Remembering Sam Sharpe

This week is a significant one for us Baptists, as we remember the life and death of the Rt Excellent Samuel Sharpe.

His story is one that has been often overlooked, and in the lists of great leaders and great Baptists he's often missing.

In part, his absence is due to the violence that flowed from the uprising he is most associated with. But mainly it's because of ignorance; his is a story that seldom gets told.

A well-educated Baptist deacon, Samuel Sharpe knew his scripture, and could see for himself the equality of all people, and how, in Christ, that divisions of slave and free, male and female, black and white become irrelevant as God joins all people together in one new humanity.

Sharpe was legally a slave all of his life, but his heart was that of a free man, righteously angry at the sin and violence of slavery. On Christmas day 1831 he organised a general strike, in the belief that the British government had ended slavery and that plantation owners were now acting unlawfully.

That uprising turned violent and what had begun as a peaceful protest became known as The Baptist War. Hundreds died. Eventually, after two weeks of struggle,  the Jamaican army ended the protest.

For his part in leading the rebellion Sharpe was hanged on 23rd May 1832, 180 years ago this week. Among his final words he is recorded as saying, "I would rather die upon yonder gallows than live for a minute more in slavery"

His story didn't end there though. News of what had happened caused questions to be raised in the British parliament, and the inquiries that came out of them were instrumental in bringing about the change of law the following year that abolished slavery right across the British empire.

Too often, we in the British church have focussed solely on our own anti-slavery heroes like Wiliam Knibb, or the great William Wilberforce, and we tell the story of how slavery ended by the actions of these men, at the expense or even the ignorance of the stories of the many hundreds of slaves who rose up themselves to break off the shackles of slavery. I pray the day is coming when we'll hear the stories of peoples in many places who were so inspired by the gospel, and so appalled by slavery that they fought for true freedom. I pray people like Sam Sharpe will be properly remembered not just in Jamaica, but here too as we celebrate those heroes who inspire us today.

I was honoured recently to be invited to attend the launch of the Sam Sharpe Project at the Jamaican High Commission, and I want to commend this project to you. On the website you'll learn more of the story, and of upcoming events that will ensure Sam Sharpe's legacy.

Baptists Assembly thoughts part 1

So, this year it was London (next year, back to Blackpool) for the annual gathering of Baptist Union and BMS World Mission folks. In London specifically to mark the 400th anniversary of the first Baptist church in England, established close to the site of Spitalfields Market.

The format for the Assembly was quite different. Firstly, the timescale; it's usually been Friday afternoon until Monday Lunchtime. This year it was Friday through to Sunday early evening. And in the place where there are usually larger gatherings for celebration and business on the Saturday daytime, 15 day conferences were on offer instead, on a wide variety of subjects.

Add into this the backdrop against which this Assembly was meeting - the need to review the funding, structures and staffing levels of the BUGB family - and it made for a very different kind of gathering.

So, did it work? Well, on some levels I am sure that it did. The pressure of a shortened scheduled forced an innovation that had been long spoken about, namely the combining together of a celebration service to mark the completion of Newly Accredited Ministers studies for a number of ministers, and the valedictory service for those who've completed training and are about to leave for overseas mission. Traditionally two separate events, this were woven together on the Saturday. And I think, on the whole, it worked well, and made more sense of the idea of a shared responsibility within churches, Union and BMS to care for and support all our recognised personnel.

Sung worship was led often by Noel Robinson and his band, who were very accomplished and joyful, but at times it felt like we were just starting to get going when something else had to happen, and cut into it.

Communion on the Sunday was a delight. Ruth Neve had crafted a service that saw us worshipping and praying in Hindi, English and BSL. And Jane Day's message was delivered in the very language of heaven, English (Yorkshire). With music from Aradhna (Canadians who perform and lead sung worship in Hindi - go figure..) that was just so different yet accessible and uplifting, and the act of communion being led by the Vice President of BWA alongside the General Secretary of the Jamaican Baptist Union, it was a privilege to be present.

So, what didn't really work? Well, I think we missed something by adding the day conferences in on the same year as we shortened the schedule by a day. The day conferences in themselves seemed to work well, but the cost was in the larger gathering as a body, and in time for deliberation and conversation both formal and informal. Personally, this seemed too high a price to pay. That said, in a longer Assembly I think there would be a place for them.

Secondly, I think the much-needed debate on Baptist Futures was overly complex, and spent too long in presentation, and not enough time in prayer and deliberation.

What else worked well? Well, I'm hugely biased here, but I think greater inclusion of social media (primarily twitter) was a very positive step forward. There were far more people tweeting this year than previously, with apparently 107 unique accounts using the Assembly hashtag (#baptassem) to make nearly 1000 comments. I think this is to be hugely welcomed, especially during deliberation sessions. With those speaking  given 3 minutes, there can sometimes be a lack of opportunity to participate, however monitoring twitter feeds to then spot trends in comments might mean that the opinions of 50 or more people could be acknowledged in the time it would take one speaker. Of course, the limit of 140 characters doesn't give space to make the developed arguments we still need to hear, but it's something, and it's something more than we used to have.

