“A more missional attitude” - Ewhurst Baptist Church

Minister Ben Scadden on missional developments at Ewhurst Baptist Church

 
"Partners in Mission has helped affirm what we were already doing, while encouraging us to be much more intentional,” says Ben Scadden. Ben has been the minister of Ewhurst Baptist Church in Surrey Hills for four years.

Prior to its involvement with Partners in Mission, the church was already engaging in several activities to connect with its community, including a popular donkey trail around the village on Palm Sunday, a nativity trail and a lunch club, in partnership with St Peter and St Paul, the Anglican church in the village. This had initially started as a warm space response to the cost-of-living crisis. It also runs a long-standing toddler group.

Ben and his deacons have now met with Andy Twilley several times as a Partners in Mission church. They have crafted a new mission statement, which in turn has helped the church shape a plan for the year ahead, as well as tweak what it’s already doing. For instance, on Andy’s advice, Ben now gives short reflections during the lunch club, which have been well-received. The church is to increase its all-age services from four times a year to six, to better connect with the families from the toddler group. 

There has been a direct impact on the congregation too. In November Ewhurst held two whole-church sessions with Andy, in which he taught how to become more missional in our everyday lives. He introduced the Pray for Five initiative, where members commit to praying for five specific people. Ben also interviews a church member about what they will be doing “this time tomorrow”, part of the LICC (London Institute for Contemporary Christianity) Frontline Sundays material. Study groups with a missional focus have been re-engaged. 

“It helps the congregation realise we are all on a mission, serving God wherever we are during the week,” says Ben. “Both Andy and my mentor, Duncan Threshie, have encouraged me to take the church on this journey of deliberate prayer, and I can see the congregation is really buying into it. They want to be invited into the journey of asking God to provide for the needs of our community. “It’s definitely creating a more united missional attitude among us.”

 

Ben ​Scadden is the minister of Ewhurst Baptist Church in Surrey Hills

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