The Baptist Union of Scotland

The Present

What We Believe

Baptists believe in the truths expressed in the historic creeds of the Church. They lay a particular emphasis on the importance of personal faith in Jesus Christ, as Saviour and Lord, and on the Bible as God's Word, guiding the conduct of individuals and the life of the church.

One of the distinctive features of Baptist church life is their practice of Christian Baptism. They follow the New Testament pattern of baptising those who have come to personal faith in Jesus Christ. Believer's Baptism is normally by total immersion in water.

Baptists also lay stress on the responsibility of each local church to govern its own life and affairs.

Historically, Baptists have believed that everyone should be free to worship according to their beliefs. They have stood for the separation of Church and State yet it is largely true to say that they have been in the forefront of those demonstrating that a lack of formal links between Church and State does not hamper a Christian contribution to society, but rather enhances it.

Our Core Purposes

These are:

to enable and equip mission and ministry
to express our interdependency as a family of believing communities
to encourage our distinctive way of being within the wider church

Serving the denomination and working to fulfill these purposes is the staff at "Resource House", the Baptist Union of Scotland's offices in Glasgow.

Our Administration

Since the turn of the millennium, the Baptist Union of Scotland has, with the aid of a “Think Tank”, been looking at its role and structure for the future in an exercise called “Challenge to Change”.

Recent Times

In the past, many people may have viewed the Baptist Union of Scotland as "star network" - based around a central Church House and having a President, a General Secretary, a Superintendent Minister, a Union Executive, a Council and many committees. Slowly, through a process of transformation, there have been moves away from this outlook.

Today's Structure

The Union now strives for simplicity in organisational structure and promotes a more relational approach, through increasing contact between the local churches and those who serve the churches through being in the Baptist Union of Scotland leadership - a collegial structure of Council-appointed Core Leaders that function under the overall direction of the General Director.

The Council consists of representatives from one third of all our churches at any given time who serve on a rotational basis, six co opted members and two young people from our churches. Core Leaders report to Council which has the responsibility to give them advice and to make decisions on a wide range of issues related to our life together as churches. The Council meets three times a year.

The Union's Trustees are a small group of Baptists who are highly regarded by our churches and entrusted with the responsibility to maintain an oversight of all the Union's life and work to ensure it is in harmony with Baptist principles and meets current legal requirements.

The Assembly meets annually and consists of both pastors and delegates appointed by member churches who gather together for inspiration and celebration; for deliberation and decision; for informing and resourcing; and for fellowship across the churches.

The General Director and the Core Leaders are appointed by the Council on the recommendation of Search Groups comprising people drawn from across the Baptist family.

The General Director, acts as CEO, giving overall leadership to the Core Leaders and having general oversight of our family of churches.
The Mission Advisor has responsibility for mission at the local and national level, including overseeing the Mission Networkers who assist the churches at regional levels and make up the Mission Resource Team.
The Ministry Advisor has responsibility for all areas of ministry among our churches, including care of the pastors and the churches. He is advised and assisted by a specially chosen group of volunteers with expertise who serve on the Ministry Resource Team.
The Young People's Advisor carries the overall remit for advising and assisting churches in their ministry to children and young people. The current incumbent of the post, Gary Smith, also serves as one of the Joint Producers for our Annual Assembly.
The Convenor serves in a voluntary capacity, chairs the meetings of Core Leaders, Council and Assembly and fulfils a general leadership remit for the Union.
The Finance Director is responsible for the stewardship of the Union's finances and the Ministry Resource Fund which supports aided ministries and church planting initiatives. He also carries responsibility for the Union's Publications and Communications and for the training and resourcing of treasurers in the use of new technology and legislation.

The Union also has a Mission Resource Team, consisting of the Mission Advisor, Young People's Advisor and up to ten Mission Networkers, supporting and advising churches in how they approach mission, and a Ministry Resource Team, including the Ministry Advisor and the Young People's Advisor, supplemented by the Ministry Development Coordinator, who arranges in-service training and development opportunities for pastors.

Providing administrative support for the above is a team of five full and two part-time office staff.

Looking Outwards

Baptists throughout our Union serve the homeless, disabled, aged, alcoholics, AIDS sufferers and many others through local church ministries and organizations - such as the Bethany Trust, the Elpis Centre, the Tor and Airlie House. The Atholl Baptist Centre in Pitlochry, opened in 1969, provides facilities for conferences, Christian training and holidays, including for those who are disabled. Some Scottish Baptists also put their faith into action through committee involvement in multi-church groups dealing with homelessness, racial justice, social inclusion, etc.

Our Union has an active Public Issues Advisory Group, comprised of gifted and experienced people who co-ordinate the denomination's response to current political, moral and ethical developments within society. They submit a reasoned response to many of the consultation papers sent out by Holyrood and Westminster.

Wider Links

The Baptist Union of Scotland doesn't confine itself to working within its own borders and is affiliated to a number of organizations:

Baptist World Alliance. The Baptist community consists of 100 million people in more than 200 countries today. The Alliance was formed in 1905 to promote fellowship, support and service among Baptists worldwide. Conferences in which Scotland is regularly represented are held regularly to discuss world problems and give support wherever it is needed.

European Baptist Links. Along with the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Baptist Union of Wales and BMS World Mission, the Baptist Union of Scotland is a member of the Fellowship of British Baptists. It is also a member of the European Baptist Federation, which unites 49 Baptist Unions throughout Europe, giving support amid the upheaval and persecution in Eastern Europe over recent years.

BMS World Mission. Scottish Baptists have been keen supporters of the BMS almost from its beginnings under William Carey in 1792, contributing finance generously and sending many missionaries to all parts of the world.

The Ecumenical Movement. Following a debate at its Assembly in 1989, the Baptist Union of Scotland decided not to participate in "Action of Churches Together in Scotland" (ACTS). Nevertheless, Baptists often co-operate at the local level with other Christians and churches in a variety of different ways.

The Scottish Baptist College. The year 1894 saw the establishment of the Baptist Theological College of Scotland. Today it is a member of our Union and offers a high standard of training to pastors, ministers and lay-people, both men and women, with Certificate, Diploma and Degree courses available. Learn more about the College at www.scottishbaptistcollege.org

The Scottish Baptist Women's Fellowship. Successor to the Women's Auxiliary (WA) to the Baptist Union of Scotland, the Fellowship's motto is “Serving God in Everything”. Acknowledging that fewer women now identify themselves with organised groups, but still seeing the benefits of women supporting and encouraging each other, the W.A. felt it timely to lay aside its honourable past and put in place the basis of a new body which would seek to encompass a wider membership of women in the churches. This led to the formation of the SBWF in 2002.

The SBWF have provided us with a few pages of information about themselves and you can find these under the “About Us” button.