Tag: Stephen Baxter

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Becoming Resurrection: Living Hope in Uncertain Times 

Becoming Resurrection: Living Hope in Uncertain Times

Stephen Baxter, Director of Tasmanian Baptists, continues his theme on resurrection. See also: Living in the Reality of Resurrection and The Resurrection of Hope: Beyond the Afterlife.

The Silent Waiting of Saturday

Between Friday’s cross and Sunday’s empty tomb lies the silent waiting of Saturday. Most of us know this space intimately—suspended between what was lost and what might be reborn. 

Our world often finds itself trapped in this liminal moment: wars persist, climate fears mount, divisions deepen. Yet Easter’s profound truth is to remind us what comes next—Sunday. And it often comes in ways we least expect—resurrection. 

As I’ve written earlier, the question isn’t whether resurrection will come, but how we take part in its unfolding in our world today. This is our call as followers of Jesus. 

Resurrection for Others

I recently came across a challenge from theologian Matthew Fox that helps make this clear. He asks, “How am I Resurrection for others?” This is a radical invitation. How do I embody hope when the darkness seems overwhelming? Or to put it another way, how can I be Sunday in someone else’s Friday? 

These are important questions, particularly when the threat to resurrection isn’t just the depth of Friday’s darkness but the temptation to remain in Saturday’s tomb of cynicism.

In challenging times, it is so easy to be seduced by a whisper that says, “Why bother? Nothing changes. Best to just protect yourself.” But this is not Sunday resurrection faith. In fact, the resurrection calls us to break free from this paralysing narrative and escape being buried in despair. 

Theologian Walter Brueggemann says we are to be “practitioners of hope”—not naive optimists denying Friday’s reality, but clear-eyed realists who refuse to let Friday have the final word. It’s the difference between pretending graves don’t exist and walking through cemeteries proclaiming that death doesn’t end the story. 

A Faithful Presence

I’ve learned that resurrection people don’t deny Good Friday’s anguish; they transform it. They build bridges across chasms of misunderstanding and plant gardens in war-torn soil. They initiate difficult conversations rather than retreating into comfortable certainties. 

Here, Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi’s observation that “there is more good than evil in the world—but not by much” takes on extra meaning. Each choice to embody Sunday’s hope amid Friday’s despair tips the balance towards good. Each small resurrection, compounded over time, creates the tipping point toward renewal. 

This is why living resurrection is so critical. It whispers through our collective Saturday, reminding us of God’s promise to “make all things new.” Our response requires no heroic gestures, only a faithful presence. One act of forgiveness, one moment of genuine listening, one decision to see possibility where others see only endings—these become Sunday breaking into Friday’s darkness. 

Perhaps you feel trapped in your own Saturday, uncertain whether Sunday will dawn. Remember: the first witnesses to resurrection were grief-stricken women expecting only death. They discovered that Sunday had already begun. Your uncertainty doesn’t disqualify you; it positions you perfectly to recognise resurrection when it appears. 

Each time we choose to be resurrection, we declare that Friday’s verdict isn’t final. We begin today, one choice at a time, breaking the silence of Saturday with songs of Sunday’s coming. And as we do, we bring Sunday into someone’s Friday today.

Stephen Baxter is the Director of Tasmanian Baptists. 

Becoming Resurrection: Living Hope in Uncertain Times

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The Resurrection of Hope: Beyond the Afterlife 

The Resurrection of Hope: Beyond the Afterlife

Stephen Baxter, Director of Tasmanian Baptists, continues his theme on resurrection from last week’s article: Living in the Reality of Resurrection

Heavens Reality to Transform Earth

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi once observed that “there is more good than evil in the world—but not by much.” This delicate balance—this fragile surplus of light over darkness—reveals a profound truth often overlooked in the Easter narrative. 

We frequently reduce resurrection to a spiritual insurance policy—our guarantee of life beyond death. But what if Easter’s most radical implication isn’t about the afterlife at all, but about the transformation of this world? 

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus invited his followers to pray not for escape to heaven but for heaven’s reality to transform earth. Through resurrection’s lens, these words reveal a divine promise: our world’s brokenness is not its final state. The empty tomb becomes a blueprint for earthly renewal, not merely a doorway to eternity. 

