Core Leadership Team - September 2025

This was the first Core Leadership Team (CLT) gathering in person since January and it was good to be together again.  As we worshipped, prayed and shared together there was a real sense of unity among us and a shared heart for the Lord and our Baptist family.

Since we last met there have been some changes in the CLT.  Andrew Cowley stepped down as Moderator of the BUGB Trustee Board and Peter King appointed as his successor.  Over the summer Glen Marshall (Co-Principal, Northern Baptist College) and Nigel Coles (Regional Minister Team Leader, WebNet) retired and Philip McCormack departed from his role (Principal, Spurgeon’s College). It was good to be able to welcome Andy Caldwell who has been appointed as the new Regional Minister Team Leader for WebNet. 

Our worship and prayer were focussed on Psalm 42 and Colossians 1.  Carl Smethurst (SWBA), Joth Hunt (SEBA) and Linda Donaldson (NBA) led us in different ways to help us engage with Scripture and pray together.

A key focus was reviewing strategic plans for developing leadership across our movement.  Tim Fergusson (Ministries Co-Team leader) shared an eight-part plan that included increasing support and accompaniment to enable people to identify calling and further strengthening our capacity to train and equip local leaders through and beyond Recognised Local Ministry (RLM).  There will be a specific Exploring Ministry event at our Mission Conference & Assembly in Harrogate in May 2026.
 
Jonny Hirst (Current Priority Area (CPA) Lead for 18-35s), Isabella Senior (18-35’s Co-ordinator) and Clare Hooper (SCBA & CYF CPA Lead) led a session enabling CLT to reflect on the stats showing growth in these areas for Baptists Together along with the Quiet Revival report and hear more about actions and plans for the future.  Feedback was given relating to the successful completion of the SENT learning cohort and the plans to launch a new cohort in 2026.  We also agreed the need to continue to develop leadership development pathways for both 16-18s and 18-35s.

Being together in person gave us the opportunity to reflect and lament over the recent closure of Spurgeon’s College and the impact this had on staff and students. As we did so, we also celebrated the ministry and legacy of the College and all the ways that individuals and our Union have been blessed and enriched.  CLT was updated on the current status of student support and plans moving forward. 

We expressed our huge thanks and appreciation to all those from across our family who had worked so hard over the summer to make sure that students were supported well.  This was an incredible demonstration of the power and impact of collaborative working.  This link takes you to the latest report and includes details about how to express practical support through an offering.
 
Anthony Clarke (Regent’s Park College) led a session enabling CLT to agree plans and actions relating to the requests from the Project Violet report relating to theological reflection (R19, R21, R27, R36, R44).

The CLT has a shared desire to strength and celebrate our Baptist Identity.  Diane Watts (Faith & Society Team Leader) and Anthony Clarke (RPC) facilitated reflection on a theological paper that had been offered, “A shared understanding of British Baptist Identity”.

The CLT continued its work on the Financial Model Review (FMR) that was established in response to the continued financial fragility that is present across Baptists Together.  In the light of the robust analysis that has been done so far, it was agreed that 2 of our options for the future are not feasible.  Further work will be completed on remaining options over the autumn. We also did further work on shared vision and strategy to increase fruitful mission and to enable communications and income generation.  

There was a clear recognition of the need for greater partnership, collaboration and accountability if we are going to be faithful to God’s call to us in these days.
 
Please join me in continuing to pray for our mission and our movement as we make disciples and seek God’s Kingdom.

Lynn Green
September 2025
The Revd Lynn Green is General Secretary of our Baptist Union

The Core Leadership Team (CLT) is an expression of covenant and interdependence for us as Baptists.  It draws together many of those offering leadership across our Movement (Regional Team Leaders, College Principals, Specialist Team Leaders, our President, Treasurer, General Secretary, the Moderators of Council and the Trustee Board, together with a leader from each of our current priority areas) and its purpose is to perceive what God is doing, to encourage flourishing across Baptists Together and to model together what it means to be a Kingdom Movement. 

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