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What is the Executive Committee and who are its members?
In order to answer this question and to appreciate how the Baptist Union Executive Committee functions you first need to have an understanding of the Baptist Union itself.
The Baptist Union of NSW is a non-profit corporation created in NSW by an Act of Parliament. Structurally it is different to commercial entities and is not subject to the Companies Act. Put simply the Baptist Union is a corporation made up of over 320 NSW and ACT Baptist Churches that have chosen to associate together.
Baptists hold to the principles of association and cooperation to achieve purposes beyond those of the local congregation. The Baptist Union does things differently from other mainstream Christian denominations in the sense that each of its churches is autonomous and self-governing.
Churches affiliated with the Baptist Union participate in its governance through meetings called Assemblies or Conventions. These are held several times each year. Amongst other things, these gatherings of representatives of member churches, attend to the business of the corporation. Assemblies provide a process for such things as the election of officers and committee members, establishment of by laws, confirmation of budgets and the release of funds for the operation of the corporation.
The governance of the Baptist Union is set out in The Baptist Union of NSW Incorporation Act 1919 and the by laws established under the authority of the Act. The Act states, “The general business of the corporation shall, subject to the by-laws for the time being of the corporation, be under the immediate management and superintendence of an executive committee…” after which the Act goes on to explain and define the powers of the committee. In essence the Executive Committee has similar powers to the Assembly / Convention. It acts for the corporation when the Assembly / Convention is not meeting and therefore has similar powers and duties to a Board of a conventionally structured company and its members. The members have similar fiduciary responsibilities to company directors.
The Executive Committee is responsible for the efficient management of the affairs and business of the corporation generally, and the promotion of the objects for which the corporation was formed. All financial, property and legal matters of the company are ultimately the responsibility of the Executive Committee acting on behalf of the Assembly / Convention.
The Baptist Union has established various councils, committees and boards to conduct the business of its operational arms in an orderly way. Examples of these are the:
- Ministry Support and Development Council which broadly looks after ministry amongst the churches
- Council for Theological Training which administers Morling College through Morling College Ltd
- Council for Missions which is concerned with the NSW / ACT ministry of the national organisation for overseas Baptist mission called Global Interaction
- Committee for the Ministry, which is responsible for the Accreditation and Recognition of Baptist ministers
- Finance Board which is to advise and recommend upon all financial matters relating to the Union its committees and unincorporated agencies
The corporation also has a number of key agencies, which are companies in their own right. The largest is namely Baptist Community Services NSW and ACT, which is primarily concerned with aged care. There is also an insurance arm - Baptist Insurance Management Limited, an investment and finance arm - Baptist Investment & Finance Ltd, a business college - Bedford College (Baptist Business College Ltd), and the Baptist Foundation of NSW Ltd.