Consider how resurrection hope has quietly shaped our human story. This confidence that restoration is possible has fuelled justice movements, inspired scientific discovery, and animated artistic expression—the slow, patient labour of making earth more like heaven. 

Life Emerging

In the aftermath of World War II—perhaps humanity’s darkest chapter—we’ve witnessed remarkable flourishing. Infant mortality has declined by nearly 60% since 1990. Over one billion people have escaped extreme poverty in three decades. Maternal deaths have fallen 40% since 2000. These aren’t mere statistics, but real lives transformed, real suffering alleviated. 

Yet these gains feel increasingly tenuous. War, political polarization, economic uncertainty, and ecological fragility have exposed the vulnerability of our progress. Many question whether our advances are sustainable or merely temporary. 

Here resurrection faith finds its deepest expression—not in triumphalism but in the stubborn insistence that even the smallest surplus of good, compounded over time, transforms the world. Like compound interest, a marginal advantage—perhaps just 1 or 2% in favour of healing over harm—yields remarkable returns across generations. 

Our technological breakthroughs and cultural evolution toward greater inclusion reflect this compounding miracle—life emerging where endings seemed definitive, possibility rising from despair. 

Agents of Resurrection

What makes resurrection hope compelling isn’t that it promises utopia, but that it acknowledges struggle while refusing surrender to cynicism. Resurrection doesn’t eliminate suffering; it transforms suffering into a catalyst for renewal. The empty tomb doesn’t erase the cross; it reframes its meaning. 

As institutions founder and community bonds fray, resurrection hope is precisely what our moment requires. Not retreat into spiritual escapism, but courageous engagement with our broken world. Not blind faith in progress, but steadfast commitment to healing. 

Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi’s wisdom reminds us that the margin between light and darkness remains narrow—”not by much.” Yet this very narrowness invites our participation. Each of us, through seemingly small acts of courage and compassion, contributes to that fragile surplus of good. We become agents of resurrection, embodying the Easter miracle in everyday choices that tip the balance toward renewal. 

It is this resurrection hope that fuels our hope, our churches, communities and families. What if bringing heaven to earth depends, in some mysterious way, on our willingness to live as if death does not have the final word? 

Stephen Baxter is the Director of Tasmanian Baptists. 

The Resurrection of Hope: Beyond the Afterlife

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Living in the Reality of Resurrection

Living in the Reality of Resurrection

By Stephen Baxter, Director of Tasmanian Baptists

A Game-Changing Reveal

There’s something quietly wonderful, even magical, about a sunrise. That moment when darkness slowly surrenders to light, and the first whisper of colour peeps above the horizon to gradually transform the entire landscape. A day begins, and the world pauses between what was and what will be, holding its breath in anticipation. 

Every sunrise echoes something profound about Easter. On that morning, the disciples huddled in confusion and grief, believing death had the final word—until it didn’t. The stone rolled away. The tomb stood empty. What seemed like an ending became an unexpected beginning. Life would never be the same.  

What the disciples quickly discovered was how resurrection was much more than Jesus’ private miracle. It wasn’t like he’d won a special prize that only he enjoys. Rather, it revealed something game-changing about reality itself—that love is stronger than hatred, connection more powerful than division, and life more persistent than death. All this amazing power isn’t just waiting for us in heaven someday. We can experience the power of the resurrection in our lives right now. 

Quiet Moments of Everyday Courage

It can happen in quiet moments of everyday courage—when we extend forgiveness to someone who has wounded us deeply, knowing that holding onto resentment only imprisons ourselves. It happens when we find the strength to begin again after devastating failure, when we honour the wisdom gained through our missteps, and when we gently refuse to let our worst moments define who we are. 

Sometimes we get stuck obsessing over our mistakes. But focusing on sin is like watching the opening scenes of a movie and missing the plot twist that changes everything. The resurrection reminds us that our story doesn’t end with our failures, it begins with God’s miracle of life. 

In a world feeling increasingly fractured—where pandemic aftershocks, political divisions, and climate anxiety have left many feeling disoriented—resurrection provides a different story. It reminds us of the fragility of systems we once thought unshakable, it exposes our misplaced hope and false expectations turning us to the hope of a new future. 

