How do Baptists discern the mind of Christ at the Church Meeting?
Ruth Moriarty is a Baptist minister in north London at Christ Church New Southgate and Friern Barnet and a Research Associate of the Centre for Baptist Studies.
Slow Wisdom is a practical theology and qualitative research project based on doctoral research at the University of Chester. The project explores how Baptists discern together at the Church Meeting. Through participant observation of four local Baptist churches and interviews of members and ministers a new language for discernment is uncovered: Slow wisdom. As a model of discernment, slow wisdom provides a framework for ministry shaped by slowness, prayer, listening, hearing, consensus and prophetic participation. The research also identifies barriers to attendance and participation at the Church Meeting, explores the theology and tradition of discernment for Baptists, identifies discernment as embodied Christian practical wisdom and analyses best practice to increase participation at the Church Meeting. It is the hope of the author that Slow Wisdom gives a hopeful outlook on the practice of the Church Meeting as a place of radical and prophetic opportunity for the Spirit to restore and lead the church.
Slow Wisdom is available in Kindle and print format through Amazon here https://amzn.eu/d/4whRWMm
A Slow Wisdom video training course will be launched on 18 February 2025 at Regent’s Park College. The creation of this resource has been generously funded by London Baptists and Southern Counties Baptist Association.
