From the Director
Dear friends. We send you Christmas greetings from the IBTS team in Amsterdam. As we look back at 2022, we are incredibly grateful for the very rich fellowship that we have been privileged to share with you all. For many, the year has been filled with unanticipated challenges the effects of which look set to continue into the new year. Yet in this season of hope we join with you in the prophetic prayer of Zechariah that ‘by the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Lk 2 v.78-79)
Peace and blessings,
Mike.
Mike Pears, Director.
IBTS Christmas Appeal
In 2023, we have some key priorities: offering scholarships for residentials and quality online and in-person content; training more students from diverse and marginalized backgrounds; allowing gifted scholars and ministry leaders from diverse backgrounds to attend events and conferences by underwriting their participation costs.
If you would like to support our mission this Christmas, there are two ways to give: for U.S supporters we are accepting funds through Cooperative Baptist Fellowship – the link for which can be accessed here; for Europe and Rest of World, we have a Paypal account (you do not need a Paypal account to donate!). These links can also be found via the ‘donate’ button on our website.
Many thanks for your ongoing support and friendship with IBTS!
Reimagining Learning & Mission in Community
The IBTS Learning Network allows you to explore theology through creative conversations with leading Baptist educators. As part of this, we have announced our next course on Reimagining Learning & Mission in Community. Join us on 23rd January 2023 and expand your theological training within a supportive community!
JEBS - Call for Book Reviews
We are calling for book reviews for our upcoming JEBS edition (Journal of European Baptist Studies). For a list of books available for reviewing, contact Dorothy McMillan (dorothy@ibts.eu).
Spirituality Workshop
After many conversations around training for local leaders, a brand new initiative aimed at equipping local leaders is being offered by a team from Cardiff Baptist College, IBTS Learning Network, Northern Baptist College, and Regent’s Park College. Based online, the Spirituality Workshop will be open to local leaders from across Baptists Together and the wider European Baptist Federation region. The worshop will take place on 28th January 2023 from 10:30-15:30 - to register or find out more click here.
Call for Papers – CEEAMS Annual Conference
The upcoming hybrid Annual Conference of The Central and Eastern European Association for Mission Studies for theologians, missiologists, reflective practitioners and other professionals will be held 14-17 February 2023 in Osijek. To submit a paper proposal, please send an abstract of no more than 300 words to ceeams@ceeams.org by of December 15, 2022 with the subject heading: CA2023 / [your name]. Abstracts should provide a brief description of the work, clearly outlining the theoretical perspectives and methodology to be applied in the paper, as set out in the Guidelines for Abstracts.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Klimt
We would like to pass our congratulations to Prof. Dr. Andrea Klimt who has been appointed as Rector of Elstal Theological University. Dr. Klimt will take over as rector in January 2023, becoming the first woman to head a free church theological college in Germany. You can read more about her appointment here (article in German).
EBF Praying for Peace in Ukraine
EBF invites all to join in prayer on Zoom during the last Wednesday of each month for the situation in Ukraine. The EBF say ‘we believe that prayer is the most powerful way to support and encourage those in need during these challenging times’. To register for the following meeting, please follow this link. You can read more about how the EBF are supporting those in Ukraine here.