a unified expression of holistic mission. It embraces a necessary tension. This involved caring for present wineskins: maintenance is not to be dismissed as a bad thing. It involves taking care of who we have and what we are doing, seeking to develop it in excellence and effectiveness. It also involves looking to establish new wineskins for the new wine of the Kingdom, poured out in the richness of the Holy Spirit's creativity. We pursue development of new initiatives in holistic mission: energised with the three drivers expressed in 'An Invitation to a Journey' and expressed within the flexible parameters of our Declaration of Principle.
- The work of our Mission Initiative Group (renamed to avoid confusion with our partners, DNA-UK), continues to develop and take shape under the chairmanship of Mark Bentham. We will, in the coming year, look to harness and effectively utilise the collective resources of our Union in prioritising fresh initiatives in mission in Scotland that will take forward the vision of the Nazareth Manifesto, which spoke so powerfully to us through Glen Marshall's exposition and application of God's Word during Assembly 2012. This group has newly added to its number four new members: Dave Barrie, James Faddes and Al Cuthbert. In addition, Stuart Blythe, acknowledging our creatively synergistic relationship with SBC, has also joined the group.Working hard at being 'intentionally relational' requires focussed attention. The first of many new 'learning communities' - gatherings of leaders for 24 hours - met in November: This was a gathering of those pastoring congregations without their own buildings. Others are in the planning stage. Also, recognising that nothing of worth is accomplished unless it is born of and enabled by the Holy Spirit, the first of a new series of 24 hour prayer gatherings for leaders will be held in Pitlochry on 9th -10th April 2013.Some have experienced that seeking to be intentionally relational can generate conflict! Ken Russell, the leader of our Conflict Resolution Team, continues to advance the work of developing our Conflict Resolution Team and its training. Read a full descriptor for 'Mediation and Conflict Resolution' on http://www.scottishbaptist.org.uk/ministry.It is also our resolve to offer Conflict Management Training to congregations as part of a 'Health Check' service that will be made available to all member congregations. This is presently under development (more information on that in a forthcoming set of 2013 Council papers).We are thankful to colleagues who have taken up the honorary role of serving as Regional Pastors, providing valued, local support to colleagues in ministry. Ian Thompson was earlier established in this role, in the Shetland Islands. The new ministers are largely drawn - but not exclusively - from the ranks of those in post-stipendiary ministry. They presently include Alan Berry, Bob Baxter, Edwin Gunn, Bill MacDonald and Derek Murray. Others are being added. We thank them for their readiness to serve colleagues by giving confidential, pastoral support and advice.Recent developments in the work of the Board of Ministry and execution of its expanded remit, under the chairmanship of Steve Hibbard and Colin Mutch, together with other defining practices and policies pertaining to integrated Mission and Ministry and their development, in working out convictions compatible with the Declaration of Principle that lies at the heart of our Baptist Union of Scotland, are reported on by colleagues on the National Team.I would like to conclude my report by expressing a heartfelt thanks to ministers and congregational leadership teams throughout the land for their welcome and encouragement. It has been a very exciting and faith-building year in visiting with lively, Spirit-filled congregations which are genuinely and effectively engaging in Kingdom work. Those of us privileged to serve our Union nationally witness a healthy and exciting Movement taking place. Yes, there is much still to be done. But this should not distract nor defer us from giving thanks to God for what is already, presently taking place. Hallelujah!
