Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
Menu
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
Menu
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial
Menu
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial

Baptist World Alliance holds ‘most globally diverse’ gathering

  • July 20, 2021
  • Carrie Brown McWhorter
  • Featured, Latest News
Grupo Nova Razão of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sings during the opening celebration of the 22nd Baptist World Congress on July 7, 2021.
(Screenshot)

Baptist World Alliance holds ‘most globally diverse’ gathering

More than 4,000 Baptists from over 140 countries gathered virtually July 7–10 for the Baptist World Alliance’s 22nd Baptist World Congress.

In the opening celebration, BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown called the gathering the “most globally diverse gathering of Baptists in the 115-year history of the BWA,” and “perhaps the most globally diverse gathering of Baptists in the 400-year history [of Baptists] as a movement.”

Brown said in the past 10 years, the BWA family has grown 29% worldwide, led by expansion in the Asia Pacific region (20%), the Caribbean (48%) and Africa (134%) despite slight declines in Europe (3%), the Middle East (3%) and North America (6%).

“BWA Baptists are experiencing the greatest global growth in our history,” Brown said. “We belong together because we belong to Jesus Christ.”

The conference featured worship, prayer, fellowship and Bible study in multiple languages focused around the theme “Together.” Each day focused on a different characteristic: diversity, witness, justice and hope.

Featured speaker

Among the featured speakers was Robert Smith Jr., professor of preaching at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.

Speaking on Jeremiah 29 and the theme “Together in Hope,” Smith noted that Jeremiah’s message was unpopular with his audience, but the prophet offered a long-term message of hope. The promise of God to His people was threatened time and time again, Smith said, but God always brought them out.

“God will bury His workers, but He will never bury His work,” Smith said.

Jeremiah urged the older generation to continue to work and strive to prepare the next generation.

“There is this idea of long-term interests,” Smith shared. “You must continue to work and strive so that you pass on to them (young people) certain traits and attributes so that when they move on, they will be able to carry on the work.”

BWA presented 3D Church of Estonia with the inaugural BWA Kowloon International Baptist Church Evangelism Award, a recognition designed to encourage and recognize congregations committed to innovative, biblically based evangelism.

3D Church was founded in 2010 by college students and young adults who desired to reach their peers with the gospel. The church began in a movie theater in Tartu and has expanded to other cities, becoming Estonia’s first multi-site church. The church is a member of the Union of Free Evangelical and Baptist Churches of Estonia.

In announcing the award, James “Butch” Tanner, senior pastor of KIBC, said, “Through their combination of gospel-centered outreach and intentional discipleship, the 3D Church is impacting lives for eternity. We honor 3D Church as the first recipient of the BWA Kowloon International Baptist Church Evangelism Award for its strong and effective witness and for its commitment to building Christ’s kingdom.”

In accepting the award, Jakob Remmel, pastor of 3D Church, said, “I think this award represents God’s reminder that He still moves in this faithless Europe, which is in some ways just sleeping. At the same time, I think for our church it reminds us that what we are witnessing with our own hearts is just not normal — it’s something miraculous that God is doing.”

The 2020 Congress Quinquennial Human Rights Award was presented to Raúl Scialabba, a defender of religious freedom in Argentina and throughout Latin America.

Two meetings — the Global Conference of Baptist Women and Together with the Persecuted Religious Freedom Summit — were held prior to the BWA gathering.

To watch videos of this year’s Baptist World Congress, visit youtube.com/baptistworldalliance.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Rashional Thoughts: Precious young lives building future generation need our support
    Rashional Thoughts: Precious young lives building future generation need our support
    August 15, 2022/
    0 Comments
  • Your Voice: ‘We are not alone in cycles of life’
    Your Voice: ‘We are not alone in cycles of life’
    August 15, 2022/
    0 Comments
  • Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for August 21
    Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for August 21
    August 15, 2022/
    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.
  • Amplify

Related Posts

woman wearing academic cap and dress selective focus photography

Rashional Thoughts: Precious young lives building future generation need our support

My friend Stuart spent the late hours of his birthday praying by name for each person who left a message on his Facebook wall that

Your Voice: ‘We are not alone in cycles of life’

Just as we go through seasons in nature, we also go through seasons in our lives. There are seasons when going to school is our

Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for August 21

Forgive Your Neighbor Matthew 18:21–35 Someone once said the three most difficult things to say are, “I am sorry,” “I forgive you” and “Worcestershire sauce.”

Latest details on federal investigation of SBC

Members of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will hear more details today related to the Aug. 12 announcement of a federal investigation into the

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

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
Menu
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
Menu
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
Menu
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
Menu
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209

Copyright © 2022 TAB Media Group

  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
Menu
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
Menu
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
Menu
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel