BMS World Vision
BMS Council: 5 June 2025
Introduction
Tejdor Tiewsoh, member of the BMS Council led an opening devotion on Acts 1: 4- 8 drawing out the following three words from the passage:
Wait – Jesus asks his disciples to wait. Waiting involves us reflecting on what is of value, what is important and involves listening to God to determine what His agenda is.
Power – As you wait, the Holy Spirit comes, and He will empower you. God works in ways we don’t understand. We are helpless without the power of the Holy Spirit.
Witnesses - when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. We are called to by martyrs for the Lord. He asks us to die daily to ourselves, ego, to self-centredness.
General Director’s report
The General Director’s report included a reflection on BMS’ transformation journey as a microcosm of the global church. Kang-San along with Steve Sanderson and Arthur Brown had attended the Rio 2025 Gathering in April. Kang-San and Aniu Kevichusa would be attending the BWA Congress in Brisbane from 7 to 12 July where they would both be speaking.
Kang-San shared a presentation on changing paradigms (pioneer, parent, partner and participation through polycentric networks) in mission movements and provided an overview of BMS’s move towards transformed global engagement.
Council members discussed the challenges and opportunities for future engagement as a globally dispersed people in mission and some key responses were noted, including: should Council consider meeting more regularly; as we become more polycentric, what is the importance and how are we evaluating how other key constituencies are ecclesiologically routed.
Trustees update
The Trustees update covered various activities since the last meeting, including finances, safeguarding, governance, and fundraising strategy. Trustees reviewed the finances, including budgets and forecasts, they recognised the importance of safeguarding with a report coming to each meeting and regular training provided, and received updates on plans for Expect 26. Thank yous were given for the departing Steve Sanderson and Simeon Baker and gratitude was expressed for the BMS volunteer speaker team.
Nominations Committee update
The Nominations Committee update confirmed new appointments, including that Susan Stevenson had agreed to take on the role of Chair of the Nominations Committee and Ronas Marule had joined as a Trustee-appointed member. The positive impact of openrecruitment was noted and how much of a blessing those appointed through the new process had been. The committee welcomed new members and emphasised the importance of the safeguarding trustee role. Council members noted that the Nominations Committee had also been involved in advertising for a Safeguarding Trustee with Kamaria Ferguson having recently been appointed.
Catalysing indigenous mission movements
Wissam Nasrallah (Middle East), Ruy Oliveira (Latin America) and Roshan Mendis (South Asia) presented on the subject of catalysing indigenous mission movements from the perspective of their own regions.
Wissam shared on the structural shift where there was a growing reluctance of modern mission agencies to embrace risk in the mission field with many Christian organisations having taken the difficult decision to withdraw their personnel from Lebanon. Thus, asking the question, “what did this reveal about the approach to Christian mission and how we think about risk and partnership?”. Wissam believed that risk should be re-framed in light of the Cross.
Ruy shared on the strengths, challenges and opportunities of the Latin America missionary movement and that consideration would need to be given to the following in response to the current challenges: diversity (great cultural, social and economic diversity); unreached areas (urban, rural, indigenous peoples); and Relevant Gospel (contextualised which engages new generations).
Roshan provided a South Asian perspective on polycentric mission explaining how the majority world church was emerging as a vital force in God’s mission with indigenous movements as the future and noting that the mission field was no longer just ‘over there’ but also ‘right here’. He spoke of the importance of indigenous mission needing to be rooted in local culture and theology, responsive to contextual needs, resilient in adversity and relational in leaderships.
Presentations were given on catalysing indigenous mission movements from different regional perspectives. The discussions included the structural shift in mission agencies, the impact of cultural climate on the mission field, and the importance of supporting local efforts. The presentations also covered the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the Latin America missionary movement and the importance of indigenous mission in South Asia.
Operational strategy highlights
The operational strategy highlights included updates on the global engagement strategy, people strategy, finance strategy, fundraising strategy, and intercultural, learning, and collaboration strategy. Each strategy focused on different aspects of BMS’ mission, including vision and mission, organisational transformation, financial sustainability, fundraising efforts, and collaboration with global partners.
Global engagement strategy
Arthur Brown (Director for Mission) emphasised the importance of vision and mission in shaping global collaboration rather than focusing solely on partnerships.
People strategy
Heather Drury (Director of People) spoke of the shift from a funding driven to strategy driven direction with an emphasis on being proactive rather than reactive and a more globally engaged approach with the people pool one example of a platform for sending people to provide skills; with many of these people from the majority world.
Finance strategy
Caroline Trimble (Director of Finance and Operations) shared the Biblical basis behind the finance strategy (Parable of the Talents) and the way in which God has blessed BMS tremendously over the years and we should therefore bless others to generate more blessing (generatively).
Fundraising strategy
Helen Harris (Director of Communications and Funding) shared how the fundraising strategy sought to increase awareness of BMS by enhancing the visibility and recognition of BMS among the target audience, maximise engagement with the current supporter based and grow income from new supporters.
Intercultural, Learning and Collaboration (ILC) strategy
Aniu Kevichusa (Director for ILC) outlined the purpose, model and scope of ILC. The emphasis was the preparation of mission to, within and from the majority world and to develop the necessary spiritual, biblical and practical inputs to maximise effectiveness in the calling to mission through courses or materials co-created and delivered with partners in hubs and networks.
Church and youth engagement
The church and youth engagement section included a breakdown and analysis of 2024 fundraising income, the importance of engaging with youth, and plans for 2025. The discussions highlighted the need for more connection with BMS, equipping young people in mission, and learning from the global church.
John Settatree (Church Engagement Manager) shared some results from the Bible Society’s research on the Christian landscape in the UK along with some analysis of attendance figures and baptism numbers from the various Unions. John said that churches were requesting: more connection with BMS; more personal connections; need to equip young people in mission; longing for learning/mission trips; interest in learning from BMS – how can the global church teach us.
Orla Moxon (Youth Engagement Officer) shared her heart to create the next generation of mission minded young people and the creation of resources to support youth workers and church leaders. She shared about the plans to do everything from a place of partnership with churches and youth leaders which would include points of face-to-face interaction and engagement with young people.
The meeting concluded with a closing prayer and thanks. The next meeting is scheduled to take place online in December 2025.
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