FORMERLY BUGB MAGAZINE
Amsterdam: Where Baptists began
You’re Fired: Junior Apprentice 2009
President Kingsley on ‘An Era of Hope‘ WWW.BAPTIST.ORG.UK
From Baptists with Love JUL-SEP ‘09
EDITORIAL
by Jonathan Edwards - BUGB General Secretary
WELCOME TO BAPTIST LIFE! We are continually looking for new ways to celebrate and communicate our life together as Baptists. The diversity and richness of our Baptist family is simply breathtaking, and we hope that this new publication will help you to get a flavour of this. This year we are delighted to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first Baptist church. Through the years much has changed, but I am glad that we remain a movement that is committed to living in radical obedience to the risen Christ. In our local churches there needs
to be a deep commitment to adventure, to ensure that our churches are not inwardlooking, but are continually reaching out with love and grace. This edition of Baptist Life will give you some wonderful illustrations of our life together, and I pray that your church will find encouragement and inspiration as you hear what God is doing in other places.
DVD Update Nigel Moore’s baptism and the moving story of his fight against cancer is on the new BUGB DVD Go!. Here he gives us an update on life since the film was made in January: “Since the DVD was made, life has moved on. Spiritually I am learning to trust God and putting my life very much in his hands due to the fact that my health is deteriorating and everything I do requires effort. My situation medically is that the cancer is growing again causing me some pain and making me feel tired most of the time. I had some radiotherapy in March which was unsuccessful. I am waiting to hear from the hospital in Birmingham about a radioactive form of treatment for which funding has been approved by my local Primary Care Trust. I know it will mean being in isolation for four to five days in hospital and then for a further two weeks at home. Given my situation I have to trust in God and know he will do what he wants, when he wants, even if I feel something should be happening. As I said in my testimony, I am happy with what God decides, as the lyrics from In Christ Alone say – ‘no fear in death’, ‘til he returns or calls me home here in the power of Christ I’ll stand’!” For more information go to: www.baptist.org.uk/dvdfollowup
In this new feature, we focus on two churches or ministries that have received a BUGB Mission Grant from Home Mission. All of the stories in Baptist Life benefit from Home Mission in some way. For more on Home Mission go to: www.baptist.org.uk/homemission
From Baptists with love
Home Mission grant-aided Levenshulme Baptist Church in Manchester (North Western Baptist Association) received a very special Valentine’s Day present earlier this year. After a week of work at the church, a team of retired Baptists from across the country had started to create new baby change and toy storage facilities, a new café and kitchen area, a church office, and improved the church building entrance. The retirees taught their DIY skills to younger people in the church who are now finishing the work. The young people will be returning the favour by passing on their IT knowledge to retired people at a computer basics course due to start soon in the new café area. “It was encouraging for our church that a partnership from the wider Baptist family was able to make a difference and get some of those rooms completed,” says the minister, the Revd Ian Spence. NEW online - See pictures and learn more about the story by downloading the PowerPoint at www.baptist.org.uk/baptistlife
New homes, new people, new churches The largest housing development in Europe is currently being built in disused quarries between Dartford and Gravesend in Kent, and the Revd Penny Marsh is right in the thick of it. As Mission Enabler for the Kent Thameside Church Project, Penny’s role includes visiting people as they move into new houses, networking with developers and being a workplace chaplain at the local council to help her get a feel for how Christians could be involved in brand new communities containing thousands of homes and people. Penny has been appointed by the South Eastern Baptist Association (SEBA), with her position partly paid through a grant from Home Mission. “Without Home Mission, SEBA would not be able to fund this post,” says Penny. “It is a huge mission opportunity that can’t be ignored. By developing relationships and getting an overview of what is going on, we will have something solid and concrete to offer when situations arise to plant churches and establish new Christian communities.” NEW online - See Penny talking about her role at www.baptist.org.uk/Resources/crossing_places.html
Arjon Nihjer
Amie Buhari
Junior Apprentice to empower young people in London this summer Sir Alan Sugar will not be there firing or hiring, but this summer one young person in London will be crowned the Junior Apprentice for 2009. The competition, inspired by but not associated with the hit BBC television series, is open for anyone aged 12 to 21 and is being run at four Baptist churches across London. After completing two weeks of tasks, a winner will be announced at each location who will go through to the grand final to decide the overall Junior Apprentice winner. This year it has received some funding from a BUGB Mission Project Grant due to its engagement with young people from often disadvantaged backgrounds.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
