Former President Jimmy Carter and Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” will headline the 100th birthday celebration of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) at the Baptist World Centenary Congress in Birmingham, England, July 27–31, 2005.
Warren, pastor of the Saddleback Baptist Church in Lake Forest, Calif., said, “My Saddleback pastors will be happy to serve in any capacity and especially in the areas of worship, discipleship, fellowship, ministry and evangelism mission.”
The global aspect of the meeting is the key to Warren who says the 40 Days of Purpose program he wrote for churches has been used in more than 20,000 churches in North America and is exploding in many other countries. There are 1,500 churches studying his book in the Philippines and thousands are studying the book in Spanish in South America. Especially significant is the fact that 600 churches in the United Kingdom are already involved in this program, and thousands of Baptists in England are expected to attend to hear Warren.
Carter will teach an international Sunday School class on Sunday morning at the BWA meeting. Carter, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the first recipient of the BWA Human Rights Award, is expected to challenge Christians everywhere in the work for the poor and for justice.
BWA President Billy Kim will also address the gathering. Known best as an evangelist, Kim’s speech will come as he concludes a five-year term as president of the BWA.
Another speaker is Solomon Ishola, one of Africa’s newest Baptist leaders and head of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, the largest Baptist group in Africa.
From England comes Myra Blyth, recently a deputy general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.
Blyth, a minister who has worked in youth work and ecumenical work, is known for her worship with arts and music. A singer and a songwriter who has used her music in leading worship throughout her ministry, Blyth is also an author, who now lectures in worship and ecumenical studies at Regents Park College in Oxford.
Fausto Vasconcelos, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and president of the Union of Baptists in Latin America, will represent Latin America. Neville Callam, an educator and author, will represent the Caribbean. Tony Campolo, evangelical activist known around the world and especially loved by evangelicals in England, will also be a speaker during the meetings.
All of the preachers will address different aspects of the theme “Jesus Christ Living Water.”
The congress will feature a pastors’ stream and Bible studies that will deal with salvation, baptism, the Holy Spirit, compassion, service and cleansing. Focus groups will target challenges in today’s world that also speak to the theme. Everything will be connected by worship.
Tony Peck, who leads the music and worship committee for the congress, said, “We want a movement of worship that is inspiring, challenging, that flows and it is a complete experience for all who attend.”
Plan to come, enthuse your convention, church and friends, link with a British church and check the BWA Congress Web site at www.bwanet.org. The congress, held every five years, is expected to attract more than 15,000 people from around the world.
BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz emphasized, “This BWA Centennial is an opportunity for all Baptists to gain inspiration from the past and renew our commitment to reaching the world for Christ in the new century.”
“God has blessed us for 100 years, but we must seek the new path for Baptists to be effective witnesses in the 21st century,” he said. “I believe the congress will provide us this challenge.” (BWA)
Share with others: