24/05/2025
Dear brothers and sisters
Belonging to such a diverse church, as we interact with one another, we often find the principle of ‘unity in diversity’ helpful to keep in mind. An effect of the Gospel is that despite the demographic and other variations among our congregations, we are all in fellowship in our shared need for Christ, our purpose of living for Him, and bringing Him glory by serving Him. We need to provide these spaces for those we invite to know Christ without the potential for distraction or unnecessary conflict. Our message can go out more powerfully when we receive the blessing of unity (Psalm 133:1), and the beauty of church congregations reflects the diversity of the Kingdom of God on earth, giving all involved a taste of life in eternity as we worship together in harmony and peace.
For this reason, I must say that the section in the Appendix of the SEC Inspired for Mission Strategy entitled “Women in Church Leadership” is concerning. It mentions “uncivil behaviours directed at women in ministry in some church settings,” an issue that should not find a place in any of our congregations.
We only need to read about Jesus’ interactions with women in the Gospels to see He loved them, and in turn, they loved Him. They were always with Him, supporting His ministry, Him personally, and following Him wherever He went, even to the grave and beyond, as the work of spreading the Gospel went on, a story that continues to this day.
Politeness and respect for one another, regardless of any factors involved, is the very least we can ask for because there is no theology or moral stance that can legitimise abuse or disrespect when from the Bible, we repeatedly hear words such as “…beloved, love one another” (John 13:34-35), “love is patient, love is kind” 1 Corinthians 13:42, and from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of our Christian Church, we gain the fundamental teaching to love: “love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mark 12:31) and “ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34). This shows that for those who are following Christ, it is imperative that we love, including regardless of gender or any other factor, as love is even an indication that we are His disciples” (verse 35).
If we love, we will care about the health and well-being of female leaders. As mentioned in the same passage of the Strategy, in this light, any “toxic” behaviour targeting them is entirely unacceptable. Likewise, any brushing of such situations “under the carpet”, minimisation or enablement of any kind. I would like to thank our female Pastors and leaders who are in the long line of females who stand for Christ and serve Him in the best way they know how, asking that they receive the love and appreciation they deserve so that as His followers, the Church can truly represent the love of Christ. We will develop this a bit more in another letter.
A big thank you to all Pastors who have shown up for the annual review. I am impressed with many of your plans and the hard work you are doing in your Churches – keep up the fantastic work as you are Inspired For Mission!
Dr Kirk Thomas
South England Conference President