The Junior Apprentice was started last year in South London by a group of Baptist youth workers and proved to be a big success. As in the TV series, contestants were grouped together in teams and given tasks. The tasks included making lemonade and ginger beer to sell for a profit, haggling for bargains at Brixton Market and a ‘Parable of the Talents’ when the teams had to double their money in a way of their choosing. The task in the final was to organise an art exhibition with the two teams pitching their exhibition concept to professionals at a consultancy group in London’s West End. “The pitch in the boardroom was one of the best tasks for the young people,” recalls Amie Buhari, one of the Junior Apprentice organisers and youth worker at Clapham Baptist Church (London Baptist Association). “It really took them out of their comfort zones and helped build up their confidence.” Confidence building and demonstrating an alternative lifestyle to the gang culture that is prevalent in some areas of London are the primary aims of the Junior Apprentice. Although they get fired, the young people stay on the team to help those still in the competition with the incentive that they can win prizes for having the best idea or for being the best team player. When someone is ‘fired’ (not by one ‘Alan Sugar’ but by the team of youth leaders running the Junior Apprentice) they are told their positive qualities as well as the areas that they need to work on. “It is about helping young people see what they can do with the talents that God has given them,” says Amie. “It is about building them up as effective leaders.” 16 year old Arjon Nihjer from Harrow won last year’s Junior Apprentice after accompanying a friend who was keen to enter. “I was completely shocked that I won. I would love to get into business once I have left university. The Junior Apprentice has shown me what I can do and opened me up to things I never knew.” For more information go to: www.thehebefoundation.org
EVANGELISM
Where are your crossingplaces? Where do you meet with those who don’t consider themselves to be Christian? At work, at college, at the gym, a local café maybe? The BUGB Mission Department have come up with a new term for the places where we could share Jesus by our words and actions and therefore make a difference in people’s lives: crossingplaces. The aim of the crossingplaces initiative is to help churches study and pray through issues so that church members will see each personal encounter through the week as an opportunity to make a positive difference for Jesus. We will be telling you about crossingplaces resources in the future here in Baptist Life and on the BUGB website. In the meantime, prayerfully think about these three questions: Where are your personal crossingplaces? Where do you spend your time when you are not in church? Where are your frontlines for Jesus? For more go to: www.baptist.org.uk/Resources/crossing_places.html
WORKING WITH OTHERS
Winchester churches unite in mission This spring evangelist J John has been giving his series of talks on the ten Commandments at Winchester Cathedral with up to 150 people responding each night. “Just10 is the climax of a five year plan for reaching our city and the culmination of ten years of increasing unity and mission amongst the churches of Winchester,” explains the Revd Ewen Huffman, minister of Winchester Baptist Church (Southern Counties Baptist Association). Over the last few years these churches have come together for prayer, carol services, two family events called ‘The Feast’ and ‘The Winchester Passion’, an open-air retelling of the Easter story. Ewen says working together in mission has real advantages. “Together as churches we have won favour with the city, its government and people. For all of us there has been growth from the initiatives we have worked on together.” See Ewen interviewed at: www.baptist.org.uk/Resources/crossing_places.html
DIVERSITY
BUilding people up Ever heard of BUild? For the last 25 years the Baptist Union initiative for people with learning disabilities has provided support and information on what churches are doing and can do to enable people with learning disabilities to come to personal faith and be more involved in church activities. Milton Hall Baptist Church in Kidderminster (Heart of England Baptist Association), due to be featured on an upcoming BUild DVD, has a BUild group where people with learning disabilities meet fortnightly in a local residential home for fellowship, sharing news, bible stories, singing, prayers and craft work. The group sometimes takes part in worship on a Sunday morning by leading the congregation in singing and saying the Lord’s Prayer. The Revd Jack Bentham says the group make an important contribution to the church. “As a church we have learnt a lot from those with learning disabilities and appreciate worshipping God together with them.” For more go to: www.buildtogether.org.uk
Amsterdam:
BAPTIST IDENTITY
Where Baptists began
