Baptist Union Council and the Evangelical Baptists Request to Trustees 
The following letter was sent to Baptist Union Council members on Tuesday 16 April 2024

Dear Council Member

As Trustees of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), we have reason to ‘give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’. In a year that has proved challenging for us all, so many of you have graciously sustained our churches, Associations and Colleges with your godly prayers. We are grateful to our General Secretary, Lynn Green, for the consistent and gracious leadership she has provided through our recent consultation about marriage and accredited ministry. She has helped us to remain attentive to the Lord and to both the breadth of voices within our Union and to our Baptist identity as disciples who walk together in covenant relationship. As you know, the consultation on Marriage and Ministry concluded with our discernment and a decision at BUGB Council in March.  As Trustees we are extremely grateful to Council members for your commitment to the process and we have appreciated all your prayerful participation throughout. 

As you are aware some members of the Trustee Board and others met with representatives of the 70 signatories of the letter proposing changes to our Ministerial Recognition Rules and also with the Evangelical Baptists Core Team the day after Council.  At their meeting the Evangelical Baptists reiterated a request made by email to BUGB Trustees on 8 February asking them to bring further proposals to Baptist Union Council. The Evangelical Baptist Core Team believe that these proposals should include the adoption of a statement of belief to sit alongside the Declaration of Principle, and a call for BUGB, Association and College leaders to ensure that the decisions of Council are affirmed, practised and upheld, with a view to loss of office for staff, or suspension of organisational members for those who cannot do so. 

We have carefully considered this request and concluded that the Trustees do not believe it would be appropriate, helpful or constructive to bring such proposals to Council. Rather, we believe that now is the time to: 

• refocus our Union-wide conversation and energy on our vision of “Growing healthy churches in relationship for God’s mission”;      
• reassert our confidence in the Declaration of Principle as the basis of our Union; and  
• reaffirm our Baptist identity as a movement of autonomous churches, Associations and Colleges held together in covenant relationships. 

The basis of our Baptist Union is the Declaration of Principle, which is rooted in the Great Commission given by Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). It is underpinned by profound orthodox Christian doctrine, and it also expresses our distinctly Baptist freedom of conscience. This precious liberty cost our forebears greatly and we are the inheritors of this priceless gift. Therefore, the Trustees continue to uphold our Baptist Union Declaration of Principle as the sole and sufficient basis for our unity as Baptists Together. 

We know, as do you, that throughout the years Baptists have not always agreed with one another, but in love we have found a way to walk together as Christ has instructed us. The Declaration of Principle enables us to maintain the covenant relationship established between us. It emphasises our sharing in the new covenant established by God in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which we enter through repentance, faith and baptism.  

On this basis, Baptists have maintained fellowship with those with whom they differ over many ethical and theological issues, mindful of David’s song in Psalm 133 and the words of Christ to love as we are loved. This approach has held our Union of churches, Associations and Colleges together. It continues to allow our Baptist movement to flourish and grow as we seek to spread the Gospel of Christ in the variety of contexts to which we have been called.    

This desire for fellowship does not diminish the strongly held convictions Baptists hold from a breadth of theological views. We are grateful for the many times these convictions are expressed in ways that are direct, but gentle and grace-filled. The consultation on marriage and ministry revealed what the majority of our churches and ministers expect of the standards for accredited ministers. As a result, Council arrived at a decision. As Trustees we uphold the decisions and statements agreed by Council in 2016 and 2024 relating to this matter. Trustees recognise that the consultation report reflects a range of views across our Baptist family and a desire on the part of many to continue in fellowship with those who feel differently. 

Furthermore, the Evangelical Baptists have stated that if Trustees will not bring the proposals to Council, then they would table a request for a General Meeting.  In the light of our appreciation of the whole Baptist family, our Baptist identity and the wide-spread desire we hear to refocus our energies towards mission and evangelism, we have asked them not to do this.  That said, as Trustees we will always seek to comply with the BUGB Constitution.  Further information about General Meetings and how to call one can be found on our website here.

Please do share this letter with those who you feel will be affected by this. For if the Evangelical Baptists do request a General Meeting, the time between that request and the holding of the meeting is likely to be short and we would hope for participation from as many people as possible across our Union. 

Jesus Christ calls us and sends us into all the world. We are conscious of the desire of our many and various expressions of church and ministry to fulfil the Objects of our Union to spread the Gospel of Christ. The Trustees will continue to cultivate respect and love for one another, and to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ; advancing the Christian faith and its practice in all we are and do.   

In summary, we as Trustees do not believe that bringing proposals to Baptist Union Council as requested by the Evangelical Baptists is in the best interests of the Union. Rather, we encourage our whole Baptist movement to refocus our combined efforts on the task given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Commission: 

‘“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20).  

Yours in Christ, 

Andrew Cowley (Moderator)* 
Peter King (Vice Moderator, currently Acting Moderator) 
Lynn Green 
Mohan Pandian 
Jeniya Gwendu 
Phil Jump 
Suzie Leveson 
Philip Lutterodt 
Philip McCormack 
Mark Spriggs 
Shayla Waugh 

The Trustees of the Baptist Union of Great Britain 

*Andrew Cowley was present when the decision to write to you was made and is in full agreement with the Trustees approach but is now on sabbatical.