Looking to the future
At last month’s Baptist Union Council the Treasurer summarized our present financial situation. In short, it is likely that by the end of the year there will be a deficit of about one million pounds. We can’t be sure until January, of course, but that is our best guess. This sobering news concentrated the mind of Council and it was resolved to set up a Futures Group to reflect on the way forward, and to bring firm proposals to the Council meetings in 2012 so that we can move towards a balanced budget.
Nobody would choose to be in this situation, but if you look at any organization or even at our own history, it is clear that such times are a normal part of the rhythm of life. Indeed such episodes can often offer a superb opportunity for reviewing and renewing the life of an organization. The Baptist Union of Scotland brought to Council a moving testimony of the way in which their life has been renewed in recent years … and they recognized that it was a financial crisis that had forced them to make the changes.
Our strapline Encouraging Missionary Disciples has served us well. No-one would doubt that we are a discipleship movement. That’s what Jesus commanded us to be 2,000 years ago and that’s what he calls us to be today. Following Jesus inevitably demands that we should be continually on the move, responding imaginatively to the ever-changing context in which we find ourselves. As soon as we get stuck in our ways, we miss the point. To be sure, the truth of the Gospel does not change but the way in which we tell it and live it should be constantly changing.
This challenging time requires many things of us but I want to identify two key priorities. The first is that we need to deepen our prayer life. If we merely fix the financial problem, we will have achieved nothing of any great worth. We need to pray that God will give us a renewed vision of our life together – in our churches, colleges, associations and at our National Resource in Didcot. We need to offer him afresh our gifts, our ministries, our buildings, our hopes, our fears and all that we are. When God is at the centre of our thoughts about the future then we will be able to look forward with confidence and with peace. But not otherwise.
The second priority is that we need to deepen our love for one another. There is no way in which we will come through this period without challenge and pain. It is inevitable that some people will lose their jobs, although it is important to stress that the budget for 2012 has been approved, and so any such changes won’t occur for quite a while. Jesus never suggested that following him would be easy and problem-free. That was never the deal. So it is vital that we ensure that we are constantly seeking to build up our relationships of love and trust, so that even on the toughest days compassion and generosity are the dominant themes.
The problems that we are facing are immense, both within our Baptist community and in society at large. But as we worship a God who is infinitely greater than any of our problems, and as we refocus our life on him, we can step forward with courage and with peace.
| Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day |
|