Amsterdam is famous for many things: tulips, clogs, Anne Frank and some sights and smells best not mentioned in a Christian publication. But did you know it had another claim to fame? It is widely recognised as where the Baptist movement that we know today began 400 years ago. In the early 1600s the link between church and state in England was very strong with any differing religious views heavily suppressed. Some believers who had got into trouble with the authorities for puritan views gathered at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire and formed a church. Amongst them was a clergyman, John Smyth, and lawyer Thomas Helwys. However the effects of new canons in the Church of England cracking down on puritan views convinced the leadership that they should flee England for a place of greater religious tolerance. In small groups, the church emigrated to Amsterdam, Holland in 1608. When the church began worshipping in Amsterdam, its theology started to develop. Under John Smyth’s direction and strong influence from Thomas Helwys, the church advocated that believers should pledge loyalty to Christ and each other, not the monarchy as was the case in the Church of England, that all should be able to read the bible not just the clergy, and that there should be religious freedom for all. It was in 1609, when John Smyth endorsed believer’s baptism, baptised himself and the rest of the group, that the General Baptists were born.
Dr H
This year, celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the first Baptist group in Amsterdam have already begun. The Baptist Assembly, the annual gathering of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and BMS World Mission held this year in Bournemouth, commemorated the anniversary by focusing a k k e r D r Ia n R an da ll enk B
on Baptist identity today, with the theme ‘Who do you think you are?’. British Baptist historian Dr Ian Randall led a seminar at the Assembly with Dutch historian Dr Henk Bakker on Baptist beginnings in Europe. Dr Randall believes that Baptists today have a lot to learn from their past. “There are certainly a fair number of Baptists who I’ve met who feel that what happened in the past is not particularly relevant. However, in my experience most get quite excited when they hear some of the remarkable stories from the past. One reason why I think we should value the past is that there we find people who tried to be faithful to what they believed and who passed that on to another generation - and so on. That kind of passing on is what results in us being followers of Christ.” Later this month (22-26 July) there will be a Europe-wide celebration organised by the European Baptist Federation (EBF), Amsterdam 400 which will walk through Baptist history from its very beginnings, encourage European Baptists with stories of hope from the present, and challenge them to dream and envision what the future might hold for the Baptist movement in Europe and the Middle East. Tony Peck, General Secretary of the European Baptist Federation, says that there is growing anticipation for Amsterdam 400. “I think our European Baptist Federation member unions are discovering or rediscovering their identity. There is a growing sense of excitement about that and a growing sense that this little congregation in Amsterdam was quite remarkable in spawning such a huge movement, a community of over 100 million Baptists round the world today.” For more go to: www.amsterdam400.org
Opinion
AN ERA OF HOPE by Kingsley Appiagyei, BUGB President
Recently it was reported in the news that a 16 year old teenager, in an unprovoked attack, was stabbed to death in the neck. This is just one tragic story among hundreds of tragic events that plague our nation, not to mention teenage pregnancies, binge drinking, abused children and women etc. These events are symptomatic of the spiritual decline of our nation. The moral foundation of our nation is so much eroded that we are on the brink of collapse. ‘If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ (Psalm 11:3). Shall we remain idle while the world slips into Christless graves? In the economy of God’s kingdom there are times and seasons in which God does significant and particular works of grace. I believe we are in one of such seasons. It is a season of prayer - to humble ourselves before God and pray for revival. May we be like the children of Issachar who understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do. It is time to act - apathy and inactivity are not an option. Leonard Ravenhill said we have to travail in prayer before we can triumph with power. This was beautifully portrayed in Leeds in 1920 where God used the pastor of a small Pentecostal church to pray for a move of God. In the opinion of many, the pastor was unlearned and ignorant. But he fasted often and prayed boldly. He, along with others, laid
siege to the throne of God Almighty because they believed the biblical promise ‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not’ (Jeremiah 33:3). They laid a foundation of prayer for a great revival. Welsh evangelist George Jeffreys was then invited to this small church in Leeds where he preached Christ crucified. In three weeks 3000 people were touched by the power and love of God and many healings took place. These moves of God did not happen after a great theological debate on contemporary issues or a talk on prayer, but because there was the travail of souls, days and weeks of prayer by daring Christians in spite of loads of criticism. In praying, we the people of God will go on our knees, and from the depths of our hearts lift up a lament for our sins; thanksgiving for the tender mercies of God we have enjoyed; and pray that God will lift us out of spiritual dryness and wickedness, and bring us into an oasis of his presence and power, love and holiness. May I humbly say that we have tried many programmes - now let’s try on our knees, let’s try faith filled prayer and my expectation is that God will not fail us. Please look out for details of the BUGB National Prayer Days on the BUGB website – the first one was on Saturday 4 July 2009.
