Rothwell Baptist Church Vision 

Welcoming – People often compliment us on how welcoming all our events are. We want to remember that this is a strength and are keen to maintain that strength. 

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in (Matthew 25:35) 

Caring – We are in contact with people in need, members who are ill and infirm, people of all ages with special needs and/or poor mental health.   We want to care for and show the Love love of Jesus to anyone in our community who is suffering in some way..
 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35) 

All Age – Our members and those who attend the church range in age from the youngest children to many who are senior in years.  Our worship services are accessible to all ages and do not exclude anyone because of age.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. (Matthew 19:14)

Telling the Good News – We tell it every Sunday and in all our church-run events.  We are true to what it says in the Bible and this truth is core to who we are and how we behave.

‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. (Luke 4:18-19) 

Making Disciples – This is the embodiment of the Great Commission; it also leads to the growth of the Church. We want to see disciples in our community growing in knowledge and faith, rather than focusing on increasing numbers of people attending church on Sunday mornings. 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’  (Matthew 19-20)

Vision in action – how we will achieve this vision.

Helping people of all ages in our community to believe in Jesus. 

We have many people who are associated with the Church and even come to Sunday services but who have yet to take the step of believing in Jesus and of being integrated into the life of the Church.  By seeking God’s will for our Church in our pursuit of the all-age vision, we believe that there will be growth in the number of new believers.

Growing the faith of the children and young people in our church.

 
We have a successful and well-attended follow up to Friday Club:  Followers.  The challenge is to find a role for these older children in the life of the church so that they grow in Christ and do not fall away.  To this end, we have formed a partnership with Missional Generation, a Leeds based charity committed to helping young people develop as disciples

Building an all-age leadership team 

Although we have people of many ages in our Church, the leadership team is made up of members who are all over 60.  Most volunteers are of a similar age range.  Our desire is that the team of leaders and helpers reflects the all-age vision of the church.  Growing our work with young people will attract (and is already, attracting) younger adults into our Church and our vision is to develop more younger leaders.

Caring for the members of our church who are unwell or housebound.

Recent years have seen many of our members becoming ill and/or disabled.  Some of our members have recently been bereaved and this number will inevitably increase.  There are also those among us who care for family members who are disabled, unwell or suffering with dementia.   We must not take our eyes off the caring role of the Church, being there for the needs of people of all ages. 

Encouraging active full-life discipleship in the lives of our people

We have taught for many years that discipleship does not begin and end at the door of the Church.  We want our people to be well-rounded disciples, taking a full part in the life of the church and being salt and light to all the people they interact with in the wider world: with family, school mates, friends and work colleagues.  Our Sunday morning teaching, with the help of the Missional Generation worker, will address discipleship of all ages.