As I said, the individual day conferences seemed well received, and so as a reward for having read this far,  I finish with this contribution from a group of people who attended the one themed on consumerism; Are We Really Worth It? This group were invited to go into the worship centres of high consumerism and read and reflect on scripture whilst in those places. What follows was produced in the mother temple of consumerism, the Apple Store. Using the ipads on display, they took the text and reworked it, I hope you like it as much as I did:

Matthew visits the apple store

(Matthew 6v25-34, hastily recast in a sexier image!)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what upgrade you will have, what network you are on what call plan, how fast your broadband is. Is not life more important than tech, and your relationships more important than gadgets? Look at the football fans hugging strangers after a home win, creating community. Are your relationships not worth more than these? Can you by surfing the internet add a single hour to your life?

 And why do you worry about your image? See how the children are clothed with smiles and giggles from play. I tell you not even Princess Kate on her wedding day was dressed like one of these. If this is how God lights up a child's face, which tomorrow may dissolve in tears, how much more beauty does God reflect through your whole life? So do not worry, saying what tech do I need, or what gadget must I have, or who should I look like? For the consumers run after all these things and God knows what your deeper needs are. But seek first community and relationships that are just and loving as God intended. Therefore do not worry about what comes out tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Look after each other today.
 Clare McBeath, Sue Hunt, Phil Cannard, Tim Pressword, Ashley Lovett.

Beyond 400, an Assembly and a Conversation

In ten days time the Baptist Union of Great Britain and BMS World Mission host the annual Baptist Assembly. 

This year it’s in London, and we’ll be marking the 400^th anniversary of Baptist Churches in the UK. You can read the details of the assembly here at the Baptist Assembly website

This will take place against a backdrop of an ongoing conversation and decision-making process about the future shape of the Baptist Union. If you’ve yet to catch up with what’s been happening then take a look at the Baptist Futures Group page and read the articles there (it's not terribly well laid out so you'll need to poke around a bit..).

As part of this conversation a group of friends began an online discussion called Beyond 400, where 40 people would write a short article and offer it for discussion. It’s been a place of rich creativity and conversation. As well as the 40 voices who’ve been asked to contribute there is a space for others to “fly a kite”  and offer their own thoughts, reflections and ideas about the future of BUGB.

I encourage you to take a look, add your voice for the last few days (it really isn't too late) and pray for what will come out of these conversations. 

Easter and Holidays means...

a lack of blogging, sorry!

I’m catching up on a number of things I’ve been meaning to blog about. Some of these subjects are way overdue, and for that, kind reader,  I apologise.

First up – Beyond 400, the Baptist Assembly, and a good online conversation

John Carter - not a bad way to spend an afternoon (but a terrible way to spend $250m)

Yesterday I took some time to witness for myself what is being described in some places as “Disney’s biggest flop”, the movie John Carter.

Let me start by saying that I went with a friend, and we saw this as two guys who’ve been working a bit too hard recently, and needed something entertaining and not terribly challenging (Tree of Life sits on my desk and mocks me for not finding time yet....). John Carter was perfect for us, lots of action, lots of effects and nothing too troubling in terms of plot.

Taylor Kitsch plays the title role, and seems to be reprising some of his Gambit role from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Battle-weary, and tired of serving others, this civil war veteran finds himself transported to Mars (a planet the locals call Barsoome) and becomes embroiled in a struggle for the future of the planet.

It’s not a totally vacuous movie as some have claimed. There are interesting spiritual themes (a Goddess called Issus plays with Isis and Jesus metaphors, quotes from New Testament scripture placed in alien mouths), and some environmental subtext about people fighting one another whilst not noticing the death of a planet. But at its heart it’s a “kill the bad guys, save the world, get the girl” romp. Think period drama meets The Sixth Element. And you know what? It’s totally enjoyable.

So, the plot has not much challenge, and it’s mostly totally predictable, but there are some lovely moments, and some humorous scenes. A few poignant reflections on the nature of leadership, family and belonging keep interest going. The battle scenes are exciting enough, but yes, the pace slows significantly between them. The bad guys are stereotypes, and the good guys quite bland, there are few Oscar nominations here, but some of the CGI was stunning. We saw it in 2D (in order to appreciate the story over a few jump effects) and the Tharks (a four-handed, green skinned Barsoome species) were the most well realised digital characters I’ve ever seen. No Jar-Jar Binks, nor Na’vi here, there were moments when they were totally believable.

I guess, when one hears the cost of making the film ($250 million apparently) that certainly raises expectations. And yes, this film could have been far better (I’m guessing not much of that money went on the script). There was some heavyweight acting talent left cringing behind some horrible plodding dialogue, which seemed positively wasteful. But I’d say it wasn’t such a failure. As action movies go, it was entertaining, as far as sci-fi, well we’ve all seen much worse. 

As a way of switching the brain into neutral and being taken on an adventure, this tired guy thought it was just what the doctor ordered!

Should you sign the Coalition for Marriage Petition?