Resources
Baptist Basics – expanded and rewritten
The very popular series on Baptist Basics has been rewritten and expanded by Nigel Wright with new leaflets on The Congregation, Stewardship and Mission and Evangelism, bringing the series to a total of 12 leaflets. The brightly designed, attractive series of A5 sized leaflets are now available to buy individually at a cost of £0.70 each or as a set of 12 in a presentation folder for £7.00.
The titles in the series are now: 1 Why be a Baptist? 2 The Congregation 4 Church Membership 5 The Lord’s Supper 7 Stewardship 8 Leadership in the Local Church 10 Radical Dissent 11 Mission and Evangelism
Baptist Churches: An Introduction Nigel Wright has also written an introductory guide to Baptist Churches for those enquiring as to what Baptist churches are about, what they believe and how they differ from other denominations. Headings include: basic beliefs, a Baptist DNA, leadership in the church, and a very brief history. Designed for you to hold multiple copies in church foyers and at stands at fairs, etc, this attractive A5 leaflet is for sale in packs of 5 for £1.00 per pack. All these resources are available through the Resources section of the BUGB website: www.baptist.org.uk
3 Believers’ Baptism 6 The Church Meeting 9 Children in the Church 12 Lifestyle
Approaching God Chris Ellis’ new book Approaching God is an excellent guide for worship leaders and worshippers. He gives practical advice for both beginners and more experienced worship leaders and offers enriching reflections on the nature of worship and on the God whom Christians gather to worship – the God who simultaneously approaches us in love and grace. This resource offers clear guidelines and a theological framework that genuinely embrace the characteristics of evangelical worship. RRP £14.99
Du lc ea’s Diar y
Interregn um Dia ry Ent ry No 255 3 Jun e 2009
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EVERY ISSUE WE WILL BE INTERVIEWING TWO PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE BAPTIST UNION OF GREAT BRITAIN.
Gaynor Hammond is Pastoral Worker at South Parade Baptist Church, Leeds (Yorkshire Baptist Association) primarily responsible for Cragg, one of its five congregations.
Favourite bible verse: Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ This verse seems to have followed me through my life.
Ga y n or
Favourite hymn or chorus: All I once held dear – during my life I have lost a lot that was very important to me. I learnt in the end that Jesus is the one solid rock you can rely on.
How do you support the Cragg congregation? I care for them pastorally through all life’s joys and sadness. Often someone is going through a difficult patch and they need to know that someone is there who will give them time and support. Can pastoral work become stressful? If so, how do you cope? Yes it can. I have a soul friend who is my mentor, she tries to keep me in check and make sure I don’t work too many hours – I think she despairs of me sometimes, but I wouldn’t be without her. What do you enjoy the most about your role? I love to see people developing their gifts and growing in confidence. It is also a wonderful feeling when you know that you have helped someone through a difficult situation. I love to see the church growing and people coming to know Jesus. For more on South Parade: www.spbc.org.uk
Andrew Tejji , Church Secretary at Handsworth Baptist Christian Centre (HBCC) , Birmingham (Heart of England Baptist Association) and just 22 years old. Favourite bible verse: Psalm 14:3: ‘All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.’ It describes the real world. No one is perfect. That is why God is there for us, to shows us the way. Favourite hymn or chorus: Punjabi hymn Papa tho udaas hoke which is based on Psalm 139. What led you to becoming a church secretary at such a young age? It was a commitment I wanted to have because I wanted to change the community for the better.
