Core Leadership Team - January 2023
Core Leadership Team (CLT) met at High Leigh Conference Centre, 24-6 January. Welcomed for the first time were Lee Johnson, Co-Team Leader for the Ministries Team, Jane Henderson, the new Co-Team Leader for the North Western Baptist Association, Graeme Ross – Representing the Eastern Baptist Association and Clare Hooper who for the first time was representing Southern Counties Baptist Association as Interim Team Leader.
We valued the opportunity to be together for 48 hours. Throughout our time we were blessed with the spiritual accompaniment of Dawn Brown. She invited CLT into regular periods of scripture reading, prayer and retreat time. This included using Northumbria Community liturgy.
We shared honest conversations about some of the challenges that we face. In particular, we reflected on recent developments around the process of consultation regarding the Ministerial Recognition Rules and Marriage and the different ways these impact our churches, ministers and Associations. We discussed the email which had recently been sent to many ministers in Baptists Together and was met with mixed response. Rather than dwell on the data –protection issues, which are rightly being handled by others, we focused our reflection on the covenantal issues, together with the impact of the differing responses to the content of the email. We gave time to listen carefully to each other. Furthermore, we were assured that any correspondence and complaints received were being considered and responded to.
From the outset and throughout our gathering we were attentive to Jesus as we prayed and read Scripture together. We honoured our
covenant with the Lord and one another and the tone of the meeting was marked by humility and grace. At various points apologies were offered and received. We renewed our commitment to work together for the flourishing of God’s Kingdom through our Baptist family. Glen Marshall reminded us of the hope that we have in our faithful God, the God who brought his people out of Egypt and through the Wilderness, the God who was glorified in Jesus through death and resurrection, our God who calls forth faith and courage from us.
The second morning of CLT began with opening prayer and reflection on Luke 4.14-21, 22-30
It then led to a time of promises and prayer for Tim, Lee and Jane as they begin their new calling. The words and promises used were based on ones the Regional Team Leaders have used as the basis for their covenant.
We had the opportunity to meet with our interns briefly led by our President Hayley Young as she connected the group via Zoom with the
first national interns gathering, hosted by our Young Leaders Development Coordinator Isabella Senior.
Tim Fergusson led a session around the issues surrounding
ministerial numbers. In the past 18 months the numbers of churches looking for ministers has outstripped the number of active accredited ministers looking to settle.
Tim stressed that we have been working on addressing this. Initiatives include the rewriting of
An Introduction to Accredited Baptist Ministry. Funding for ministerial formation has also been improved with
partnerships with Kingdom Bank and Stewardship now live. Bringing Isabella Senior to the Ministries team has been our biggest investment to enable young adults to explore their leadership potential.
This then led to small group discussions looking at these questions:
- What imagined changes do you think would help people to consider Baptist Ministry?
- How is the kingdom served and Jesus glorified by our accreditation of our ministers?
Later, as we reflected on 1 Samuel 16:1-13, verse 11b stood out for us, “…we will not sit down until he arrives.” This spoke to us about continuing to be intentional in raising up new leaders.
Two topics were brought to the meeting for advice seeking. Firstly, Rosa Hunt and Ed Kaneen, Co-Principals of Cardiff Baptist College sought advice from CLT regards the Colleges offering theological reflection to Baptists Together on particular issues, for example, providing a theology of Continuing Ministerial Development. It wouldn’t be about having a one voice approach but allowing a range of theological views to be represented on a topic. CLT fed back positively to the group and concluded that it should be investigated further. This would include looking at terms of reference, how we would hold our diversity, links with informal groups and engagement with practical theology.
Secondly, in March 2022,
Baptist Union Council members narrowly voted to refuse an application that St Hild College be formally welcomed into membership of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and thereby become an accredited Baptist training college. The group who brought this proposal (Mark Clay from East Midland Baptist Association (EMBA) and Graham Ensor from Yorkshire Baptist Association (YBA) along with Alex Harris, Mark Powley and Sally Nelson representing St Hild) wanted to seek advice from CLT about the next steps for the college. Alex Harris also spoke about the consultation the Centre for Church Planting has recently undertaken.
An evening’s entertainment was provided by Richard providing an
escape room to escape from! After much head scratching and about 2 hours effort, most people escaped!
Following the discussion and decisions made by
Baptist Union Council in March 2022 regards the next stage of the
financial model review, CLT heard a project update from Tricordant via a video. This will form a significant part of the next Council meeting and we ask churches to pray for these conversations and discernment. To enable a fruitful and positive future for Baptists Together significant changes are needed to how we operate. This includes the way we engage with
Home Mission as giving continues to decline.
The group acknowledged and gave thanks for
those leaving CLT – Beth Powney from the EBA, Colin Norris from the SCBA and Richard Wilson from Support Services. As gifted Team Leaders they will be missed greatly. Richard was present and it provided an opportunity for several members of CLT to express their gratitude. This was encapsulated when Lynn said he was a disciple of faith, passion, gifts and skills. We will really miss him, and his contribution will go down in our history books. Richard was then offered prayer.
SENT
Diane Watts led a short session looking at how we might engage and send young adults to the SENT Summit during the summer. Co-hosted by the European Baptist Federation and the Baptist World Alliance, SENT 2023 is an opportunity for Baptists of all ages to gather together with a strategic focus on both the privilege and responsibility we share in God’s global mission. It will share inspiring testimonies of what God is already doing through Baptist churches and unions to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and how it is changing lives and transforming communities.
Dawn closed the meeting with Communion, using liturgy from the Northumbria Community and John 15. She also picked out two significant reflections from the gathering. First the image that we’re ‘stumbling after Jesus’ in our life and discipleship. Second, the story shared about encountering Jesus in a young child who was under a table at youth club was particularly touching. Let us be always alert to his presence.
Lynn Green
February 2023
The Revd Lynn Green is General Secretary of our Baptist Union
The Core Leadership Team (CLT) is an expression of covenant and interdependence for us as Baptists. It draws together many of those offering leadership across our Movement (Regional Team Leaders, College Principals, Specialist Team Leaders, our President, Treasurer, General Secretary, the Moderators of Council and the Trustee Board, together with a leader from each of our current priority areas) and its purpose is to perceive what God is doing, to encourage flourishing across Baptists Together and to model together what it means to be a Kingdom Movement.
Please share these messages with your church