Baptists travel to Malaysia for annual meeting

Washington (BWA)--More than 300 Baptist leaders and delegates from around the world are traveling to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, for the Annual Gathering of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) from July 4-9.

The Annual Gathering involves the meetings of a number of BWA groups, including the General Council and the Executive Committee; executive sub-committees and divisional advisory committees; women's, men's, and youth departments; regional groupings; and commissions of the divisions of Freedom and Justice, and Mission, Evangelism and Theological Reflection, and others.

One of the first events will be a communication training seminar aimed at leaders and communicators from conventions and unions in the Asia/Pacific region and interested delegates who attend the Gathering. Topics include how-to skills -- writing press releases and news stories; producing a newsletter; news and social media; developing a strategic communication plan for conventions and churches; and using audio visual media for more effective communication.

Included also are three forums that highlight Baptist work and witness in the Asia-Pacific region; the recent crisis in Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and radiation leakage from a nuclear plant; and a discussion on the topic, "The Bible and Religious Pluralism."

Affinity groups for pastors, youth and youth ministry workers, missioners and mission leaders, and Baptists in higher education will also be held, as well as that of the Denominational Leaders Network.

The Denton and Janice Lotz Human Rights Award will be presented to Wati Aier, principal of the Oriental Theological Seminary in Dimapur in Nagaland state in Northeast India. Aier, who is convener of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation is being recognized for his efforts over nearly two decades in seeking to broker peace between various Naga factions. The conflicts, which began more than 50 years ago, have led to political instability and more than 2,300 insurgency-related fatalities between 1992 and 2009.

Among the commission topics are "The Nature of the Church" by David Wyman of Canada, "The Role of the Seminary in Promoting a Thoughtful Christianity" by Brian Harris of Australia, "Peace and the Mission of God" by Donald Berry of the United States, and a paper by Pablo Moreno of Colombia on the formation of Christian leaders.

Each day begins with worship. In addition, a "Celebration with Malaysian Baptists," a special worship service, is planned for the evening of July 8.

Persons may view updates of the meetings on the BWA website at www.bwanet.org, as well as follow the meetings on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

In Memoriam: Andreas Kogoya

Andreas Kogoya, general secretary of the Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua (FBCP) in Indonesia, died on May 6, from heart complications. He was 43 years old.

Kogoya became general secretary of FBCP and pastor of the Baptist Church in Mount Wachno Kotaraja, Jayapura, in West Papua, in 2002, and served in both positions until the time of his death.  

He began his involvement in ministry from he was in his teen years, and began working with the FBCP shortly after his theological studies, eventually being appointed as assistant general secretary.

As a child, his family got caught up in the fight for self-determination in Papua. During the war between the Indonesian military and the Free Papua Movement, which  began in 1977 and lasted into the 1980s, the Indonesian military and local militia backed by the military set fire to his village, from which the family escaped.

He earned degrees and diplomas from the Jayapura Baptist Theological Institute.

He leaves wife Esther Wenda and three sons, Charles (12), Endrikus (7), and Krisman (5).

Baptist World Congress report book published

June 14, 2011

Washington (BWA)--The report of the 20^th Baptist World Congress in Honolulu, Hawai'i, has been published.

More than 5,300 persons from 105 countries registered for the congress, which was held at the Hawai'i Convention Center from July 28 to August 1, 2010. Titled, Hear the Spirit: The Official Report of the Twentieth Baptist World Congress, the book-length report offers details of the events and includes Bible studies and full texts of the sermons that were delivered by the main plenary speakers.

An overview section observes that a number of persons described the congress as an "empowering experience," as a "wonderful fellowship," as "refreshing," and as providing "great memories." The overview highlights the preaching and the International Music Fest as particularly inspirational and memorable for many of those who attended.

