At Baptist Mission Australia our theological posture matches this moment in history. ‘Everywhere to everywhere’ is not a throwaway slogan; it’s a commitment to humility, collaboration, reciprocity and mutuality in the body of Christ.

As I stand in the unfamiliar surrounds of a humid, packed classroom in Asia, I am starkly aware how far away this is from the airconditioned comfort of my own theological training. Looking out at a room full of serious and curious faces I have a deep sense I am looking at the people who will lead our Christian movement for decades to come.

The world church is changing before our eyes. A century ago, most Christians (and future Christian leaders) lived in the global north; today nearly 70% live in the global south, and by 2050 it will be close to 80%.

This dramatic shift is not a footnote in mission history—it’s the context of our calling. In this context, we are proud to highlight one of Baptist Mission Australia’s Key Causes – Passionate Missional Leadership.

This is the work of coming alongside local believers and partners to equip emerging leaders.

This classroom where I stand on a hot day in September sits on the borderlands between a civil war and an inhospitable foreign land. Every one of these students is a refugee displaced by a violent junta. They each carry stories of loss and grief that might easily derail any normal aspirations to lead and serve. And yet (and yet!) these amazing people seek the opportunity to pour their lives into the service of the church.

Now is the time for Australian Baptists to come alongside these young people and others like them.

Why the urgent need to invest in global south leaders now? Because the Spirit is growing the church in places where leadership training and formation is struggling to keep up. Equipped local leaders can more readily disciple in contextually meaningful ways, steward multiplying faith communities, and shape integral mission responses to health, governance, education, justice and climate pressures.

In short, upstream leadership investment multiplies downstream transformation—sustainable, locally led, and culturally relevant.

Here’s a snapshot of what this looks like in practice across our ministry:

» In Thailand, our team is training local faith community leaders using the Re-Forma curriculum. Leaders testify that the training deepens biblical understanding, builds confidence to share the Gospel and shapes culturally relevant leadership.

» Along the Thai-Myanmar border our partner seminary prepares young leaders to not only contextualise the good news for displaced communities, but also provides first-responder training to equip these men and women to practically help their communities during natural and other disasters.

» And through leadership development and training among faith community leaders in South Asia, South East Asia, Outback Australia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and India passionate missional leadership is taking root in diverse contexts.

How you can get involved:

Pray: Join our movement of prayer for local leaders and faith communities across our locations.

Give: Invest in leadership formation and locally led ministry by contributing to our local leadership projects. This contribution will radically transform someone’s life and have an impact for generations to come.

Serve: Discern your calling with us. From short-term teaching opportunities to long-term placements, there are many ways to participate in raising up leaders across the world.

Our vision remains clear: As God restores the world, we see more people experiencing and expressing the transforming love and hope of Jesus. Passionate missional leaders are essential to this vision.

Together, as an Australian Baptist movement, we can keep stepping into this future—equipping leaders and amplifying global south voices. Thank you for partnering with us in this Spirit-led work.

This article was first published in issue 43 of our Resonate magazine. Read more encouraging Resonate stories here >>