Christian Today caught up with Rev Appiagyei at the Baptist Assembly in Bournemouth on Saturday to talk about his new role and what he thinks the future holds for Baptists.
CT: You’ve come to the helm of the BUGB at a challenging time for the church in Britain. In a positive way, what do you feel ready to grapple with?
KA: I would say to inspire confidence, faith and hope. And to encourage the church in the UK that it is not over; that in the midst of the economic downtrend and in the midst of people turning their back on God, God is also beginning something new.
And I believe the swine flu, our economic challenges, these are pointing us to the fact that the systems of this world cannot hold and irrespective of who you are you need something to hold onto that is permanent, solid and eternal. All things work together for the good.
CT: You spoke with conviction on the need for discipleship during the Assembly.
KA: Yes, we need to discover our zeal for discipleship because as a church the Great Commission has now become the great omission, and churches have now become more inward looking rather than taking up our mantle of being disciples.
Most of the people who come to church today, their hearts are not in the church. They do not understand what it means to be a Christian because churches no longer emphasise discipleship. And that is our real calling, to make people become like Jesus.
And around two-thirds of people in the UK call themselves Christian. I want to believe that but why are they not going to church? Because their churches are not relevant. If people begin to understand how to live a life like a Christian and begin to know that it is possible and that is their hope, they will do it. But we are not emphasising that.
In the UK there has been some decline in the BUGB but it seems to swinging back up again.
CT: Where do you think that turnaround has come from and do you think it will last?
