25 Years at Webnet

Twenty-five years is a long time! If anyone had told me, back then, I wouldn’t return to leading a local church, I’d have been horrified. I remember saying to Maggie: ‘don’t worry we’ll go back to leading a local church after ten years’ … so much for my plans. The truth is I didn’t choose the role I have fulfilled for the last twenty-five years, since it wasn’t a job you could apply for back then and if you could, I wouldn’t have considered it. The reality is the blessing, privilege, fun and enjoyment have made my life more enriching and fulfilling than I could have imagined. Isaiah 55:9 my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts is now ringing in my ears.

To a very large extent I have you all to thank. It has been an immense privilege to serve the people of God found in our Baptist churches across the West of England region. The people and churches of Webnet will always be the very best in my heart.

In the light of my pending stepping down as your Regional Team Leader, I’ve been pondering these words in Hebrews, where we’re encouraged to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith ^[1] and whilst ‘the race’ marked out for me was not of my choosing, it has most definitely been right for me and I trust, our network. What this means today, looking forwards, contemplating entering into a new season, is the knowledge I can absolutely trust my Father in heaven and you can too. People often say hindsight is a wonderful thing, but before your mind kicks in with thinking ‘that’s OK when things are going well’, read on to what comes in the very next verse: For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame.^[1] 

It is Jesus ‘the pioneer and perfecter of our faith’ who we must all ‘fix our eyes upon’. 1 Jesus has gone ahead of us, it is God the Holy Spirit who walks alongside with us and it is the love of our Heavenly Father who holds us. What is true for us as individual followers of Jesus, is clearly true for us as churches and whilst a lot has changed over the last twenty-five years Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever ^[2]

My reflection of the purpose and outcomes of the three associations who amalgamated to become Webnet, in 2001, was almost entirely wholly administrative. The role of the Area Superintendent, employed by BUGB, was seen as a ‘spiritual overseer’ and ‘a pastor to pastors’. Together we have sought to transition our often-unwieldly structures into a missional agency, supporting churches and local church leaders in the mission of God. All I can say is we’re on the way, but there’s much further still to go and, for my part, the time is right to pass on the baton.

It's the mission of God, which has been and shall continue to be my motivation. My prayer for us all together, as a network of Baptist churches, is we shall continue to be motivated by and focused on the outcomes of the mission of God. As I sat down with my mentor twelve months ago thinking about my final lap I focused on two things: the need to finish well and the reality nothing is ever finished. That’s one of the creative tensions of the Christian life isn’t it? There is always immeasurably more, as some of you have heard from my preaching rooted in Ephesians over recent weeks, so I sign off with a deep sense of thanksgiving for the privilege of serving you:

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen ^[3] 

Nigel Coles

Regional Team Leader

^[1] Hebrews 12:1-2 NIVUK

^[2]  Hebrews 13:8 NIVUK

^[3] Ephesians 3:20-21