P r a g u e – The Baptist congregational model is not the only one which can be justified with the Bible. Dr. Peter Penner, Director of Biblical studies, mission and evangelism at Prague’s International Baptist Theological Institute (IBTS), pointed this out at the European Baptist Federation council sessions presently being held there. The traditional model springs from 19th-century society and is legally structured as a public organisation. But Penner insists: „There are many other congregational models in the Bible.“ In his lecture for the 130 delegates from 50 Baptist unions, „New Ways for Mission and Evangelisation“, he described various contemporary congregational models which present a spiritual challenge to traditional Baptist congregations.

Not a few Christians criticise the rules and regulations of established church structures and prefer to gather in small, largely unstructured groups. „Anybody is welcome to participate there,“ stated Penner. These new „emerging churches“ manage without church buildings and meet in restaurants, theatres or private dwellings. They even manage without pastors and reckon instead with the direct working of the Holy Spirit. Penner expressed the belief that some of these congregations „are better connected to the real world than our own congregations“.

In addition, an increasing number of young people attend youth churches. Rather than criticising them, Penner recommended that we simply „go there“. Debates on youth churches remind him of discussions on the Jesus-People-Movement in the 60s and 70s. „As these people appeared in our services in sackcloth and ashes, then we didn’t approve of that either.“ We pushed them out. Some of them then founded new churches, others drifted into sects. According to Penner, young people need room to experience faith in their own way.

Penner also expressed understanding for post-modern congregations or groups; many of whose members were once active church members. But they left disappointed because they could find no room for their doubts and questions. These are usually adults between the age of 35 and 45. They have not rejected the faith; they have instead only taken on another theological understanding. „They understand their faith as a process, as a journey.“ Baptist congregations make a mistake when they stress only the necessity of baptism: „Things only begin to really happen after baptism.“

Penner also contended that the characterisation from the founding years, that every Baptist is a missionary, is no longer true. „But there are congregations in which every member regards himself to be a 100% tentmaker.“ One’s occupation is only designed to pay expenses, concentration is placed on passing on the message of the Gospel. Congregations have little else to offer during the week. Penner proposed to the listening pastors, that they visit church members at their places of work in order to help them to serve there as missionaries. Such „missional“ congregations are not concerned about activities, advertising events or impressive numbers, but rather about turning its members into mature Christians.

Yet Penner warned against copying these various church concepts: „That never works out.“ It is more important to find an answer to the question about what God has in mind for our specific congregation. In this matter the surroundings of the congregation are always significant, yet they dare not be overstressed. Short-term missionaries from the USA are often accused of paying too little attention to context: „They know nothing about the language and culture of a country.“ But Penner also knows congregations, in which such missionaries reached young persons whom the congregation had previously been unable to reach. Groups are also being approached, whom congregations have never attempted to reach: prostitutes, single parents, street children, alcoholics, tramps.“ But Jesus Christ cared for precisely such groups. Penner concluded: „The world is often different from how we would like it to be.