The annual update from former Carey Baptist College Principal John Tucker for 2024.
Listen to John's update on The Lowdown podcast.
When I reflect on 2024, I find myself reaching for the words of Psalm 126:3: “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” During the last year, the Lord has done great things for our theological college. He has shown his favour to Carey in several significant ways. Let me name some of them.
1. Our people
In 2024 we farewelled Dr Andrew Picard after 14 years of service, celebrated with Neroli Hollis her 20 years of faithful ministry, and welcomed Katie and Dan Cuttriss as the new leaders of our Intermission programme. I watched again with wonder and joy as the Lord continued to shape the Carey team. Jesus has assembled at Carey a very special team of lecturers who are not just gifted academics; they’re experienced leaders actively engaged in ministry and mission. That’s why our lecturers can help their students integrate the riches of their faith with the realities of their context and the rhythms or practices of ministry and mission today. That’s why our lecturers love speaking at Easter camps, teaching at youth leaders’ training weekends, and presenting at regional hui for Baptist pastors. And that’s why they focus their research and publications on equipping churches and leaders to participate in God’s mission in this world.
2. Our property
Early 2024, we sold our Penrose campus with the hope of finding a new site by the end of the year, fitting it out in 2025, before moving in by the beginning of 2026, when we will celebrate Carey’s centenary. Our list of search criteria for the new property was very long and demanding. Yet, we have found and purchased a site that ticks every single box: 1-7 Marewa Road, Greenlane. The Baptist National Support Centre, Arotahi and the Northern Baptist Association have all invested in the new site and will be co-located there. We’re very excited about our new home. It will provide Carey with an excellent purpose-built learning environment for our students while also generating new income streams to support the College and the wider Union. The Lord has been very kind to us.
3. Our pathways
Some 98 years ago, our family of churches established Carey to train leaders for Baptist ministry and mission. In recent years, we have done this primarily by offering students a choice of three pathways accessible to students right across Aotearoa:
- The Pastoral Leadership track for people with a recognised call to pastoral ministry (3 years, full-time or part-time).
- The Mission Leadership track for people wanting to be equipped for mission service, whether in Aotearoa or overseas (1-2 years, part-time or full-time).
- The Ministry Leadership (or Internship) track for those (a) wanting to be equipped for their roles as ministry leaders, or (b) wanting to test a sense of call to Christian ministry, or (c) wanting a formational year of Christian ministry and study (from 6 months to 3 years or more, part-time or full-time).
- This year, as a result of changes in government policy, we have been able to add another pathway: micro-credentials. These are shorter and lighter pathways of training (16 weeks, part-time) ideal for people who cannot commit to a larger programme of study. In 2024, we launched two micro-credentials: a Certificate in Ministry Supervision and a Certificate in Christian Leadership.
4. Our Professional Development
In addition to these training pathways, our Centre for Lifelong Learning has continued to expand the suite of training resources available to Christian leaders. This year, it offered 14 webinar series, attracting 554 individual registrations. It provided boundaries training for 320 Baptist leaders and child protection training for 376 leaders. Another highlight was the launch of a new podcast for pastoral leaders: A Beautiful Work. The major event of the year was the conference we hosted in July on the Psalms and Christian worship. This event was a massive and complex undertaking led by Dr Michael Rhodes. It wove together a vast cast of biblical scholars, church leaders, and creative musicians from a range of cultural backgrounds. It was motivated by a conviction that in the Psalms, we find a framework for worship that is rich enough and big enough to renew and sustain the church in its life and witness. We have been praying that this event might catalyse new songs and forms of worship within our churches, and the Lord is already answering our prayers.
5. Our Performance
Finally, in June this year, the government conducted its four- yearly External Evaluation and Review (EER) of the college. It awarded Carey Category 1 status, with the review team concluding that it is “highly confident” in both our educational performance and our capability for self-assessment. Remarkably, the review panel issued no recommendations requirements as a result of their evaluation. This is the best possible result that can be achieved, and quite extraordinary after all the disruptions that COVID has caused to our churches and students. As one commentator said, this result reflects “an extraordinary quantum of work from everyone on the college staff... [It] reveals a profound culture of excellence which fits Carey well for the educational environment within which it must work and, indeed, thrive.” It also reflects the faithfulness and provision of God.
So, as I look back on this last year, and as I look back on seven years as Principal, I find myself saying, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Nearly 99 years ago, our family of churches established Carey to train leaders for Baptist ministry and mission. That’s why Carey exists: to form leaders who can passionately proclaim Jesus, faithfully teach Scripture, sensitively read culture, selflessly nurture disciples, and courageously guide communities into fuller participation in the mission of God. I look forward with anticipation to watching the way the Lord continues to bless Carey so that – in partnership with local churches – we may continue to form leaders who can equip God’s people for the work of ministry and engage in God’s mission of renewing this world.
This update is from the 2024 Annual Report of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, which you can view here.
Photo: Carey Baptist College’s new property at 1-7 Marewa Road, Greenlane
