Baptists To Broaden Missionary Work

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31514, 31 October 1967, Page 16

Baptists To Broaden Missionary Work

The New Zealand Baptist Church is to broaden its scope of overseas missionary work. This was decided at the annual conference of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society, held in Christchurch yesterday. A 10-point recommendation from the society’s council, which was described as the most important to come before the conference since the society’s inception in 1885, was adopted unanimously. The society had missionaries working in India and East Pakistan and in other areas

of the world, said the Rev. M. J. Eade, president of the New Zealand Baptist Union. “The time has come for the Baptist Church to expand," said the Rev. G. F. Coombs of the Opawa Baptist Church, who presented the recommendations.

“Many Baptists are forced to serve with other societies because our own cannot accommodate them," he said. “The idea of the society is to offer to other Baptist missionary societies and unions as well as to indigenous national churches, missionaries to work in co-operation with them,” he said.

“The greatest need of Vietnam is not rice, hut is still righteousness; Indonesia is in dire need of missionaries.” said the Rev. E. Sherburd, of Tauranga. “There are 21! New Zealand Baptists serving with societies other than the New Zealand Baptist Mission.” said the Rev. A. L. Silcock, chairman of the Christian Board of Education. A recommendation that qualified persons could serve in overseas missions for short periods of between one and two years was questioned by Dr L. Sanson who is at present serving in India. "It is doubtful if a person could adjust to the real life and spirit of the Church in mission during such a short period.” ha said.

The loss of missionaries serving in the field through resignation and retirement was the cause of some concern, the conference was told. It was suggested that one of the reasons for the loss of the missionaries was because Baptists were not praying hard enough for the Church’s mission work. A barely audible voice suggested: “Perhaps the Anglicans are praying harder.” Mr Eade said there were still places where missionaries were in grave danger. "We are now faced with the problem of the Indian Government refusing entry permits to some of our missionaries. This is not because the government is hostile to missionaries, but because it does not consider it wise to have them there,” he said. Officers of the council elected at the conference were: Revs. G. T Beilby. G. F. Coombs. B. E. Hibbert, C. D. Jones. G. T. Macann. D. E. Patrick, J. E. Sherburd, Drs. C. M. Collins, H. T. Knights, Mesdames C. F. Schroeder. C. K. Smith. Sister Muriel Ormrod. Twenty-two ex-officio members were also appointed.