Baptists Return to England for 100-Year Anniversary
More than 12,000 Baptists – including former US President Jimmy Carter and mega-church pastor Rick Warren – will mark the 100-year anniversary of the Baptist World Alliance with a weeklong gathering in Birmingham.
Thousands around the world are arriving in England this week for one of the largest Baptist celebrations in decades. More than 12,000 Baptists – including former US President Jimmy Carter and mega-church pastor Rick Warren – will mark the 100-year anniversary of the Baptist World Alliance with a weeklong gathering in Birmingham.
BWA congresses are held every five years for Alliance members to worship and “share together as Baptist Christians,” according to the BWA news service. The Alliance was formed in July 1905 in London at the first ever Baptist World Congress. Since then, the Alliance moved its headquarter to the U.S. and has grown to a fellowship 211 Baptist unions and conventions representing 34 million believers in over 100 nations.
The Alliance is returning to England for the Congress, and organizers are urging supporters to pray for the speakers who will be leading the dozens of Bible studies and focus study groups throughout the week.
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Organizers have also urged Baptists to pray for the attendants in light of heightened terrorist threats in London.
“The BWA sends prayers and sympathies to those who may have been injured. We are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters worldwide. We are grateful to the outstanding security of the British government and look forward with joy, excitement and enthusiasm to our Baptist World Congress! We pray God’s blessings upon the thousands already in route to the congress and anticipate an unusual congress of great spiritual depth and power!” said Denton Lotz, BWA General Secretary.
The Congress will begin Wednesday with an opening celebration led by Billy Kim – the incumbent president of the BWA – and will end Sunday with celebration led by Fausto de Vasconcelos. Each day in-between, the Congress will feature a World Music Fest and Festival of Nations services.
According to the BWA, this year’s congress will feature web-streaming session that will allow those unable to attend watch keynote speakers deliver and lead bible studies. Video will be streamed for both broadband and dialup connections. They will be in Windows Media format so can be watched using Windows Media Player.
“This service will provide a welcome opportunity for those unable to travel to the UK, maybe because they are unable to obtain a visa, to join with the worldwide Baptist family in praise and worship,” says Jackie Sheppard, producer of the plenary sessions at the Baptist World Congress.
For more information about the Congress and about where to go for web-streaming, visit: www.bwanet.org.
