On Saturday 8th November, we gathered in 8 venues across our movement for our 2025 Gathering Incorporating the Ordinary Assembly. Thanks to everyone who was part of this time together!
Read on to find out about all that happened at this Gathering!
We began our time together with a devotion from Badil Oweis, Pastor of Graceway Baptist Church. Speaking from Hebrews 11 Badil reflected on the theme of The Life and Legacy of Faith, reminding us of the enduring impact of those who walk faithfully with God and how we too are called to live in that same faith.
Sam Sterland also shared on the topic “An Increased Openness to Faith,” exploring research that highlights how younger generations are showing a growing curiosity and willingness to engage with matters of faith. Following his presentation, Jamie Freeman facilitated a panel consisting of Louise Bartlett, Zak Feacher, Nat Schroder and Sam Sterland discussing how this shift is influencing different areas of ministry and creating new opportunities for connection and discipleship.
Recordings of these sessions are now available to be watched online along with resources that were shared on the Gathering website linked below.
An update was presented to the Assembly about the National Redress Scheme, which provides redress for survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse. At our 2018 assembly we agreed to join the Scheme as a Participating Group, and then the vast majority of our churches opted in to be part of the Group. Alongside that our Assembly also agreed to set up a Support Pool, contributed to by all participating churches and also the Association itself, that shared the financial risk of receiving redress claims across the churches.
Up until this year the annual Support Pool levies sent to our churches has been sufficient to cover the claims received. However this year the number of claims received has increased 4-fold, and that means we are needing to increase the levies collected from our churches.
The next Redress Levy invoice will be sent to churches before the end of this year, and it has been increased by 50%. Further information about this will be communicated with the levies themselves in the weeks ahead.
On Saturday afternoon Assembly considered 2 motions, one regarding the removal of affiliation of Seaforth Baptist Church and the other the removal of affiliation of Avalon Baptist Peace Memorial Church. These motions were brought by the Assembly Council (AC) pursuant to the decisions of the 2024 Annual Assembly to adopt the Processes for Churches and Pastors regarding Affiliation, Baptist Values and Marriage, and after engagement with both churches.
The documentation explaining these motions which was released prior to the Assembly can be requested HERE. Both motions were passed by a majority of 80%.
Both churches now move into a phase of assisted transition. The Processes document referred to above (including in Appendix 3) outlines what this looks like and essentially means that the existing supports of the Association remain available for a transitional period of 2 years, with some services remaining available long term.
This was a sensitive and difficult discussion and is a challenging matter for our movement as a whole. We recognise the sense of grief that may be experienced, most particularly by the churches themselves.
In reflecting on these matters, the following papers prepared and released before the 2024 Assembly also remain available as resource/discussion aids:
Let’s continue to be in prayer for one another at this time.
Main Venue:
Ryde Baptist Church
Cnr of Lane Cove Road and Dobson Crescent, Ryde 2112
Plus Confirmed Additional Venues
Alstonville Baptist Church – Northern Rivers
Belair Baptist Church – Hunter
Dickson Baptist Church – Canberra
Tamworth Baptist Church – New England
Wagga Wagga Baptist Church – Riverina
Wellington Baptist Church – Western Districts
Wollongong Baptist Church – South Coast
Online only (no voting)*
Commencing at 9:30 am
Affiliated Churches of NSW & ACT usually meet twice a year together to be encouraged and inspired by what God is doing and will continue to do amongst us, and to discern significant matters in the life of our movement.
Our second assembly for this year will be held on Saturday, 8 November 2025.
*For those viewing the Gathering online via Zoom the business session in the afternoon will not be streamed, with the feed being closed at lunch time.
The Gathering Incorporating the Ordinary Assembly will commence at 9:30am on 8 November and is expected to conclude by 3pm.
The focus of the morning will be the theme “An Increased Openness to Faith?” where Sam Sterland from the National Church Life Survey will share insights from recent research. Then we will be hosting a panel discussion exploring the cultural shifts and emerging opportunities we are seeing in our current culture and their implications for ministry.
Sam Sterland joined the NCLS Research team in 2001 as a researcher. He is involved in research, partner management, resource development, logistics, communications and liaison with each denomination, state and region in Australia. Sam has a background in teaching, counselling, psychology, and pastoral ministry and has co-authored NCLS publications on church life and sustainable leadership. He has a doctorate in organisational leadership, with a focus on the organisational culture of local churches. Sam enjoys turning research into useful resources, presenting, and has a passion to help local churches be healthy and fulfil their mission, and for leaders to avoid burnout and thrive.
Badil Oweis is the pastor of Graceway Church. Having spent most of his working life ministering alongside his occupation as a pharmacist, he was called to full time ministry in 2019, when the Baptist Association partnered with Crest Community Baptist Church and Yagoona Baptist Church to plant this multi-ethnic church to serve the community and beyond.
During the business session Assembly will be considering 2 motions from Assembly Council. These follow the resolutions of the June 2024 Assembly regarding churches who, in the view of Assembly Council, have been clear in their non-support of the Association’s Position Statement on Marriage. For this reason, Assembly Council will be recommending Seaforth Baptist Church and Avalon Baptist Peace Memorial Church to Assembly for removal of their affiliation.
Access to further information including a statement from Assembly Council, the text of the motions and statements from the churches concerned can be requested by completing the form below.
Assembly Council recognises this is a very challenging matter, in particular for the churches concerned, and requests that any dialogue or communication related to this be conducted with the deepest respect and understanding for the impact on those involved. Council continues to be very much in prayer and invites all within our movement likewise to prayer about these matters.
Churches need to register their delegates (and alternate delegates if desired) at the latest by 9:30am Saturday, 1 November 2025. Other voting members and non-voting attendees may register online up until the day or register onsite on the day. Non-voting attendees must be members or regular attendees of one of our churches.
Attendance at the Assembly is free, however if you want to purchase lunch you will need to register online by Saturday, 1 November 2025. For those attending the Gathering at Wagga Wagga Baptist Church or Tamworth Baptist Church lunch will be free.
Delegates who have been registered are able to sign in from 8:30 am on the day.
Other eligible participants are able to register or sign in from 8:30 am on the day.
A minimum of 10 voting members need to be registered to attend at any Additional Venue by Saturday, 1 November to ensure that venue remains operational.
We want to commit the upcoming Assembly to prayer as we prepare to gather together. You are warmly invited to participate in our online prayer gathering being held on Wednesday, 5 November from 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
If you are a pastor, leader, or member/attendee of one of the Baptist Churches in our movement we would love to invite you to this online prayer gathering as we commit to being reliant on the Holy Spirit and recognise God’s leading in all that is before us.
