Membership
Organisational Membership
There are 4 categories of church membership or affiliation with the Baptist Union of Victoria
- Constituent Church – Full member
- Faith Community – Associate member
- Missional Community - Associate member with missional intent
- Micro Church – Associate member – small missional communities with intent to divide and multiply
In addition to our 4 categories of membership, the BUV also has state-based Agencies and National Affiliates.
Constituent Church
A Constituent Church is a full member of the BUV with all the rights and responsibilities of a ‘constituent member’ of the BUV.
A church becomes a Constituent Church of the BUV, when:
- the church has a minimum of 30 members
- the church members have approved the application;
- the church members have approved a church constitution;
- the BUV Union Council has approved the application; and
- the BUV Union Council has approved the church constitution
The BUV Union Council will only approve a church constitution, if it complies with the BUV Constituent Governance Requirements.
Constituent Churches can appoint 2 or more church delegates (depending on church membership) to represent them as voting members at biannual meetings. Each constituent church can appoint 2 delegates, with the number of eligible delegates increasing for every 50 members added. Churches can update their Church Assembly Delegates and Alternate Delegates via email data@buv.com.au.
Number of church members | Number of eligible delegates |
0-149 | 2 |
149-199 | 3 |
200-249 | 4 |
250-299 | 5 |
300-349 | 6 |
359-399 | 7 |
400-449 | 8 |
450-499 | 9 |
500 to 549 | 10 and so on |
Faith Community
A Faith Community is an ‘associate’ of the BUV. Faith Communities are usually existing non-BUV churches that want to explore BUV membership. The Faith Community category is a temporary or transitional category.
A church becomes a Faith Community of the BUV, when:
- the church Leadership Team has approved the standard BUV Memorandum of Understanding; and
- the BUV Union Council will approve the initial application and after the first year of the MOU, renewal will be decided by the BUV Leadership Team
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) creates the space for the BUV and the faith community to explore whether a more formal relationship between the two bodies is possible and/or desirable. During the MOU period (renewed annually, up to 3 years) consultations will take place to establish the extent to which the faith community embraces Baptist principles including believers’ baptism, congregational discernment and governance, priesthood of all believers and freedom of conscience. At the end of the MOU period a decision will be made whether the faith community wants to become a constituent church of the BUV. If the faith community wishes to become a constituent church of the BUV, it will need to adopt a constitution that is compatible with the Doctrinal Statement and the Constituent Governance Requirements of the BUV and comply with BUV Safe Church requirements.
Missional Community
A Missional Community is an ‘associate’ of the BUV. Missional Communities are usually new or emerging churches, formed with a missional intent. The Missional Community category is generally a temporary or transitional category. The missional community would aim to enter into a more formal relationship with the BUV as a constituent church as it grows and become more established. These Partnership Agreements are reviewed every 2 years.
A group becomes a Missional Community of the BUV, when:
- the church planter/ senior leader has established a worshipping community that has a regular pattern of gathering, serving, and building community.
- Meets the conditions of the Missional Community Partnership Agreement
the BUV Leadership Team has approved the application.
Micro Churches
Micro Churches are associate members of the BUV. They are small communities of faith with between 4-29 people. Micro Churches take many forms and often gather in non-traditional settings. Micro Churches have at their core four basic principles- worship, community, mission and multiplication. Micro Churches are intentionally small and growth comes through the multiplication of communities. Therefore, Micro Churches rarely reach the 30 person threshold required to become a constituent church. Micro Churches rarely have paid leadership. Micro Churches differ from missional communities in that multiplication is the intent and hallmark of a micro church.
A Micro Church can belong to the BUV, when:
- the Micro Church organises the appropriate compliance requirements stipulated on the Partnership Agreement and signs a ‘Micro Church Partnership Agreement’ with the BUV
- the BUV Leadership Team approves the Micro Church Partnership Agreement
The Micro Church Partnership Agreement is renewed every 2 years.
