Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Alabama Baptist
Search
Close this search box.
The Alabama Baptist
Search
Close this search box.
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter

Terry plays strategic role in recent Baptist World Alliance meeting in Birmingham

  • August 10, 2022
  • TAB Media staff
  • Baptist News, Conferences, Latest News, People
Bob Terry, editor emeritus of The Alabama Baptist, explains a bylaw change to participants attending the Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering on Samford’s campus in Birmingham.
Photo by Taylor Mitchell/The Alabama Baptist

Terry plays strategic role in recent Baptist World Alliance meeting in Birmingham

One of the largest gatherings of international Baptist leaders ever held in Alabama occurred at Samford University in Birmingham in July.

More than 400 Baptist leaders representing 54 nations met in Birmingham for the Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering, and another 150 from 12 more nations participated online.

With more than 600 participants from 66 nations, the 2022 event was the largest BWA annual gathering in history and marked the first time this meeting has been held in the U.S. in 37 years.

BWA is a network of 246 national Baptist bodies in 128 countries and territories representing more than 51 million baptized believers. Individual Alabama Baptists have participated in various ways through the years.

Host committee

Bob Terry, editor emeritus of The Alabama Baptist, has supported and been involved in BWA for nearly 30 years. He currently serves as chair of BWA’s constitution and bylaws committee and as organizational parliamentarian and was chosen to chair the host committee for the event.

Terry, who wrapped up his work as Samford’s adviser to the president for faith networks at the end of July, incorporated his focus on the BWA gathering into his goal of increasing Samford’s standing among Baptists around the world.

Samford leaders exercised flexibility during the four-year journey from invitation to actual meeting, he said.

The pandemic brought continual changes, “but everyone cooperated and made the meeting a success for BWA and a success for Samford,” Terry noted. “I’m grateful former Samford President Andrew Westmoreland shared the vision of bringing the gathering to campus and appreciate President Beck Taylor supporting that vision.

“Now I look forward to seeing how Samford will be able to impact Baptists of the world going forward and how Baptists of the world will impact Samford.”

Birmingham Metro Baptist Association also joined in supporting and promoting the event.

Volunteers from Shades Crest Baptist Church in Hoover greeted registrants as they arrived at the airport.

Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood provided a minibus and volunteer drivers to transport them from the airport to campus.

At the end of the week Dawson again provided drivers for the shuttle runs to the airport with assistance from Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills.

Combined worship

On the opening Sunday, 15 local congregations invited speakers from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America and the Caribbean into their churches.

The next evening about 400 Birmingham-area Baptists joined BWA participants for a welcome celebration featuring Alabama Baptist Singing Men and Alabama Baptist Singing Women.

The Men of Distinction, a men’s chorus from Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham, shared favorite Black gospel songs. Others provided southern gospel, bluegrass, classical, sacred harp singing and more.

Patricia Terry, a former international missionary and retired Samford professor, closed the service by leading the group in prayer in both English and Spanish.

“Racial Justice” was the meeting’s theme. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin spoke to the group about Birmingham’s story. Attention also focused on racial justice in South Africa and other places around the world.

Other topics were addressed by BWA leaders and Samford personnel, including Beeson Divinity School founding dean Timothy George.

Baptists also learned from one another.

Baptists from Ukraine reported how they are responding to the war raging in their country. It was BWA partners who sent relief supplies into Ukraine within hours of the war starting. And it was Baptists in Ukraine and Central Europe who responded by making 51,000 beds available each night for refugees and internally displaced persons.

Other reports shared about the suffering created by the military coup in Myanmar, the crisis in Nigeria produced by Muslim extremists and the growing threat to Christians and other minority religions in India from Hindu nationalism backed by the government of Prime Minister Modi.

Other parts of the week focused on planning together for missions and evangelism, learning from one another about theological education and discipleship development, as well as promoting Baptist unity through worship.

Share with others:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email

Latest News

  • Taylorville Baptist in Tuscaloosa calls new pastor
    Taylorville Baptist in Tuscaloosa calls new pastor
    October 4, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Lass Words — A Song for a Soul
    Lass Words — A Song for a Soul
    October 4, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Crisis church communication: 4 tips to maintaining trust, unity and integrity
    Crisis church communication: 4 tips to maintaining trust, unity and integrity
    October 4, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

man wearing gray T-shirt standing on forest

Guest editorial: Mentors, encouragers valuable part of college experience

February 8, 2022

I have to admit I’ve been a bit nostalgic as we’ve worked on this year’s Spotlight on Christian Higher Education

Retired pastor John F. Meadows dies Sept. 10

September 17, 2021

John F. Meadows — who retired in April from the pastorate of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Salem — died Sept.

Heroes of the Faith: 2021 marks 1500th birthday of Irish abbot, evangelist Columba

September 17, 2021

Columba (521–597), an abbot and missionary evangelist, studied under prominent monastic teachers in Ireland and founded several monasteries there. He

Talladega pastor, James “Bud” Jacks, dies August 7

August 31, 2021

James “Bud” Jacks — pastor of Plainview Baptist Church, Talladega — died Aug. 7. He was 68. A native of

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Archived: Special Resources
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Archived: Special Resources
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
The Alabama Baptist
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 The Alabama Baptist, Inc.
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
Email:
news@thealabamabaptist.org

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Archived: Special Resources
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Archived: Special Resources
  • Special Events
  • Photo Galleries

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • About Alabama
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Register for online access
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service

Log In

Lost your password?

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel