IBTS

IBTS is an international Baptist community for learning and research. But it is more than that – it is an incredibly rich network of people from all kinds of cultures and situations who share a passion for the peaceable and reconciling work of Christ in today’s troubled world. This rich network includes alumni who have graduated from an IBTS programme, partners in Baptist unions and seminaries and mission organisations, and many individuals who have experience of IBTS over the decades. Until now the IBTS network has been informal. Our vision for 2024 is to launch an intentional active network that can catalyse and support the mission of IBTS in the coming years. 

Your involvement, and the involvement of your church, will help empower Baptist education and research for the future. It will also connect you to an active and innovative international network. 

IBTS is uniquely placed as an international Baptist organisation. It is one of the most deeply networked Baptist educational organisations in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Because the commitment of IBTS is to work collaboratively, its network of friends and partners has become an opportunity for creative cooperation, for strategic planning, and for pushing the boundaries of innovation as far as possible so that churches and Baptist communities can be well equipped to effectively serve in our dynamic and changing world.

Our vision is outward looking. Your support through IBTS FRIENDS will help us resource the church to serve in key areas such as Response to Environmental Crisis; Refugee and Migration Support, Christian Ethics including responses to violence and war; Missional Leadership to train people from a wide range of vocations and professions to be effective witnesses.  

We realise the challenges that face theological education and mission are profound, but so too are the opportunities. IBTS FRIENDS will significantly increase our ability to make the most of these opportunities. 

We will launch IBTS FRIENDS and celebrate the IBTS 75th Anniversary on Sunday 19 May 2024 (Pentecost Sunday).

In your own church or Christian community, join with many hundreds of people to give thanks and pray for the ministry of all those involved in IBTS.

The first step is to sign up. We would love you to sign up as an individual or as a whole church. Use the sign-up button above. 

Make a single donation or set up a regular gift. Giving helps us open opportunities to groups of people who are chronically excluded from theological learning – especially women. 

Involve your whole church or organisation. To do this you can use the resources on our website. Take Pentecost Sunday 19 May 2024 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of IBTS or focus on World Communion Sunday 6 October 2024 as IBTS annual giving Sunday.

Active participant in wider IBTS events. Through IBTS FRIENDS newsletter you will hear about opportunities to be involved in online and in-person learning opportunities. 

Help extend the network by connecting with IBTS alumni and new friends around the world. For example you can ‘like’ us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (Twitter). 

A FRIENDS newsletter to keep you in touch with developments in the network. 

Reading groups and conversation opportunities with key theologians and experienced practitioners from a wide range of cultural and social situations. 

Use of guest rooms in Amsterdam with full access to the John Smyth library and Digital Theological Library. This is an ideal situation for a study break or sabbatical. 

Use of the IBTS Learning Network Platform.

This is the key online space for the IBTS community. It gives you the ability to search for and connect with IBTS alumni and friends in your area. 

Connect your own church or organisation with the rich resources of the IBTS Learning Network. The Learning Network App enables you to take advantage of resources and courses. These aim to support the church to connect with society and the wider world by focusing on key areas such as Environmental Crisis, Freedom of Religion and Belief, Violence against Women, Migration, and others.