Well BU council have met and made decisions. I was not there and therefore can't be sure what happened, but Neil Brighton was and has his thoughts and shares them here Distinct Reflections.
Assuming Neil is right about the facts, then I am inclined to agree with his rather stark conclusions. If anything Nigel Coles is even more gloomy about the outcome of the Futures process here
Neil has however also pointed out some great reasons for optimism here and I am sure he is right that social networking will be really important in this debate going forward
As for The Baptist Union's official take it is here Baptist Times
Thank goodness God is not confined to working in a process but His Spirit moves how He will and with whom He will.
Showing posts with label baptist union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baptist union. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Baptist Futures process
For those (few) of you interested in the vision the Baptist Futures group have come up with;There is a link
here and a response to it here on Neil Brighton's blog Distinct Reflections
Like Neil I recognise the immense amount of hard work that has gone into this. I also doubt whether the vision thay have come up with is nearly radical enough
here and a response to it here on Neil Brighton's blog Distinct Reflections
Like Neil I recognise the immense amount of hard work that has gone into this. I also doubt whether the vision thay have come up with is nearly radical enough
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Baptist Assembly 2012
I have not read a great deal on the blogosphere about it but 2 blogs do mention it and at least one of those blogs make me think I didn't miss a great deal. You can read Andy's thoughts here The other one focuses mostly on the Baptist Futures process . I have commented before that this process makes me feel quite frustrated, and reading Jon's blog did nothing to ease that sense of frustration! Read it here
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Baptists and change- again!
Apologies for posting about Baptists and change again but once again the post below resonated with me
If you scroll down you will see John Dranes excellent comment too on change Press Here
John Dranes comment is below
As a Scottish person, I've been observing this conversation from afar and resisting the temptation to comment, as I know I'm an outsider. But this post has really hit the nail on the head for me. I hear all the things being said about resisting change and so on, but the reality is that every church in the land is already changing - that's why this conversation started in the first place, because things have changed and continue to do so in a rapid and unpredictable way that doesn't necessarily emerge from anything we've seen before (discontinuous change, to use the jargon). In a world where nobody knows what's going to happen next week, let alone in 20 years time, planning for a long term future becomes meaningless. From what I can see, most church people already know that in their personal lives, and live accordingly - it's only when they're in church that they seem to want to keep things as they are. Doing nothing is not an option: if we do that, change will certainly happen but it will be random and quite probably destructive. The key question for us, then, is not to resist change but to acknowledge that it's happening anyway, and to face the challenge and opportunity of being the intentional agents of change, inspired by the values of the kingdom. That sort of change will be as revolutionary as Ivan suggests in his original post here, and will require a long hard look at the whole shape of what we now understand by church life - though even as I've written that, I'm wondering if 'church life' is even the right place to start. Should we instead be starting with a more basic question about discipleship (something like 'what does it mean to follow Jesus in this time and place?') and be prepared to just hang out and see what happens organically as like-minded people and groups network in the emerging culture? There are actually lots of signs of this already happening through things like Urban Expression, Fresh Expressions, mission shaped ministry, all of which have an ecumenical dimension. Is that also telling us something? That the networks that can engage with the future may be less narrowly denominational, while learning from all strands of church life?
If you scroll down you will see John Dranes excellent comment too on change Press Here
John Dranes comment is below
As a Scottish person, I've been observing this conversation from afar and resisting the temptation to comment, as I know I'm an outsider. But this post has really hit the nail on the head for me. I hear all the things being said about resisting change and so on, but the reality is that every church in the land is already changing - that's why this conversation started in the first place, because things have changed and continue to do so in a rapid and unpredictable way that doesn't necessarily emerge from anything we've seen before (discontinuous change, to use the jargon). In a world where nobody knows what's going to happen next week, let alone in 20 years time, planning for a long term future becomes meaningless. From what I can see, most church people already know that in their personal lives, and live accordingly - it's only when they're in church that they seem to want to keep things as they are. Doing nothing is not an option: if we do that, change will certainly happen but it will be random and quite probably destructive. The key question for us, then, is not to resist change but to acknowledge that it's happening anyway, and to face the challenge and opportunity of being the intentional agents of change, inspired by the values of the kingdom. That sort of change will be as revolutionary as Ivan suggests in his original post here, and will require a long hard look at the whole shape of what we now understand by church life - though even as I've written that, I'm wondering if 'church life' is even the right place to start. Should we instead be starting with a more basic question about discipleship (something like 'what does it mean to follow Jesus in this time and place?') and be prepared to just hang out and see what happens organically as like-minded people and groups network in the emerging culture? There are actually lots of signs of this already happening through things like Urban Expression, Fresh Expressions, mission shaped ministry, all of which have an ecumenical dimension. Is that also telling us something? That the networks that can engage with the future may be less narrowly denominational, while learning from all strands of church life?
