About Us 

SEBA is a family of around 150 churches across Kent, Sussex, Surrey and a small part of North East Hampshire. Our churches come in all shapes and sizes, and can be found in town centres, housing estates, suburbs, villages, rural and coastal areas. We have churches in some of the richest and poorest communities in the country – some are amongst the oldest Baptist churches in the country, some have only been around a few years (you can read something of our history here). Despite our diversity what we have in common is the broad Baptist basis of our church life, and the desire to share the good news about Jesus in our local communities. If you'd like to know more about what we believe click here. 

Mission 

Growing healthy churches in relationship for God's mission 

We are part of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and share a common mission. There are three key elements to this mission

• Growing healthy churches – both new and existing; we seek to support and develop churches and their leaders across the South East of the England
• In relationship – whilst each of our member churches has its own separate identity and leadership we are interdependent not independent
• God’s mission – we recognise that we are called to play our part in God’s mission not the other way around

 

Values 

As part of the wider Baptist family we share the same values and seek to have them influence all that we do

• Seeking to be a Spirit led organisation - ensuring that everything we do is underpinned by prayer; seeking God’s will in everything
• Working as One team – our Trustee, Leadership and Operations Teams along with our team of Network Ministers working together to fulfil our vision; ensuring that everyone feels valued, included and listened to
• Embracing adventure – being willing to step out in faith when we hear God’s call; mitigating risks with prayerful planning
• Inspiring others – motivating ministers and church leaders to lead churches that play an active part in God’s mission in their local communities
• Sharing a hunger for God’s coming Kingdom – actively proclaiming the Gospel through all that we do; encouraging and assisting ministers and churches to express God’s purpose for His creation in practical action

Vision

We seek to be a community of God’s people who are praying and working together to see an outpouring of God’s Spirit in South East England.

In response to God’s calling, we are aiming to fulfil our vision in the following ways 

• Fostering prayer & spiritual growth through
  • Weekly prayer updates
  • Preaching in local churches
  • Connecting churches and leaders together
  • Offering opportunities for prayer and spiritual growth to churches, ministers and leaders
     
• Providing pastoral oversight, support & care by
  • Regional Ministers
  • Network ministers
     
• Working collaboratively through our networks of churches by
  • Addressing specific issue and groups
  • Supporting the Baptist Union Environmental Network
  • Supporting spouses of ministers
  • Organising Regional celebrations/roadshows
  • Working prayerfully & collaboratively with other denominations and networks of churches
     
• Resourcing & communicating with local churches by
  • Church growth grants
  • Project grants
  • Providing assistance and guidance to fill pastoral vacancies
  • Providing and facilitating training e.g. Safeguarding, First Aid, Food Safety
  • Weekly news bulletin
  • Providing leadership to churches when help is needed
  • Supporting children’s, youth & student ministries
     
• Offering development opportunities to ministers and leaders through 
  • Ministers' Conference
  • Training - e.g. Core Leadership, Mental Wellbeing
  • Supporting CMD
     
• Playing our part in the creation of new expressions of church by 
  • Supporting Pioneers
  • Offering resources to support mission

To see copies of our policies and privacy statements click here and our governing documents are available here.