News Archive
Presentation to January '09 church meeting
Last year, I believe, has for us at Heaton Baptist Church, been one of change, opportunity and challenge, all in pretty equal measures. Pretty demanding: yes. Certainly, from where I’ve been standing it has definitely felt like that. But, all things considered, I think 2008 will be remembered as a year when the building project dominated externally. However internally, as a group of believers, my observation is that much has changed within. This has expressed itself in various ways, such as an increase in faith, a fresh dependence on the Holy Spirit, or a shift in culture. Sometimes these changes are difficult, but they are important to our spiritual growth.And there have been some great ‘stand out’ moments. You will all have your own but mine include seeing the thousands attending J10, or the joy of ministering to people in the Healing on the streets in Newcastle. What about that great evening at Whitley Bay when two of our guys were baptised in the sea. Definitely, one to repeat. For me, week by week, I love it when I see people in our church really grasping the nettle; really grasping who we are ‘In Christ’. So new found boldness, or freedom in worship, or acts of generosity, or sacrifice, or faith, or innovation and creativity. One of the things I love about Heaton Baptist Church is that lots of you care about it. That’s one of the reasons I love my work. Recently, it’s been just great to see many of you responding positively to the Father heart of God. Wonderful.
So what about the coming year? What are the major challenges and opportunities ahead? As I’ve thought about this, and because much of our thoughts have been on bricks and mortar, I want to set out 5 big challenges, all under the umbrella of ‘building’:
1.Building Re-entry
Its important that we finish our out-of-building experience well, and that we re-enter well. We must resist the temptation to think that re-entry is the end of the story, and step off the gas. We must celebrate in April and May, and we will, but we must see the new building as a stepping stone towards a new chapter, rather than the end of the book. Already, just with our present activities, I know the building will be busy. But we will also need to look at new ways we can use the building, not because loads of activities is a sign of a great church, but because this new resource needs to be well-used in order for us to fulfil the vision God is giving us in this generation for this community and city. Already, I’m chuffed – and I just heard this today – that the most significant Christian conference in the north east this year, wants us to host it. Its just one of the many opportunities having our new building will afford us.
2.Building existing and new links with the community
The new build will be a great home for Toddlers, Hizkidz, English classes, our work with asylum seekers, and the re-establishing of Heaton Helps. But this next year is an opportunity to dream of new opportunities. I would like to think that over the medium term of the next 3-5 years, we could establish and resource some exciting new areas of ministry – some of which are already starting to be thought about – and all of which proclaim and demonstrate God’s love in different ways.
3.Building internal structures and systems that release rather than inhibit.
This is the least sexy area of church life, but really important nonetheless, because if we don’t get it right it will limit our growth. The stakes are that high. John Wesley said that our ecclesiology should be shaped by our missiology. What he meant was that our structures, whilst always having recourse to scripture, should not be fixed, but be re-imagined and regularly assessed in each generation to make sure they’re resourcing and releasing, rather than inhibiting. I believe, further down the track, like many Baptist churches, Heaton will have to look at ‘membership’ as a concept: what does it mean for us; what biblical principles should we hold on to and which need discarding; and the challenges of the notion of commitment in the post-modern generation. In the shorter term – and we’ll start the conversation at church meeting level at the next CM in March - is the issue of our constitution. We have to change it in order to comply with charity legislation. So, the status quo is not an option. If you want to be ahead of the game look on the Baptist Union Website and look at the documents the Deacons and Elders are presently looking at. Whatever clauses and options we decide on – and there will be time for that to happen – it’s really important that our new constitution fits a modern church for the task of mission and ministry in today’s world.
4.Building fellowship and friendship within our church community
Traditionally, Heaton has been strong in this area. But can I encourage more hospitality, more fun and laughter, and feasting, and celebrating, and partying, and friendship building in 2009. The Greek word ‘Koinonia’ literally means ‘sharing food, friendship and love amongst people we have a bond with’. Can I encourage you to invest in your circle of love this year, maybe even extend it to others. I know that folk here still feel on the outside, so let’s make sure we are an even easier community to break in to, belong to and be a part of.
5.Building one another up in the faith
It’s absolutely intentional that this years’ focus at HBC is on spiritual maturity. I really hope this emphasis will result in greater wisdom and compassion in our lives. But whilst teaching and preaching from the front, and Lifegroups in the week, have a part to play, the onus is on each of us to spur one another on in our walk with Jesus. Church growth experts remind us that spiritual formation is relational, not programmatic. Remember that when we bear more of the image of Christ we become more attractive. Remember its inhabitation rather than imitation. Remember that you can only be an agent of love if you’re a recipient of it.
Last term we worked our way through the book of Ephesians. Let me use a text from Ephesians 2:19-22 to summarise my thoughts on ‘building’: “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”