The Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) support of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) strengthens Baptists all over the world, said BWA spokesman Tony Cupit to messengers June 12 at the SBC annual meeting in St. Louis.
“The Baptist World Alliance greatly values its partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention, one of its member bodies and indeed its largest and most active and most generous partner,” said Cupit, deputy to BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz.
Lotz sent his greetings, Cupit added. Lotz was keynote speaker at the International Religious Liberty Association meeting in the Philippines and was unable to attend this year’s SBC annual meeting.
The BWA encompasses 201 member bodies in more than 200 nations, with a combined membership of more than 43 million baptized believers and a community of about 100 million people, Cupit said. Its purpose is to unite Baptists worldwide, lead in evangelism, defend human rights in matters related to religious liberty, respond to people in need and train national leaders for the next generation of Baptist churches.
The SBC, Baptist Union of England and several other Baptist groups started the BWA in England in 1905, Cupit said. Religious liberty, advocacy for oppressed believers and modeling personal evangelism were and continue to be its main tenets.
“Encouragement is one of the most strategic things we do,” Cupit said.
“The Southern Baptist Convention is the leading contributor to the Baptist World Alliance,” said Alan Stanford, BWA director for global impact, as he closed the breakfast meeting. “Baptists around the world gain strength from you.”
(BP)
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