Affiliation conditions by category
Compliance Requirements – Affiliated entity must: | Constituent Church | Faith Community | Missional Community | Micro Church |
Be registered with ACNC | Y | Y | Y | recommended |
Have a written and approved constitution | Y | Working towards | Working towards | situational |
Hold appropriate insurance covers | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Ensure Pastoral Leader/s sign the BUV Code of Ethics and maintain current BUV Pastoral Leader Accreditation | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Share in the financial cost of BUV ministry through the annual membership fee | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Appoint Church Delegates | Y | x | x | x |
NOTE: BUV acts as trustee for the church in ‘Schedule B’ property transactions | Y | x | x | x |
Eligibility – Affiliated entity is eligible for: | Constituent Church | Faith Community | Missional Community | Micro Church |
Church Delegates eligible to attend and vote at BUV Assembly meetings | Y | x | x | x |
Church representatives eligible to attend BUV Assembly meetings as observers | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Eligibility to BUV support and services (incl. insurance through Baptist Insurance) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Eligibility to apply for BUV/BaptistCare Mission Grants | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Access to RAALS | Y | x | x | x |
Eligibility for Accredited Pastors to hold Marriage License | Y | x | x | x |
Eligibility for Accredited Pastors to apply for Ordination | Y | x | x | x |
NOTE: Some restrictions may apply to rights if churches do not maintain BUV compliance requirements. | Y | Y | Y | Y |
BUV Agencies and Affiliates
Agencies
BUV Agencies are organisations that operate in alignment with the BUV to serve members of the Baptist and wider community in specialist ministry or mission activities on behalf of our member churches.
Agency Name | Specialist Area |
BaptistCare (previously Baptcare Ltd) | Residential Aged and In-home Care, Affordable Housing |
Baptist Camping Victoria | Recreation / camps |
Carey Baptist Grammar School Ltd | Education (K-Year 12) |
Kilvington Grammar School Ltd | Education (K-Year 12) |
Strathcona Girls Grammar School Ltd | Education (K-Year 12) |
Whitley College | Theological education and ministry formation training |
National Affiliates
The BUV (together with other State Baptist Unions) is affiliated with Australian Baptist Ministries [ABM]. ABM has a number of national agencies.
National Agencies/Ministries include:
Affiliate | Sector |
Christian Financial Services Australia Ltd (Formerly Baptist Financial services) | Financial Services |
Baptist Insurance Services | Insurance Services |
Baptist World Aid Australia Ltd | International Aid and Development |
Baptist Mission Australia | Cross Cultural Mission |
Individual Membership
Individual members of the BUV are called Members of Assembly and be categorised into 3 specific categories depending on role, church membership category, and in the case of Pastors, Ordination and Accreditation Pastoral status.
All Members of Assembly, regardless of the category, must be current members of a BUV Church. If not, they will be deemed not a Member of Assembly and will not eligible to vote.
Member of Assembly Category
| Who | Voting type |
Ordained Pastors* | Ministers of the BUV whose names are on the Official List *Pastors Ordained post 2022 must also hold current BUV Pastoral Leader Accreditation in order to treated as a voting Member of Assembly.
| According to their own discernment |
Ex-officio Delegates
| Honorary members who hold current, or have held previous positions within the BUV or agencies. These include: · Members of BUV Union Council · BUV Director of Mission and Ministries · BUV Union Secretary · BUV Honorary Legal Advisor · BUV Past Presidents · The Principal and Professors of Whitley College
These people should NOT be nominated as Church Delegates. | According to their own discernment |
Church Delegates: |
|
|
Church Official (Assembly) Delegates
| Official Church appointed delegates – must be elected at a Church Members’ Meeting and advised to the BUV each year. In addition to voting at Members’ Dinner (Assembly Gatherings), Church Delegates are elected by their church to be the conduit of information to and from the BUV. Delegates are invited to Consultation Forums, as part of the annual corporate discernment process and updated on relevant information throughout the year to be fed back to their church.
| As directed by their church |
Church Alternate Delegates
| A church may nominate Alternate Delegates who can vote on behalf of the church only if the Church Assembly Delegate is not present.
Must be elected at a Church Members’ Meeting and advised to the BUV each year. | As directed by their church |