A n d re w
Do you enjoy it? I do enjoy the work. It is different to anything that I’ve done before. I have never really got involved deeply with a church before, but HBCC made me feel comfortable enough to call it my home away from home. Being a church secretary means doing a variety of different jobs. How do you find being a ‘jack of all trades’? I wouldn’t say I am a ‘jack of all trades’ but I do what I can to the best of my ability.
Prayer G Prayer Guide
The following are short prayer points for each week.
For more information on each week’s prayer focus go to: www.baptist.org.uk/prayer_worship/diary09.html
5 - 11 July Northern Baptist Association (NBA)
Pray for creative mission to be developed in the association.
12 - 18 July Independent Methodist Connexion (IMC)
Pray for the IMC as it decides on the future of its covenant partnership with BUGB.
19 - 25 July Amsterdam 400
Pray for safe travel for those attending the celebration of 400 years of Baptist witness in Europe.
26 July - 1 August Shirley Baptist Church, Southampton
Pray that greater links can be made between church life and the church’s large social action programme.
Pray for NWBA churches as they explore what it 2 - 8 August means to be ‘missionary disciples’ and North Western Baptist Association (NWBA) ‘disciple-forming communities’. 9 - 15 August Leading Edge
Pray that God will refresh and renew those going to the Baptist family festival in Warwick.
16 - 22 August Hillfields Park Baptist Church, Bristol
Pray for the church’s vision to build a community centre.
23 - 29 August South Eastern Baptist Association (SEBA)
Pray for Sheila Smith and Anne Jeater as they oversee the vital work of the Ministerial Recognition Committee.
30 August - 5 September King’s Community Church, Oldbury
Pray for the mission work that King’s Community Church is doing with families.
6 - 12 September Home Mission
Pray for the Home Mission appeal, that it will be reached, despite the difficult financial climate.
13 – 19 September Racial Justice
Pray for BUGB Racial Justice Coordinator Wale Hudson-Roberts as he works with others to build a culturally inclusive Baptist Union.
20 - 26 September Baptist Colleges
Pray for those that are starting as ministerial students at BUGB colleges this autumn.
27 September - 3 October BUGB Communications Department
Pray that the team will be inspired, equipped and creative as they seek to serve churches and associations effectively.
the gathering 09 How is Jesus revealed in other cultures? Every culture brings fresh insight and understanding, which challenge and teach us to learn and grow as disciples of Christ. This year’s Gathering will capture some of the cultural expressions and spiritualities from the South Asian perspective. You’ll be enriched as you experience God in new ways, encouraged as you discover his presence in South Asian culture and equipped to reach out to South Asians with cultural sensitivity and love.
Key Contributors include: David Shosanya Amie Buhari Kumar Rajagopalan David Kerrigan Sarah Warburton Joanne Gillings and Warriors Arise and Worship ministries Kamalakaran Krishnasamy Pall Singh
Come and be a part of this exciting conference as we take steps to become an inclusive multicultural Baptist family. Saturday 10 October 2009. Edmonton Baptist Church. 10am - 9pm. Cost: £15 (non refundable) including lunch and refreshments, £12.50 if you book before 31 July 2009. For further details or to book a place please contact Deborah Preddie at The London Baptist Association on 020 7692 5592 deborahpreddie@londonbaptist.org.uk
Please send any comments or ideas for future editions to Communications Baptist House PO Box 44 129 Broadway Didcot OX11 8RT telephone 01235 517756 facsimile 01235 517715 email communications@baptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1125912
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