Continuing Ministerial Development as core to our understanding of Baptist Ministry and Leadership
No pastoral leader can operate in isolation from the support, friendship and advice of others in ministry. A healthy approach to ministry involves a commitment to both ongoing learning and accountability. This benefits the pastoral leader themselves, their families and their congregation or missional community.
We are encouraging our churches, across Webnet, to build into their terms of settlement an expectation, which supports the continuing development for any ‘Ministerial’ staff.
Baptist Together are introducing a framework for Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD). Every accredited or recognised Baptist minister is strongly encouraged to engage with the CMD scheme. Those who are formally accredited by Baptist Together are also encouraged to be part of CMD for their own development. To find out more, please look at the Baptist Together website.
Baptist Together are continually developing resources which can be accessed on their website.
A key element is for pastoral leaders to accesses a mentor, spiritual director or life coach. As a network we are compiling a register of people who may be able to help you. Below are some details of people who you may want to consider.
MENTORING
One to one mentoring
Together with our Regional Partnership (South West, Southern Counties, South Wales Baptist associations) we have been developing a network of mentors who have received training for mentoring pastoral leaders. You may well, of course, know someone, or know of someone you can approach yourself and ask to become your mentor or please speak to one of the Regional Ministers to discuss an appropriate mentor for you.
Peer to peer mentoring
For some pastoral leaders mentoring will be peer to peer. Walking alongside each other and being accountable to each other.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
Dawn Brown: Spiritual Director
Following fifteen years as a Baptist minister in Hertfordshire, Dawn moved with her husband, Graham, to Burnham on Sea in April 2015 to explore a retreat house ministry. The vision was for their home, Tillington House, to become a place of grace and joy, and a sanctuary where ‘the poor in heart can sing’. Since moving, they have welcomed many individuals and groups on residential retreat and for quiet days. Guests who visit Tillington House are invited to join the rhythm of Northumbria Community Prayer each day. Dawn trained as a Spiritual Director with Sarum College. Her life and church pastoral experience has begun to prepare her for the opportunities she now encounters to listen with others to God. If you are interested in booking time on retreat at Tillington House, or to receive spiritual direction, please contact Dawn for more details.
Danelle Nightingale: Spiritual Director
Danelle and her husband were called to the UK from California 20 years ago. In addition to raising their four children, she has experience in various areas of church ministry life. Married to a church leader, and herself on staff in Baptist churches over the years, she has journeyed with many people into the deep places of faith, freedom, revelation and discipleship. She trained as a spiritual director at both the London Centre for Spiritual Direction and at Sarum College. She regularly engages with people in the beautiful and ever-unfolding process of discerning the work of God in their lives. She has long been inspired by Henri Nouwen’s description of the work of a minister…‘To create a free space where others can enter and discover God’s voice in their lives.’ Her work as a spiritual director is shaped with this concept in mind and focuses on creating spaces and empowering people to recognise God’s voice and see the work of the Spirit in their lives. If you are interested in receiving spiritual direction or would like to have an initial conversation, please contact Danelle.
Guy Yeomans: Spiritual Director
Guy Yeomans retired as Pastor of St Ives Baptist Church in Sydney in 2016 and then spent a year with his family in Somerset, attending Welton Baptist Church and ministering with Webnet helping people deepen their spirituality and prayer life. Prior to pastoring, he had eclectic careers: teaching, MP, PR consultant and CEO of Anglican Schools, all based in Sydney. After losing his career as an MP he went through a ‘dark night of the soul’, coming out the other side as a consequence of a profound mystical experience with Christ on the Cross. That began a search to understand this experience and a yearning for deeper communion with God, leading to his discovery of Ignatian (Jesuit) spirituality through retreats and spiritual direction. In 1999 he resigned his position as CEO, undertook a 40 day retreat (mostly in silence) according to ‘The Spiritual Exercises’ of St Ignatius and in 2000 trained as a spiritual director while living in a Jesuit community in USA. He continues his passionate vocation offering spiritual direction and retreats. Contact Guy.
LIFE COACH
Ros Durrant: Life Coach
Ros had a background in Nursing and Careers Guidance before retraining in Life Coaching. She now works principally as a self-employed Careers Coach but has a specific interest in using coaching in Christian Discipleship. In addition to these areas, Ros has also coached around health and lifestyle, work/life balance, parenting, creativity, small business set up, confidence, relationships, housing, finance, and sustainable living. (Ros is married to Kevin who is currently pastor at Keynsham Baptist Church.) For a free coaching session contact Ros.
For further information: Website: www.enroutecoaching.co.uk