Hope that Defies Circumstances

For it is precisely in a disrupted landscape that resurrection makes the most sense. The first Easter didn’t occur during peaceful times but emerged from chaos, fear, and shattered dreams. Resurrection has always been about hope that defies circumstances, about life asserting itself in spaces where death seemed to have the final word. 

Our world needs to hear this again, as so do you. Wonderfully, God has given us a daily reminder— when the morning light reclaims the world from darkness and proclaims this day is full of new possibilities. 

This is God’s invitation calling us to break through our own limitations and embrace how resurrection isn’t waiting for us in eternity; it’s breathing life into this day and this moment. As morning light reclaims the world from darkness, may you walk boldly into each new day as a living testament to resurrection’s unstoppable truth: that death, despair and division will never be the end of the story. 

Stephen Baxter is the Director of Tasmanian Baptists. Photo by Benjamin Behre on Unsplash  

Living in the Reality of Resurrection

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Future Church

Future Church

Where Every Generation Finds Home

By Stephen Baxter

In the heart of Tasmania, where faith stands at a crossroads, an extraordinary prospect is before us. Statistics tell us only 34% identify as Christian, and half claim no religious affiliation. While this is undoubtedly a challenge, it is also a unique opportunity—to become an authentic, vibrant community that transcends age barriers. 

Picture walking into a church where the energy is electric, where grandparents and teenagers serve side-by-side, where children’s laughter mingles with ancient hymns, and where every person knows they are part of something bigger than themselves. This is the potential intergenerational community that Baptist churches in Tasmania can embrace. 

The evidence is compelling. The Fuller Youth Institute’s research reveals that when generations interweave their lives, faith doesn’t just survive – it thrives. Young people surrounded by multi-generational relationships develop deeper faith, a stronger identity, and lasting connections to Jesus. These bonds aren’t just meaningful; they are transformative.

It’s time to reimagine church life. Instead of separating by age, what if we created spaces where wisdom and wonder collide? Where a teenager’s passionate prayer complements an elder’s seasoned faith? Where children don’t just watch but lead, and every generation brings their unique gifts to church life? 

It is already happening. Younger Australians are leading a spiritual renaissance. While 23% of Baby Boomers attend church monthly, an inspiring 50% of Millennial Christians and 40% of Gen Z believers actively engage in church life. They’re not just showing up – they’re seeking authentic community where their voices echo and their presence matters. 

A moment for vision and action 

This moment calls us to bold vision and creative action. It means reimagining worship to include every voice – from the youngest reader to the most seasoned prayer warrior. It means creating spaces where stories of faith flow freely between generations, where modern technology enhances rather than divides, and where innovative approaches like Messy Church bring fresh energy to ancient truths. 

As it was in the early church and throughout church history, we are those who break down the barriers of age and tradition to build communities that reflect the magnificent diversity of God’s kingdom. This is Tasmanian Baptists’ focus for this year.

We are those who break down the barriers of age and tradition to build communities that reflect the magnificent diversity of God’s kingdom 

In a world hungry for connection and starving for purpose, let us rebuild our churches to be places where every age is valued, every voice is heard, and every person finds their place in God’s family. 

Stephen L. Baxter is Mission Director for Tasmanian Baptists.

Future Church

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Looking for the Sacred in the Ordinary

Looking for the Sacred in the Ordinary

In his Christmas reflection, Stephen Baxter shifts focus to look for the sacred in the ordinary.

It wasn’t even December, yet the shop windows had already begun filling with Christmas tinsel and lights. I found myself offended. Again. Each year I react: the marketing motivation is not about the incarnation, but the income; not on the celebration, but the selling. This year, however, I was struck by something new—I realised God once window-shopped these streets. Not literally these streets, of course, but the dusty marketplaces of ancient Nazareth. 

Perhaps my offence needed reshaping.

There’s something profoundly striking about God appearing in a pile of straw—a divine reminder that God has experienced life’s messy ordinariness. This was a sacred embrace of everyday experience, with all its contradictions, tragedies, ironies, pain—and yes, its beauty. 

I sensed I needed to pause, slow down, and reconsider my offence.  

Finding Holy Ground

God entered the world. My world. Which means the simple act of sharing coffee with a friend turns into a sacred space, because Jesus connected with people over meals and conversation.

