This year we rightly celebrate the incredible work done by so many faithful servants in the name of Jesus over the last 150 years. We will celebrate the big and small moments in our collective history and how we have impacted the world together.
However we will also join together to be inspired into our future. Our common goal as an association is to “Become a movement of 1000 Healthy churches in a generation” and I believe that it is something to be inspired by!
Gen1K – A thousand healthy churches in a generation
This goal will need to encompass several core areas of ministry if it is to be achieved.
We also had to allow this Goal to inform the development of our vision pictures so we could better understand what the 1000 healthy churches would look like. The vision, values and goal partner together to explain what we will look like, how we will get there and what we hope to achieve through Christ.
Assisting churches to develop holistic health is also key if this goal is to become reality.
We recognise this goal is not attainable in our own strength. God will have to move powerfully across our movement. We must dedicate ourselves to passionate, persistent and penitent prayers, humbling ourselves before God.
Replicating discipleship
The primary call of Jesus to His church is to GO and make disciples.
This calling is the foundation of ministry and mission and is the underpinning principle of the GEN1K goal. As a movement of churches we are focused on resourcing, supporting and inspiring churches to have a greater emphasis on making disciples that make disciples. This replicating process is the very definition of healthy church and impacts the effectiveness of all GEN1K initiatives.
GEN1K Church Health and Revitalisation
No matter how capable a church is, it is an ongoing journey to remain a thriving, healthy community.
Together we desire to see churches continually revitalised. We believe healthy churches will be places where:
1. Communities replicate faith-transforming disciples
2. Leaders are identified, nurtured, equipped and released
3. Mission shapes all parts of the community
4. The wider community and culture is impacted positively for Jesus.
GEN1K Missional Expansion
To become 1000 healthy churches in a generation our Association will need to grow. We see this expansion primarily being achieved through people being won into the Kingdom of God. To see this happen the Association must invest in the missional growth of the movement through:
Church Planting
The GEN1K goal, as affirmed by our movement, calls every NSW & ACT Baptist church to be linked to a church planting project in some way, either directly or indirectly. Church planting is exciting, risky, challenging and rewarding as we see God work in new ways in the lives of people.
Mission
The goal of 1000 healthy churches in a generation is closely tied to mission. Mission contributes in two main ways. Firstly, and most obviously, the hope is that our movement of churches will grow through new believers coming to know Jesus, not simply transfer growth. Secondly, evangelism contributes to healthy churches. Generally, churches that are evangelistically engaged are more likely to thrive.
GEN1K Leadership Identification and Development
Critical to accomplishing the Gen1K goal of 1000 healthy churches in a generation is the establishment of a culture of leadership development across our movement that grows and enables leaders for our churches, affiliated groups and the broader community. Those who lead will be godly men and women of influence who increasingly exemplify loving God comprehensively and loving others as they love themselves (Mark 12:30-31).
Active Partnership
An integral part of the Gen1K goal is the development of strong healthy interdependent partnerships that facilitate networks of leaders, churches, missionaries, disciples and church planting pioneers. These networks bring economies of scale, efficiencies, accountabilities and freshness to churches and allow for greater work to be done across NSW & ACT.
Partnership also allows for critical mission activities to be carried out on behalf and for the benefit of the churches such as the planting of churches and the mutual support of pioneering ministries.
