Evening Course - Introduction to the New Testament

The evening course - 'Introduction to the New Testament' started last week - but due to an administrative error it was very poorly publicised and only a (select) handful turned up.
It is still not too late to start coming to this course which runs on Weds evenings 7.30-9.30pm at City URC, Windsor Place, Cardiff.
The course is suitable for ordinary church members who are interested in taking their knowledge of the New Testament a bit deeper, and in getting some insight into the context and interpretations of the various books of the NT.
The group are a friendly, non-intimidating bunch, and it is an ideal opportunity to make a start on some further study.
If you - or anyone you know - would benefit from this course, IT'S NOT TOO LATE to start the course.
Please contact Simon Woodman at SWBC for details - or just turn up on Weds this week at about 7.15 to register.

Happy New Year

The new academic year starts today. So a big welcome to all students - either new or continuing.
When I went off to University to study Biblical Studies, an old (in both senses of the word) friend, Leonard Lane (the Baptist minister who dedicated me as a baby, kept a close eye on me in my teens, and only died after fulfilling his promise to participate in my ordination) invited me round for a meal and some advice.
His advice was this:

• 'Faith is a relationship, not a theology'

Wise words from a wise man.

Ministerial Recognition and Ministry in the 21st Century

We held a Ministerial Recognition Committee today to interview some ministers who have completed their first years in ministry and are now able to become fully accredited and also some candidates for ministerial training. They were asked to do a six minute presentation on 'Ministry in the 21st Century'. A tall order in six minutes! Sitting here this evening I wonder what would I have said? Fortunately I was interviewing rather than being interviewed but I guess it would have been along the lines of: Post Christendom World, Pulling down the sacred/secular divide, enabling God's people to be his people in his world (being 'Missionary Disciples' to use the great corporate slogan). I would be keen to emphasise the reproducing aspect of discipleship and making room for 'not yet christians' to belong before they believe before they behave. But I bet I wouldn't have been able to keep it to six minutes!

Current SWBC Students

Year One
Louise Polhill - Open Option - BA - Full-Time
Ian Hughes - Ministerial BUW - BTh - Part-Time Church-Based
Lewis Fry - Ministerial BUGB - MTh - Part-Time Church-Based
Michael Martin - Ministerial BUW - BTh - Full-Time
James Mulenga - Accredited Youth Specialist - Graduate Diploma Part-Time
Peter Everitt - Open Option - BTh - Full-Time
Ian Thomas - Open Option - BTh - Part-Time Church-Based

Year Two
Robyn Steele - PostGraduate - Full-Time
Steve Dyer - Ministerial BUGB - BTh - Full-Time
Simon Jennings - Ministerial BUGB - BTh - Full-Time Church Based
Rosa Hunt - Ministerial BUGB - BA - Full-Time
Anne Roberts - Ministerial BUW - BTh - Part-Time Church Based
Debbie Marshall - Open Option - Graduate Diploma - Part-time

Year Three
Jason Wilkins - Open Option - BTh - Full-Time
Ian O'Herlihy - Open Option - BTh - Full-Time
Lee Presley - Ministerial BUGB - BTh - Part-Time
Rhiannon Francis - Ministerial BUGB - BTh - Part-Time Church Based

Year Four
David Gwatkin - Open Option - BTh - Part-Time

Year Five
Ben Dare - PostGraduate - Full-Time
Helen Dare - PostGraduate - Full Time

Books by SWBC Staff

Kearsley, R.
2008 Church, Community and Power, Aldershot: Ashgate.
1999 Tertullian's Theology of Divine Power, Carlisle: Paternoster.

Smith, K. E.
2007 Christian Spirituality, London: SCM Press Ltd.

Weaver, J.
2007 Outside - in: Theological Reflections on Life, Oxford: Smyth & Helwys.
1999 Earthshaping Earthkeeping - A Doctrine of Creation, London: SPCK Lynx.
1994 In the Beginning God: Modern Science and the Christian Doctrine of Creation, Oxford: Smyth & Helwys.

Woodman, S.
2008 The Book of Revelation, London: SCM Press Ltd.

Welcome to the South Wales Baptists Blog

On this blog, you will find thoughts, news, and updates of interest to Baptists in South Wales. Contributors include South Wales Baptist College, the South Wales Baptist Association, and the Baptist Union of Wales.