The weight of family responsibilities takes on new meaning because Jesus experienced human weariness. And even those challenging conversations with children carry holy potential—after all, God chose to grow through human development, experiencing both the tenderness, and tension, of family life. 

That God is involved in my everyday life means I can approach my inbox with patience, where each email becomes an opportunity to exercise grace. Work and workplace become “holy ground”, because God’s presence makes even the most ordinary parts of life holy. And I could respond to shopfront Christmas decorations with more grace and understanding, because at least they point to a profound reality.  

A reality that’s one of the deepest mysteries of Christmas—not just that God became human once, but that God’s presence remains with us, always.  

A Place Where God Dwells

Christmas, the celebration of God’s incarnation, extends an everyday invitation to you and me. It is an encouragement to see every moment, every situation, and every location as a place where God dwells. The morning commute becomes holy ground, the office cubicle a potential site of divine encounter, and even the dishes in the kitchen sink create a possible sacred  moment. 

So this Christmas, I invite you to shift focus with me.

Rather than be offended by whatever it is about Christmas that upsets you, join me in looking for the sacred in the ordinary—where God meets us in unexpected and surprising places.

After all, that is what Christmas is all about, isn’t it?

Stephen L. Baxter is Mission Director for Tasmanian Baptists.

Looking for the Sacred in the Ordinary

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A Time to ENGAGE

Tasmanian Baptists Gather with Purpose

What Happened at Assembly?

At the recent Assembly, Mission Director Stephen Baxter launched a new theme for 2025 – Intergeneration – challenging us to reimagine TasBaptist churches as truly intergenerational spaces. 

God is Doing Something Special Here

There’s something special about the Tasmanian Baptist Assembly at Riverlands. The moment you step through the doors, you’re surrounded by a warmth that goes beyond friendliness – it’s a genuine spirit of connection that transforms strangers into conversation partners, and solitary attendees into active participants of a vibrant community. 

This energy was clear at our recent gathering on Saturday, October 19, so much so that it caught the attention of our keynote speaker, Andrew Turner, Director of Crossover.
“God is doing something special here,” he observed, capturing an emotion that vibrated throughout the day.  

In an era where churches often feel isolated in their mission, these connections across Tasmania create a vital support network for leadership teams facing the challenges of our increasingly un-churched society.

Our new theme for 2025 

Mission Director Stephen Baxter struck at the heart of our current challenges in his opening address, posing two critical questions that would shape the day’s discussions: How can our Union of churches better engage with our local communities? And perhaps more crucially, how do we nurture and connect with young people, both within our churches and in the broader community?  

These questions launched us into our new theme for 2025 – Intergeneration – challenging us to reimagine our churches as truly intergenerational spaces. 

The day brought inspiring proof that this transformation is already underway. We heard stories from Riverlands, Wynyard, Newstead, and Claremont churches, the latter having recently merged with IC Church. These congregations are finding creative ways to engage with their communities, offering hope and practical examples for others to follow.

Jenny Baxter (Hobart) and Wendy Marston (Newstead)
Dan Hutchison (Newstead), Louis Fife (Ulverstone)
Burnie contingent-Matty Coppin with Kathy and Dierdre
Overseeing up the back, Karla, Anna-Maree, Rodney
Nicholas Alexander, Lifeway Devonport, in the kitchen
Andrew Turner and Stpehen Baxter
Matt Henderson (Hobart), Maddy Svoboda (Summerhill)
Liam Conway, Riverlands
Stephen speaks
Hazelyn Mohan (Claremont)
Stephen speaks
Andrew Turner
The Wynyard attendees
Dan Hutchison talks about Newstead
Sue Fifield (Coastlands) and Jenny Baxter (Hobart)
Franz Brosch-Wynyard

Private vs Public church 

Andrew Turner’s keynote sessions provided valuable insights into the distinction between “private” and “public” church spaces. His fresh perspective challenged us to reconsider how we present ourselves to newcomers (no longer “visitors”) and how we use our spaces – including the radical suggestion of leaving those back rows free as a comfortable vantage point for those new to church life.  

Andrew advocated for a balanced approach: maintaining public spaces for welcome and introduction, while creating separate opportunities, “private church”, for deeper discipleship and prayer.

