I Am Because You Are
One facet of contemporary life in the UK is the growing diversity of the people we meet in our ministry and mission contexts. Some aspects of human diversity like gender and disability are equally common in all settings. Some on the other hand are more strongly represented in some places than in others, such as ethnic diversity, differing economic circumstances, or the prevalence of migrants or refugees.
Added to this is the growing awareness in society of the range of lived experience with respect to sexuality and gender identity, family and marriage, mental health, neurodivergence, and more.
Accredited ministers are commended to the whole of Baptists Together to pastor churches or act as chaplains, pioneers, evangelists or children’s, youth and families’ workers. This means all ministers, regardless of their present setting, should be able to reflect on and respond to diversity, encourage equality of opportunity, and challenge discrimination.
I Am Because You Are is an introductory training resource, launched in autumn 2022, that explores equality and diversity. Engaging with the resource is mandatory for the majority of accredited ministers.
You can access the full information and videos here
All Accredited Baptist Ministers are required to complete this training in groups by the end of 2023.
All those leading in the NBA are strongly recommended to complete this as well (trustees, unaccredited ministers, CYF leaders, chaplains)*
As as Association we are facilitating this training. Future dates will be added soon.
*Please note that retired ministers and those serving as military chaplains are not required to undertake the training but are very welcome to do so if they want. Also, if you have been granted Leave of Absence, we appreciate that it may not be possible to engage with the training right now. We will ask you to undertake the training on your return to active ministry.