IZMIR, Turkey — Four Baptist congregations have formed the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Turkey.
The goals of the group include encouraging member churches, explaining the teachings of Baptists to member churches and to others and developing Baptist leaders.
Ertan Çevik, pastor of Izmir Baptist Church, was elected president and Orhan Pıçaklar, pastor of Samsun Agape Church, was named general secretary. Each will serve an initial term of five years.
Turkey has a deep Christian heritage that goes back to the early Church, but Christians are now a minority. It is estimated that there are approximately 120,000 Christians in Turkey out of a population of more than 76 million. Sunni Islam is the majority religion.
The founding of the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Turkey occurs just months before the Baptist World Alliance begins its annual gathering in Izmir in early July. Izmir is biblical Smyrna mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The annual gathering includes a tour of the ruins of Ephesus, an important biblical city of the early Church.
Share with others: