Part of the family

Last weekend I had great fun at the Baptist assembly in London. The theme of the assembly was beyond 400 – celebrating 400 years since the first Baptist church was opened in Spitalfields in London but also looking forward to what the Baptist Union might look like in another 400 years time.

One of the significant messages that came across through the meetings, seminars and discussions was the importance of engaging in the conversation rather than thinking ‘nothing to do with me’; just as Chris Duffett the new President of the Baptist Union encouraged us that evangelism is not someone else’s job ,we were encouraged that the future of the union involves us.

It’s good to be reminded what great things the Baptist Union does, for example the home mission fund enables some fantastically brilliant pioneering church planting projects to exist, the result being that churches too financially poor to pay a minister, can have a minister; but even more thrillingly many spiritually poor areas with little or no Christian witness now have churches being planted. These churches may not look much like Upton Vale; they may not meet in a Church building, some meet in pubs, cafes, community centre’s, schools even in homes. Nevertheless, through Home Mission these churches are starting up and operating.

My first church was supported by Home Mission, so I feel personally very grateful for the generosity of fellow Baptists throughout the country giving to the fund.

The Assembly was jointly hosted with BMS World Mission –my old organisation who I worked with in Albania.  These organizations, like many others are facing financial challenges. The wonderful thing is that through financially supporting BMS we can fund pioneering mission across the world. 

It was good to be reminded that both the BU and BMS are not just draining our finances but enabling gospel communities to grow and flourish across our nation and across the world. And we should be part of it.

I’ve come back from the Assembly convinced that we should be more involved with discussions on the future of the Baptist Union and BMS World Mission. It was good to be reminded that we are family – and families look out for each other.