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
The ongoing debate among baptists
I have been linking to some of the posts on the Beyond 400 debate
Of course the debate is happening in many other places as well. I thought this post from Jon Stannard's blog and indeed the many comments below it, give a flavour of the ongoing discussion- and are generating both heat and some light!
See Here
Monday, 20 February 2012
40 Baptist Voices -Kwame Adzam
I promised to keep you updated with some of the more important posts in the Baptist 400 debate (in my flawed opinion)
The debate has been frustrating to read at times, as it's meandered all over the place without settling in any particular direction.
However,I have kept in touch with it and it has provided a platform for a diverse range of views to be shared -so that is very worthwhile !
This morning though I looked at the site for the latest contribution and I think this guy has hit the nail firmly on the head Press here
Kwame doesnt say all that needs to be said but he does say something very important. I especially like the points he finishes with
"1.Our ministers must begin to demonstrate this confidence in the pulpit after spending hours of prayer with God in secret.
2.Our Baptist denomination must shift from an over emphasis of our confidence in a Baptist identity to a Gospel identity. They are Baptist people who know the processes of a Baptist meeting and their rights but do not know the content of the gospel and the joys of being blessed and highly favoured by their heavenly Father. There is an urgent need to redress this skewed perspective.
3.We must be self-critical in our attitudes and character with the demands of the gospel. Let us stir up one another to know and love God more deeply, to passionately seek to get people to know Jesus the Saviour and to diligently demonstrate God’s love through acts of love."
Now there is a challenge to me and indeed to us all!
.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Beyond 400- Does the future have a denomination?
I have linked in previous posts to a debate that is starting to happen in Baptist Union churches
about the way forward into the future
I have been interested in many of the early contributions to this debate that mostly come from pioneer ministers and they have made some important and significant points that we would do well to heed.
It is Simon Jones minister of Bromley Baptist Church however who ,for me, most accurately describes where we are as Baptists today, and coins the phrase" Does the future have a denomination?"
We as a church have been greatly helped by the Baptist Union and by its local manifestation the Heart of England Baptist Association and especially it's representatives, and I am always very grateful for that.
However, most people in our churches would fail to answer the question" What is the denomination for?" They really don't identify themselves as Baptists . We need to face up to that as we seek to re-imagine the future?
You can read Simon's thoughts here: Simon Jones contribution
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Baptists and change 2
I blogged here about Baptists and change and the conversation that has already begun online.
The first of 40 short pieces on ways of reimagining the future was uploaded yesterday, you can read it here
I dont imagine I will link to them all here, but since they want the conversation to be as wide as possible I will link to the some of the best (in my opinion!) on this blog over the next 6 weeks or so.
The first of 40 short pieces on ways of reimagining the future was uploaded yesterday, you can read it here
I dont imagine I will link to them all here, but since they want the conversation to be as wide as possible I will link to the some of the best (in my opinion!) on this blog over the next 6 weeks or so.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Beyond 400- Baptists and change
The imminent change appears to have been triggered by a financial crisis.On the basis you should never waste a good crisis there are a significant number of voices calling for radical change but the key question is "What kind of change?"
For the first time I remember in over 25 years as a Baptist Minister my views are being sought along with all other ministers and so I replied with some fairly robust suggestions, which could be summed up by saying "I wish the BU was more of a movement and less of an institution"
A group has been set up to look at all these replies and suggest a way forward
I have questions about the make up of this group (in my view too many academics and people paid by the centre and not enough local ministers and church people) but am hopeful that good will come out of all this
I was delighted though that a website has been set up that will alow many more people to contribute to the debate which starts online in the next week - Beyond 400 debate for those who are interested
There is also a facebook page for those interested
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