A network of ordinary Christian men and women across Scotland, called by God to preach His Word — providing mentoring, training, support, and pulpit supply since 1925.
AGM & Conference — 25 April For Churches Join UsMembers of the SBLPA preach in all parts of Scotland and sometimes further afield. We can take part in church services, conferences, women's or men's meetings, youth groups or gatherings for the elderly.
We cover your preaching needs, including leading the service if required. Each preacher tailors their message to meet your needs — following a sermon series or bringing what the Lord lays on their heart.
Arrange Supply →In partnership with the Baptist Union of Scotland, we offer up to eight Sundays of flexible preaching support — a team of preachers, a pair working in partnership, or a single preacher for the period.
Find Out More →We'd love your help identifying younger men and women beginning to demonstrate a gift for communicating God's Word. We have a mentoring and learning programme tailored to each individual.
Learn More →Though each application is considered on its own merits, membership of the SBLPA is normally granted on the basis of the following criteria:
Resident in Scotland and being a baptised member of a Scottish Baptist Church.
Commended by the church of which you are a member, who have recognised your preaching ability.
Able to provide evidence of previous relevant study — experience will of course be taken into account.
If you are less experienced or relatively new to preaching, we will offer you probationary membership and a place on our tailored mentoring programme as an expression of our commitment to invest in your development.
We would advise you to first discuss with your pastor/church leadership, then complete and submit an application form.
Download Application FormWe have a range of resources to help develop and equip preachers. All materials are freely available to members.
Wester Hailes Baptist Church
Guest speaker: Rob Bell, The Herald's Trust
Coffee & pastries 9:00am · AGM 9:30am · Finish by 4:30pm
Add to DiaryThe Association was first formed at a meeting held in Charlotte Chapel Baptist Church, Edinburgh on Tuesday, 12th May 1925 — with the object of preparing a list of lay preachers to be submitted to the Baptist Union of Scotland.
Business was conducted by a committee answerable to the Council of the Scottish Baptist Union. Any preacher who had served Scottish Baptist churches with acceptance for at least two years could be considered eligible, given the further recommendation of the committee.
Restructuring of the Union led to the committee becoming a Core Group within the department of Church Life.
The Core Group was disbanded, and the Association came to be run by an autonomous Lay Preachers' Committee.
We celebrated our Centenary with a Gala Dinner following our Annual Conference. Greetings and congratulations were received from Churches throughout Scotland.
The Committee work closely with the Union and our Secretary serves as a member of the BUS Council.
The SBLPA is committed to taking seriously its responsibilities relative to the personal data of its members and others with which it has been entrusted — protecting all information we handle and respecting people's rights around how their information is used. We are fully committed to compliance with GDPR.
We'd love to hear from you — whether you're a church looking for pulpit supply, someone interested in joining the Association, or simply want to find out more about what we do.
Get in Touch Pulpit Supply Request