Journal of European Baptist Studies, Volume 7, No. 3, 2007

eticulous and honest scholarship, is a very good reason for reading it. The Revd Dr Jim Purves Senior Minister, Bristo Baptist Church, Edinburgh, Scotland 56 Journal of European Baptist Studies Directors’ Conference, 22-26 August 2007 Trends and Challenges of Congregational Leadership Since 2001, IBTS and its Institute for Systematic Study of Contextual Theologies has been bringing scholars and practitioners together for continuing reflection on features of baptistic identity in a European context. This conference follows earlier ones on Discipleship and Character Formation (2001), Practices of Ministry of the Church in a Post... world (2002), Doing Constructive Theologies in a Baptistic Way (2003), Dynamics of Primary and Secondary Theologies in Baptistic Communities (2004), Currents in Baptistic Theology of Worship (2005) and The Church's Role with Concerns for the Environment (2006). The conference is facilitated by Doc Dr Parush R Parushev and Rector Keith G Jones of IBTS. The organisers are inviting participants to explore together the present realities of leadership in a European baptistic context, taking a particular look at the unresolved tensions in the area of leadership in congregational-type faith communities. In many parts of Europe and the world, Baptists are committed to intentional Christian living in gathering convictional communities of disciples of Christ. Their minority status almost inevitably calls forth this form of life. Yet on the other hand, Baptists often suffer from uncritically importing top-down leadership patterns either from a dominant ecclesial tradition or the surrounding (Communist, libertarian capitalist, managerial business) culture. The purpose of the conference is to ask whether there are any other ways of leadership more in tune with Baptist roots in the Radical Reformation, and whether some correctives may be offered to baptistic communities and leadership patterns in order to enable them to be more faithful to their calling and ministry. Speakers include Linas Andronovas (Lithuania), Keith G Jones (UK/Czech Republic), Jan Kornholt (Denmark), Petros Malakian (Armenia), Parush Parushev (Bulgaria/Czech Republic), Andrew Rollinson (Scotland), and others. If you would like to register for this conference please email [email protected]