‘We can’t continue withstanding substantial deficits,’ he said, before reminding Assembly that if every church gave five per cent of its budget to Home Mission, the Appeal would top £7m.

There then followed messages from those who are leading the Futures process. These included presentations from the Revds Paul Goodliff, David Kerrigan, Phil Jump and Jenny Royal, touching on the response to the survey at the start of the process and how the Futures group has progressed.
Around an hour in and questions from the floor were taken.

Ian Spence of Levenshulme Baptist Church spoke of how people respond well to the story of the early Baptists, and asked if the Union could recapture that radical spirit by resourcing pioneering ministries, because there were so many pioneering ministers in the denomination. ‘There is an opportunity to be radical again, but we need to get outside the local church,’ he said.

Andy Thomas of St George’s Street Baptist Church in Macclesfield noted that all churches are suffering in the recession. However, he said, if they were given the right vision, 'they will give the money'.

John James of Penarth recalled how there had been a similar situation in the early 1990s, which too had resulted in a review. However, after three poor years, there then followed three good years, in which the deficit was wiped out. ‘I believe God is able to make provision for all our needs,’ he said.

Daniel Shillingford, who organised the youth concert the previous night, spoke of the need to engage youth in order to empower them for the future. ‘God is so interested in young people – in your process for looking at the future, we would like to be considered.’

In a similar vein, but speaking about a different demographic, David Brownutt of South Wales spoke about the need to not exclude the older generation.

Kumar Rajagapolan of the London Baptist Association made an impassioned plea to embrace both the youth, and black and ethnic minorities ‘as brothers and sisters in Christ’.

Ruth Wood, from Walsall, noted how smaller churches – traditionally good responders to Home Mission – were being crippled by monthly payments to fund the pension deficit. Steve Smith from Urmston thought that local people had been excluded from the process.

Questions were impassioned and eloquent, with speakers initially given three minutes, and then two, as the session neared its end.

Tony Campolo (right) was asked to give his thoughts, and noted that churches need to be ready to step in as the welfare state in the UK collapses, a theme outlined by Steve Chalke the previous day. He also described the division between the Baptist Union of Great Britain and BMS World Mission as ‘ridiculous’, saying there aren’t two worlds, but one. However, he stressed, he could say these things as he was leaving the next day.

In a touching move, he also asked Assembly to show their leaders some appreciation, which delegates responded by giving a standing ovation. David Kerrigan said the burden of leading the organisations was not light, and requested prayer.

‘We have been handed something that is priceless,’ he said. ‘We want to get it right and we need your prayer and understanding.’
The session overran, fittingly, as Tony Campolo took the mic again. He urged delegates to remember that these are the best days. ‘They might seem difficult, but remember it’s only Friday – Sunday is coming!’