Merry Christmas!

In this last E-Newsletter of 2008 I want to wish you a truly blessed Christmas on behalf or all of us here at Morling College. As you look back over 2008, I hope you are able to see the many ways in which God has blessed and supported you in times of joy and difficulty.
As I look back on my year as Principal of Morling College and President of the Baptist Union of Australia, I am deeply aware of God’s many blessings for us locally and nationally, and of the many people through whom God’s kingdom is growing. At the same time, I have a real sense that the Lord wants me to speak about a prophetic reality check for Aussie Baptists.

What’s Wrong with Aussie Baptists?!

Let me explain. A couple of months ago Mark Driscoll hit Sydney. If you haven’t heard of him he is a bullish pastor from Seattle who is growing a significant church and creating waves. He is the unusual mix of being a reformed pastor who is open to the gifts, eg. tongues. He shoots from the hip, which can be a concern. He preached at my College, Morling, and told us we were world leaders on contextualisation, but needed to lift our game in proclamation. He went to Moore College (Anglican) the next day and from the same passage told them they weren’t cool! (i.e. weak in contextualisation). He then spoke to a forum of mainly Sydney Anglican ministers and part of his presentation was 18 things wrong with Sydney Anglicans. It has created a stir around the globe, and it appears that many younger ministers have responded positively to the challenge/rebuke. I believe Sydney Anglicans showed a spiritual maturity by putting the 18 criticisms on their website, rather than being defensive.
I don’t want to match Mark Driscoll, but I believe it is time for Australian Baptists to accept the challenge of a reality check. Unlike many denominations we are holding our own, but we are not significantly growing. There are issues we still need to address. I only want to mention a few, as I would really appreciate your responses (principal@morling.edu.au). My commitment is to ensure that your concerns are shared with our Baptist leadership. So get in touch. My list is not about what’s wrong, but positively what can we do better together – where is the Lord challenging us.

Ross’s List

1. Leadership – I don’t believe we are challenging enough of our best young people to consider pastoral ministry. Our churches, our denomination will suffer if this does not change. Leaders also need to be empowered to lead.
2. Theological education – How we train is still strongly influenced by the accrediting agencies and consortiums we are part of. Our colleges are strong, and therefore it is time for some radical reflection and action.
3. Baptism – In some churches it is lost. Have we become ashamed of Baptism, in our openness to other traditions?
4. Evangelism – Often spoken of, but I sense for many it’s left to the occasional church event/outreach.
5. We need to support both our ‘mega’ churches and our ‘missional’ churches. Let’s call a truce, and empower both forms of church and learn from both.
6. How can our pastors and smaller rural churches survive without a new paradigm of supporting them financially and with resources? This is a national issue for all denominations.
7. Prayer has a vital role in all our churches, but without concerted prayer for our denomination as a whole we will continue to struggle. A more national, global perspective to our prayer life.
Well, just a few thoughts which are offered by a President who has been blessed by the many wonderful things God is doing in our midst. Let me know your thoughts.