Meaningful Engagement

The business portion of the Assembly, though brief, included meaningful discussion about the Mission and Leadership Development Fund (MaLD). The fund realigns resources to support churches in their community engagement efforts through both small and large grants. All leadership teams must do is ask – and the sooner the better! Operations Manager Rodney Marshall suggested there is a limited pool available each year. 

The election of Council members saw the return of Matt Garvin (Vice-Chair), Wendy Marston (North), Louis Fife (Northwest), and Mark Harris (South); while welcoming new member Elysia Cunningham from Penguin church, whose story will soon feature in reCharge. 

As the day drew to a close, the energy remained undiminished. Cars pulled away from Riverlands filled with individuals inspired not just to connect with each other, but to reach beyond their comfort zones and engage meaningfully with their local communities. The Assembly had done more than just discuss engagement – it had modelled it, inspired it, and set the stage for the next chapter in Tasmanian Baptist life.

Jenny Baxter is the state leader for EmpowHer and a member at Hobart Baptist church. She and husband Stephen live in Sandy Bay and they have five adult children, and seven grandchildren. Jenny loves to watch the sunrise when she is out on her morning walks, and enjoys a good chai latte while chatting with friends.

A Time to ENGAGE

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The End of Christianity in Tasmania?

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Theology and Culture

Stephen Baxter considers whether the church in Tasmania has separated from the mainstream of Tasmanian life.

In 1971, Tasmania was the most Christian state in Australia with nearly 9 out of 10 people identifying as Christian. Fast forward fifty years and that number has plummeted to just over 1 in 3. Those claiming no religion went from 1 in 20 to 1 in 2.

This seismic shift didn’t happen overnight. It was the culmination of a series of small cultural shifts day after day, year after year. The shift caught the church largely unaware and over the years it became separated from the mainstream of Tasmanian life.   

Looking Like Jesus?

The church has always been at its best when it resonated with the human condition. It started with Jesus, who met people with empathy and courage, as opposed to the religious leaders of his day who only increased their burdens. Too often in the 2000 years since, the church has looked more like the opponents of Jesus than Jesus himself. We failed to engage the real challenges people faced, and instead erected barriers. However, there have been times with the church was more like Jesus. 

How would the people of Tasmania view the church today? I fear they don’t see Jesus. This is a challenge. If the church remains disengaged from the mainstream we will continue our decline in relevancy and number. But it doesn’t need to be that way. We are people of the resurrection. The challenge before us is in fact a real opportunity. 

Now is the time to reimagine what it means to be the church for 21st century Tasmania. As we do, I believe there are three aspects worthy of our consideration.  

Is the church in Tasmania known as a source of audacious hope, radical community and fierce love?

Communities of Hope, Love and Faith

Firstly, it is important we reclaim being a community of hope. The church is God’s pilot project for the new creation. Imbued with hope through rebirth in the Holy Spirit, the church is not about reviving old dogma but birthing a lifestyle that is dynamic, alive and relevant.  

Secondly, reembody being a community of love. Being church was never about empty religious observance. It’s about humbly loving those around us through practical care, good works and social cohesion. Such love is always infectious.  

And thirdly, rebuilding a community of faith. Too easily we slip into reducing Jesus followers into spectators and consumers of church services. But the church was never meant to be reduced to that. We are a body of faith-inspired, spirit-equipped people participating in God’s mission together. Here we constantly pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” 

Is the church in Tasmania known as a source of audacious hope, radical community and fierce love?

If the challenges the church faces in Tasmania are seen through the lens of these realities, everything changes. No longer are we an institution on life support struggling to stay alive. In fact, we become the vehicle God uses to bring renewal to every area of life in our communities. 

Sure, it is uncomfortable and unpredictable, and will look very different from the church we’ve known. But that is no different than the message Jesus brought. Our calling is to be out ahead of the cultural tremors working to reshape of our world based on the dreams God for our community.   

The Alternative?

But what is the alternative? Simply fading away by surrendering to the status quo that rendered us culturally irrelevant in the first place? 

No, this moment of challenge is the opportunity. What if the church in Tasmania was known as a source of audacious hope, radical community and fierce love for each other? Wouldn’t that be exactly what Jesus would want of us?

Stephen Baxter is Mission Director for Tasmanian Baptists.

