Wednesday 23 Aug
Scott highlights how Aussie churches and Baptist Mission Australia are investing in local and global mission together.
Today I connected with several Baptist pastors from across the nation, for the first meeting of a new strategic advisory group we have set up to ensure we’re hearing feedback from pastoral leaders across our movement.
As a mission community we only exist because of the wonderful partnership we share with many Baptist churches across the nation, and we’re keen to strengthen these relationships in ways that are mutually beneficial.
A key aspect of this strengthening has been building the link between local and global mission. As we’ve been saying regularly, “we’re about crossing the street here and over there”. We are about doing all we can to support, resource and cheer on local churches and pastors as they minister in multi-cultural communities in Australia, while partnering together in intercultural mission across the globe.
Later in the year we will be releasing a Future Directions Paper, which will highlight some of our organisation’s key priorities, as we discern the Spirit’s leading in our rapidly changing world. We will look forward to hearing from churches and pastors in this process, valuing feedback, questions and suggestions as we partner together.
This week – like most weeks of the year – our team is engaging with churches, pastors and leaders across the nation in many different ways, and we would be very happy to connect and chat with you about ways we can strengthen our engagement with your church community.
Here’s just some of the many ways we’re connecting with churches:
- National and intercultural team members speaking in churches. You can request a speaker here >>
- Catching up and praying with pastors
- Intercultural team members, back in Australia, visiting small groups and mission teams
- State leaders supporting pastors and churches as they re-imagine mission in changing local communities. We have intercultural expertise that we can share with you in conversation.
- Churches using tools like our Alongsiders resource – that provides sermons, small group studies and other material to help followers of Jesus consider what it means to live as 'alongsiders' in local communities across Australia
- Small groups and churches using our prayer resources to pray for the world and engage with what our teams are doing
- Helping churches write and review mission support policies
- Chatting about intercultural church planting
- Meeting with people over coffee to explore and discern God’s call on their lives for mission service. You can connect with of our Mission Coaches here >>
- Providing learning opportunities, such as Exploring Mission >>
- Connecting with and supporting NextGen leaders
- Churches using our great video, online and print resources >>
- Connecting with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) pastors and looking at ways we can partner with them in mission here and in their home countries
- Providing giving opportunities as churches and partners generously play their part in supporting our people and projects
- Exploring local missional partnership initiatives
- Partnering with State Associations in a range of different missional expressions
- Offering opportunities to serve and volunteer as followers of Jesus seek ways to use their skills, expertise and time to invest in God's Kingdom
You can find more ways to connect with us and explore partnership opportunities as a church here >>
Every day, across Australia, local churches play their part in our wonderful faith story. It’s been that way for more than 140 years.
And in our rapidly changing world and as churches across Australia face new challenges, we’re absolutely committed to doing all we can to strengthen mutually beneficial mission partnerships.
We have a gifted, humble, passionate and creative National Team ready to connect with you and your local faith community. And we’re finding that over cups of coffee, conversations and prayer – the Spirit is opening new and exciting partnership doors across the nation.
So, let’s talk! We’re at our best as a movement focused on mission.
Grace and peace
Scott
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