accountability

Its quite tricky to define exactly to whom BMS is answerable, because expressions of accountability happen in lots of different ways. 

 

Our annual meeting, usually held at the assembly we share with the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), is certainly the place where we express that accountability to the widest audience, usually 2000 people or more.  And whilst not all assembly-goers are delegates from their churches, many are, and so through assembly we are actually expressing our accountability to the local church.  However, that assembly doesn't include more than a handful from the Baptist Unions of Scotland (BUS) or Wales (BUW) so we are aware that this isn’t perfect.  Therefore, in assemblies we share with BUS and BUW, we seek to express our accountability there too. 

 

Our Council of Reference (COR) meets twice a year for a day each time and draws people from BUW, BUS and BUGB and each person is appointed by their home Union or, in the case of BUGB, one of its 13 Associations.  (Yes, this is getting complicated, isn’t it!)  But our Council is made up of about 80-90 people so whilst it is more representative, it is considerably smaller. 

 

The Council appoints our Board of Trustees (BOT) of whom there are currently 14 serving in this capacity.  And whilst this group is even smaller than Council, nonetheless these people are chosen because they have particular attributes that are necessary for the successful governance of a complex organisation like BMS.  Some have financial expertise, others are local church ministers.  Quite a number have overseas experience with BMS, and along the way, as we appoint people to these posts, we seek to ensure a reasonable balance of gender, ethnicity and age. This group meets for 8 days a year, plus two extra days with the Council of Reference. 

 

Why do I tell you all this? Well, its just that a lot of my time relates to these issues.  As General Director, part of my role is mission-facing, sharing in the vision setting and mission decisions that shape our work around the world. But part of my role is also to ensure that BMS remains accountable to the right people in the right way. 

 

And so this last week I find myself involved in many of the above areas. 

 

· Assembly planning with BUGB for May's event in Plymouth is now in full flow.  A full day of assembly planning last week, follow-up conversations between Jonathan Edwards and myself and this year’s main speakers, and yesterday, a fruitful conversation with Pat Took, who will become President next year, about the theme  of the 2011 event!  And in 10 days time, 24 hours will be spent with the BUS team looking at our shared October event, and similar conversations with Wales soon, reinforce the importance of these events. Assembly really are a year-round priority. 

 

· Our next Council of Reference is in March and the agenda for that is now almost ready and details will soon be sent out.  This Spring’s meeting will not be in our usual venue in Birmingham but for the first time we are using the new Cornerstone Arts Centre  in Didcot.  This will allow Council members who haven’t visited Baptist House to do so and spend a little time with our staff team.

 

· And much of my last few weeks have been spent talking to good people who have indicated their willingness, or otherwise, to stand for election as Trustees when that Council meets in March.  This is always a big step, not only because trusteeship is a big commitment – 10 working days a year – but as with all elections, people may not be voted in, and that isn’t always easy to handle. 

 

So, if you have a moment, pray for us in these various expressions of accountability.  Each is important and each expresses what it means to be a Baptist people, covenanted together, and committed to mission. 

 

And yes, of course, ultimately we are accountable to God.  Therefore let every act of imagining, planning, decision-making and mission engagement be covered by the prayers of God’s people. 

 

David Kerrigan