The Role of the President
The President’s main role is as a communicator/facilitator of our Baptists Together vision and mission. As an elected position, it carries a certain independence that at times allows for a prophetic voice to be heard both within and beyond Baptists Together, although the President will mainly focus on internal representation and the facilitation of our Baptists Together vision and mission within our Union. They will need to undertake to travel around our Union, engaging with local churches, regional Associations and Colleges as appropriate.
The President is a member of the Core Leadership Team (CLT), which draws together those offering leadership within our Baptist movement in order to perceive what God is doing, to encourage flourishing across Baptists Together and to model together what it means to be a Kingdom Movement. The President’s role as part of this group will be in bringing insights from their presidential travels as well as their own particular experience and expertise. The President also leads the CLT Accompanying Group, which provides prayer support and shares in spiritual and missional reflection with CLT. The Accompanying Group acts as ‘critical friends’ bringing perspectives from beyond the CLT. The group will not meet separately from the CLT, but will share with them in sustained times of prayer and reflection on their work, and will covenant routinely to hold them in prayer before God. As leader of the group, the President will be expected to coordinate the other members of the Accompanying Group, and their contact with CLT.
There will also be occasions when the President will provide a symbol or focus for unity of Baptists Together, and as such will represent our Union at various civic and ecumenical events. There may be some involvement in the annual Assembly, and the President may be invited by BMS World Mission to visit some of their work overseas.
The President is considered one of the Officers of our Union, and is a member of Council. Expenses for attending meetings and events will be covered, as will travel expenses to preaching engagements unless covered by the hosting church or a preaching fee.
The Election Discernment Process
Our President is discerned via an election discernment process held in the first months of each year. All names nominated correctly are offered as part of the discernment process. The Baptist Union Constitution outlines how nominations should be submitted, and who is eligible to take part in the election discernment process. Click here for extracts from the BU Constitution about nominations and the election discernment process.
Nominated candidates will be asked to supply a short written profile which will be used to inform those taking part in the discernment process. The profile will usually include some biographical information, a picture of the candidate, and some indication of what the candidate would hope to offer the Union as President. In recent years, candidates have also had the opportunity to supply their profile in video form in addition to the written document. The profile(s) will be required in early January in order for the election discernment process to begin in mid January. After the election discernment process has been opened, there may be further opportunities for interviews/webinars/podcasts which candidates will be encouraged to take up.
The process of appointment of the President and other officers is a process of discernment of the will of God, unlike an election which might take place in other contexts.
We use an electoral process to discern who God is calling to be the President of our Union in the coming season. Overt canvassing at elections within the Baptist family makes it more difficult for those eligible to vote to discern the will of God in a way consistent with Baptist ecclesiology. However, nominating a person for the Presidency does imply a commitment to walk with and support that person through the election discernment process. We hope that all eligible to take part will engage with this important decision, and prayerfully consider all the candidates offering themselves.