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When is a person ready for baptism?

When is a person ready for Baptism?

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Demolishing Barriers, Crossing Divides

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Deep Thought

Easter has come and gone for another year. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate the heart of our faith—the death and resurrection of Jesus and the hope that comes with it.  

Now that Easter is over, it’s valid to ask, “so what?”

Sure, it’s a reassurance that death is not the end of it all, but what difference does it make to your life today, tomorrow or next week? 

At Hobart Baptist Church, on Resurrection Sunday, I focussed on the event recorded in Matthew, where the Temple curtain is violently torn, from top to bottom. This happened the moment Jesus died.  

The curtain was a massive fabric barrier made of purple, blue, and scarlet material, interwoven with fine linen. It was about 18 metres high and 100cm thick. Its presence was to set a boundary between the Holy of Holies, the most sacred space where God was present and humans were not, from the rest of the Temple.  

Although God put this barrier in place in the design of the tabernacle, now God sets about destroying it. That’s the significance of it being torn from the top. 

A Holy Place

The Jews thought they understood holiness, and the temple was central. Jesus, however, had a very different vision and that’s what got him killed. He was Immanuel, God with us, crossing that barrier that divides. Sure, God is holy, righteous and pure, just as the curtain illustrated, but not in a way that makes God distant and hateful of whatever is unholy. God is love, pure unadulterated love.  

Image of torn paper with quote: Jesus was Immanuel, God with us, crossing that barrier that divides.

But that’s not all. The gospel writers record a second important event. At exactly the same time Jesus died and the curtain was ripped, the Centurion executing Jesus had a profound “ah-ha” moment.   

As high-ranking officer in the Roman army, he had most likely witnessed hundreds of crucifixions. Yet, this one was somehow different, and he was deeply moved. 

This is profound. Not only because he responded, “Surely this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39), but because God met him in a most unholy place. Here, in a pagan setting outside the temple and the city while executing God’s specially chosen Messiah, God is still at work, demolishing the barriers, crossing the divides.  

Image of torn paper with quote: God the Centurion in a most unholy place. Here, in a pagan setting outside the temple and the city while executing God’s specially chosen Messiah

This changes everything and should change our tomorrows. The God who is there, who Jesus revealed through his death and resurrection, is most surprising. Contrary to our expectations… if God can meet the centurion while he supervised the crucifixion of the beloved son, God can meet you anywhere. Your ordinary life, no matter where it is at, is no barrier to God meeting you, if you are willing to meet God.  

This is a “so what” worth celebrating every day.

Stephen Baxter

Stephen L. Baxter is Mission Director for Tasmanian Baptists

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Reason for Great Hope in a Broken World

Tas Baptists Mission and Leadership 2024 Stephen L. Baxter

Mission and Leadership Development

By Stephen L. Baxter, Mission Director, Tasmanian Baptists

Being a church leader in Tasmania is challenging. Whether a pastor or part of a leadership team, in either a paid or volunteer capacity, the issues faced can feel overwhelming. Yet, there is great reason for great hope.  

People do not think about or relate to the church in ways they used to. Where once they may have looked to the church for guidance and support, today most look elsewhere. 

In fact, for many, the church is the last place they expect to find welcome and care. Yet, across many of our Baptist churches in Tasmania, that is exactly what many people are receiving. There are so many opportunities. You can read about many of them in articles released via reCharge. 

Despite the good things happening, there are still challenges. Significantly, Tasmanians remain the least religious people in Australia according to the last census figures. 

There is great reason for great hope
There is reason for great hope

Many, no doubt, have been repelled by some of the extreme and reactionary versions of Christianity portrayed in the media. Despite representing only a small minority of people, every church is tarred with the same brush.   

While many have rejected religion, this does not mean they no longer believe in God. Religion is often associated with an institutional or external moral framework as a means to relate to God. In a very individualistic world, many don’t see the need of religion to go to God. 

These and many other influences mean that most Tasmanians are unlikely to come to our churches of their own accord. So, we must go to them. This is exactly what many of our churches are doing in many different ways.  

Their approach is to begin with a focus on the needs of their community and find what can be done to address them. There is a focus on building relationships, in one-on-one meetings, small groups and other activities where connection and community are the focus.  

This is why there is reason for hope. Our churches are adapting to the challenges of the Tasmanian community. The good news of Jesus still brings hope to the chaos of people’s lives.  

By being in the community, rather than waiting for them to come to us, we can be on hand when the moment arrives.  

For it is in times of significant life change, challenge or loss, that people are more open to hearing about truth, hope, meaning and purpose. The challenges before us in 2024, and beyond, call for adaptability and creativity.  

We have already begun the journey and God continues to guide us. May we have an openness to new ideas, to new ways of doing things, and to new ways of thinking so that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Phil 1:6). 

Stephen L. Baxter

Stephen L. Baxter is Mission Director for Tasmanian Baptists

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From 2023

Reason for Great Hope in a Broken World

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Converge 2023

Comnverge 23 - Anthea Maymard reports on the annual event where leaders from Baptist churches in Australia visit Canberra to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. This year's focus was the Myanmar crisis.

Advocating for Others

Baptist Leaders, Converge23

By Anthea Maynard, City Baptist Launceston

Converge is an annual gathering of Australian Baptist representatives in Canberra to advocate on issues close to the heart of our movement and the represent the 1000+ churches nationally.

This year, nearly 40 Australian Baptists from across Australia gathered for two days of lobbying and advocacy. Nicholas Alexander (Lifeway Devonport), Stephen Baxter (Mission Director & Hobart Baptist pastor) and I, Anthea Maynard (Team leader Launceston City Baptist) attended as delegates through the support and generosity of Tas Baptists.

Key Objective

The key objective was to elevate the ongoing and protracted crisis in Myanmar as a priority. We were asking for action from our elected representatives. Groups of four delegates from different locations met with members of parliament to introduce the situation. They then presented three asks and shared a personal story by a person from Myanmar.  With more than 20,000 Baptists from Myanmar in Australia, this is an important opportunity to support them. As well, we advocated as part of a wider, ecumenical effort (with the Catholic and Uniting Churches).  

Our campaign “We Must Not Forget About Myanmar” has postcards outlining the three asks to Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs. These postcards will be available through Baptist World Aid and Australian Baptist Ministries (see below). We hope that 20,000 printed postcards will end up on the desk of the Foreign Minister.

With different humanitarian crises happening around the world, the emergency for the people of Myanmar has fallen off the radar of the international community.  This is our opportunity to make a difference. The United Nations Humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths recently said, ‘successive crises in Myanmar have left one third of the population in need of humanitarian aid’.

Justice beyond ourselves

This was my first experience of Converge. It was a unique opportunity to work alongside Australian Baptist representatives from diverse roles and locations to highlight the needs and recent experiences of the people of Myanmar.  It is my prayer awareness and support will grow, along with members of parliament noticing Christians advocating for issues justice beyond ourselves.

Anthea Maynard with Converge delegates and an MP
Anthea’s Lobby Group: Melissa Rule (BUV Head of comms), Biak Nei Xing (Coffs Harbour), Rev. Daniel Bullock (BUV Director of Mission and Ministries), Anthea, Sui Sangte Chung (Perth WA).

In my group, there were two delegates from the Myanmar Baptist community. Sui, from Perth WA, has recently graduated from nursing. She arrived in Australia as a refugee with her mother at the age of eight. Sui shared of her recent trip to some refugee camps on the Indian border. Sui encountered stories from elderly ladies who had fled their villages due to airstrikes. This year, airstrikes have increased dramatically in Myanmar to a current total of 289. Stronger, focused sanctions are needed to limit the capacity of the Junta to trade.

Biak was the other delegate, from Coffs Harbour NSW. She shared how her mother’s and father’s villages were burned to the ground in September this year. This was very distressing for her and her extended family.

The overall response by parliamentary representatives was engaging and positive. The Myanmar delegates were encouraged, and grateful to raise their voice with other Australian Baptists.

What to do next

Myanmar crisis

RAISE AWARENESS AT YOUR CHURCH Images and resources, available HERE
PRAY FOR MYANMAR Myanmar Prayer Sheet (450KB)
ADVOCATE FOR MYANMAR Email politicians; Order postcards INFO HERE >

Anthea Maynard

Anthea Maynard is the pastor at City Baptist, Launceston

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October/November/December 2023

Converge 2023