Baptist Assembly 2025 to begin a journey towards a national resolution on mission
Mission lies at the heart of what it means to be Baptist. Starting at Assembly in May 2025 and concluding with a vote at Assembly in 2027 Baptists Together Mission Forum will offer a resolution about mission aimed to inspire, unite and release us into God’s purposes.
We are very much looking forward to being together at Baptist Assembly this year. As part of the three-year mission vision for Baptist Assembly, and in recognition of the importance of national discernment across Baptists Together, this year we are ensuring there is space to begin a process of discernment which will culminate in a resolution being brought to Assembly in 2027.
The gathering of the Assembly is a formal part of our governance where members are able to express our shared sense of God’s call to us as a movement through discernment and voting. The process for bringing a resolution is explained in the Baptist Union’s constitution and is currently being followed by Mission Forum. We look forward to hearing all sorts of stories and testimonies over the next two years of how churches, pioneers and chaplains are making disciples and seeking God’s Kingdom in their own context.
Sandra Crawford, Chair of Mission Forum says, ‘The aim of the resolution is to offer, discuss and affirm an understanding of mission that will inspire Baptists Together to further share the good news of Jesus through word and deed.
'Through prayerful discussion and discernment, the hope is, it will serve as an agreed starting place from which Baptists Together can begin when considering what the indispensable attributes of mission are. It is not intended as a restrictive or closed statement, quite the opposite, the hope is it will liberate Baptists to understand mission through a broad lens, encouraging us to intentionally adopt mission strategies that equally value proclamation of word, acts of compassion, the pursuit of justice, and creation care, and witness how these expressions of mission interact beautifully in the pursuit of the Kingdom of God.’
Kang-San Tan, General Director, BMS World Mission shares:
‘BMS’ Highest goal is for people to have faith in Christ and experience the abundant life which only He can provide. We give thanks for over two hundred years of Baptist mission partnership in fulfilling God's great plan and purpose among the nations (Ephesians 1:9-10). Today, global migration, rich cultural diversity, interfaith engagements and rise of non Western Christianity bring new challenges and mission opportunities. The future of mission will be dependent upon the synergy of mutuality, reciprocity and transformed relationship whereby Christians in Post Christian West reframe our shared responsibilities for mission from everyone to everywhere with Post Western Christianity.
'My prayer is for God to use this resolution to revive and refocus our common passion for God’s missions locally as well as everywhere where Jesus' life and love is yet to be experienced’.
The Revd Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, Director, Centre For Mission from the Majority World Director, One People Commission Evangelical Alliance comments:
‘What models of mission do we need today in 21st Century Britain? This question is prompted by various conversations, but more importantly by the pan-crisis (multiple crisis) and permacrisis (prolonged crisis) that society is facing at the moment. We have ongoing crisis of war, crisis of migration and crisis of values just to name three. In this context, what is Baptists understanding of mission? This draft resolution is not written to answer all of our questions around mission, but rather to help us map our shared understanding of mission, and also challenge us to be prophetic in our public witness.
'Mission ultimately is not something that we do, but rather it is an invitation to participate in the mission of the triune God who calls us to demonstrate his Kingdom in the present reality so that the future reality of the kingdom might realised’.
The Revd Dr Dave Gregory, Convenor of BUEN – The Baptist Union Environment Network says:
‘I welcome this resolution that embraces both word and deed as vital aspects of the invitation to share in God’s mission of reconciliation to the world in Jesus. It expresses a holistic approach to mission that resonates with the work of the Baptist Union Environmental Network (BUEN) in inspiring the Baptist Together family to engage more deeply and widely in environmental mission.’
Our General Secretary, Lynn Green says ‘Everyone across Baptists Together is being invited to take part. Come and share your stories and let us explore together the exciting ways God is at work in and amongst us.
'For so many years our heartfelt prayer has been to see more lives and communities transformed by Jesus. As we renew our commitment to God’s mission through this resolution, I believe this will inspire and release fresh vision and that the wind of the Spirit will fill our sails and lead us into a new season, for his glory!'
Dates for Baptist Assembly
16-17 May 2025 - West Bromwich
15-17 May 2026 - Harrogate
21-23 May 2027 - Harrogate