I’m someone who likes to thrash ideas out in a conversation. It’s in the cut and thrust of a good challenging discussion that I best formulate ideas and opinions. I like to test aloud how something sounds, hold an idea in the midst of the debate and examine it from many angles. The writer of Proverbs says, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

So, blogging can be an unusual way to express opinions for folks like me. Yes, sometimes it can lead to a good conversation in the comments section, but often it hangs in the ether, like a written statement, instead of an invitation to conversation.

With those thoughts in mind, I want to share some of my thinking around the current debate regarding marriage for same-sex couples, and how the church could respond.

My first comment is that I don’t think it is the role of the state to dictate to communities of faith the meaning of a sacrament.  We would be rightfully outraged if the government sought to dictate to the Church how we were to baptise, or conduct communion, or who we were to include in those sacraments. It is simply pushing beyond the boundary of reasonable government interest. It is for communities of faith alone to decide how best to conduct the sacraments they offer, and to whom they may be offered. Any changes must surely come as a result of a process of theological reflection, pastoral insight and long discussion.

My second comment is that perhaps we need to find a new language, and that here is an opportunity to for the church to become a distinctive voice. Perhaps we need to talk about civil marriage and (for want of a better name for now, please suggest one) sacred marriage.  The former would be a contractual agreement, based on love and commitment, for sure, but done by and on behalf of the state. The latter would be the lifelong commitment to exclusive partnership and shared love and commitment, done within the context of an act of worship, and actively seeking the involvement and blessing of God.

 I think, as a pure mater of justice, that if the state is to offer civil marriages, then it ought to offer them to same-sex couples, anything else would be unjust.

Faith communities ought to be free to decide for themselves within their own structures who they would offer marriage services for.

So, as much as I dislike some of the commentary around the Coalition for Marriage petition, and certainly agreeing with UKIP and the Sun leaves a bad taste in my mouth (go ahead, call me a liberal lefty), I think we ought to speak against the government’s current suggested ideas of redefining, and perhaps push towards something far more radical, a clear distinction between the sacrament offered by communities of faith, with all the privileges it brings, and the contract provided by the state, with all of its rights.

It’s a bit messy, but it might be a lot more honest.

KONY 2012

This is the reason #stopkony is trending worldwide, it's a 30 min video, but really worth a watch.

Maybe more relevant (in terms of the actions they are looking for) for US viewers. but ought to serve as a prompt for people worldwide to ask their governments what they are doing.

Make War Criminals famous is an interesting strategy, I pray it works.

Yes, you can follow me on Twitter

From time to time I get asked or emailed the question, am I on Twitter?

Yes, I am, and you can follow me @baptistjon

This blog post will be syndicated to my FB and Twitter feeds, so if you're reading this from Twitter, you're already following....

If you leave your @ in the comments section, I'll look you up.

Pat Took, Listening, Church Meetings and the Future of BUGB

I knew that snappy title would capture your attention....


Last week I attended the Heart of England Baptist Association (HEBA) Ministers’ Conference. We were privileged to have some thought-provoking, and quite challenging teaching from Pat Took (Current BUGB President, former Regional Ministers Team Leader in the London Baptist Association) and Roy Searle (Northumbria Community, former BUGB President also). 


The subject was “Listening” and, as Roy Searle’s grandson had pointed out, you might have thought ministers wouldn’t have needed much teaching on that. However, of course we do, we need to regularly be reminded of our call, and all that that entails.


I tweeted during one of Pat’s sessions, and some folks asked if I could collate them in one place, so I do so here. 


My feeling is that what she said has relevance far beyond our own interpersonal relationships and church meetings, and might say something to the current conversation about the future of the Baptist Union. I wonder if the lessons about learning that come towards the end of this series of tweets might speak to us about our deliberations and the processes we’ll go through in deciding the future shape of the Union (if there is to be one, that is...)


So, here are the tweets, I’ll offer commentary in the comments section if any aren’t as clear as you’d like them to be.

“the first thing God says about us is that we are good, the second is that it's not good for us to be alone: 

“there is an extraordinary, instinctive, primary desire for us to talk to each other”

"the problem is our self-obsessed nature makes it difficult to hear one another” 

"we need to listen for our own sakes, in order that accumulated wisdom might enable us to survive” 

“younger people need to learn to value the wisdom of age, older people need to learn to value new wisdom” 

"If we can step out of who we are and pay serious attention to another it is seriously enriching" 

“often the more different the other person is, the more enriching the listening might be"  

"We listen to each other, for the other person's sake, and in doing so we honour their humanity" 

"listening is a fundamental part of being human, and should be doubly so for pastors” 

“Pastors need to listen in a committed, generous and energetic way.” 

"I need to listen because it may be the other person's heart, the other person's mouth that is holding God's word for me" 

“if we have a deeply held conviction that God speaks through the gathered body, why don't we teach people to listen?" 

“Lesson 1. If you come to church meeting with your mind made up, you haven't heard from God" 

"Lesson 2. What we're seeking to know and do is the will of Christ, which might mean risky self-abandonment" 

"Each church meeting is a chance to be re-converted to the way of Christ. We need to keep re-learning this" 

"we need to learn how to recognise the voice of God together, which will be different from when we are alone" 

“if your church meeting decisions don't reflect the priorities of Christ, you're not discerning the mind of Christ" 

Your thoughts?