Other activities emphasized are the Focus Group meetings on theological, ethical and social issues that affect Baptist believers or to which Baptists are called to commit to prayer and action; the children's and youth programs; the Mission in Action projects; the men's and women's rallies; and the Living Water celebration, which culminated a five-year program of training in leadership and evangelism.

Edited by Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Neville Callam, the book is available for purchase at Amazon.com.   

BWA preparing for UN Earth Summit in 2012

June 2, 2011

For Immediate Release

BWA preparing for UN Earth Summit in 2012

Washington (BWA)--The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is participating in preparatory meetings for the United Nations (UN) Earth Summit that will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012. The BWA participation is predicated on the need for deeper reflection on the role of religion in the development of a global ethics on environmental care and justice, as it takes seriously the scriptural injunction, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it," (Psalm 24:1). This is an especially propitious time for Baptists to reflect on our relationship to the environment in light of the observance of World Environment Day (WED) on June 5. WED celebration began in 1972 and is one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. This year's theme focuses on the intrinsic link between quality of life and the health of forests and forest ecosystems.   The BWA takes advantage of this important date to remind its constituency of our responsibility as Christians to care for the earth, urging renewed efforts to protect and preserve the environment, inasmuch as the BWA has, through resolutions, statements, and funding initiatives, demonstrated its commitment to environmental care and justice. In 1989, the BWA General Council passed a resolution on the Stewardship of the Earth reaffirming God's creation of all life, and our role as stewards of God's earth. That resolution rebuked "irresponsible patterns of life" such as the depletion of non-renewable resources; worldwide deforestation; pollution of air, land and water; and failure to recycle. The resolution urged the worldwide Baptist community to "pursue a responsible lifestyle, respecting the integrity of creation," and to exert influence "through industry, business, agriculture, government and as persons to protect and restore the delicate balance of nature." In the following year, the 16th Baptist World Congress passed a resolution on Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation reinforcing the call for Christians to "witness against any form of destructive violence toward persons or any part of God's creation," and calling on Baptists "to commit to the preservation of the creation both as an act of devotion and of stewardship." In 1992, the BWA General Council passed another resolution on the Stewardship of the Earth stressing the need for Baptists to take seriously the implication of God's creation of the world, and of the stewardship given to humankind within that creation. Highlighting problems like the accumulation of radioactive waste, undisciplined use of pesticides, and the depletion of the ozone layer, this resolution asserted that "human sinfulness has developed an exploitative ethic which puts the sustaining of creation in jeopardy." The 1992 resolution referred to the UN Conference on Environment and Development, which was recently held in Rio, recognizing that commitment on the part of governments to remedy the situation was inadequate, challenging the worldwide Baptist community to continue to press governments on the "need for action in defense of tomorrow's world." It also urged all Baptists to adopt responsible patterns of consumption and behavior that do not jeopardize the future of the created order. The UN Earth Summit in Rio in 2012 will reflect and deliberate on the development of a green economy in the context of the eradication of poverty.  In the past few centuries misconceptions of the relation of human beings to nature have contributed to increase irresponsible patterns of behavior that neglect the effects of human actions on the environment. The Bible, however, clearly shows that the earth continues to be the Lord's -- all of it. Our mandate to care for God's creation is more crucial than ever before.

Baptist church collapses after quake, killing 25

May 25, 2011

Washington (BWA)--Several Baptist World Alliance (BWA) groups are providing help after a Baptist church collapsed and killed more than two dozen persons in a village in Myanmar following a severe earthquake on March 24.

The Baptist church in Kyakuni, a mostly Lahu village in eastern Shan State, near the border with Thailand, collapsed after the 6.8 magnitude quake, leaving 25 dead and 57 injured. The relief and development arm of the BWA sent a grant of US$10,000 and the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, one of six regional fellowships of the BWA, sent US$5,000. The Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) dispatched a two-member team to the different areas to do assessment. The MBC mobilized approximately US $11,000 from local churches for emergency relief, and aims to help more than 1,200 families or approximately 6,000 persons in 26 affected communities. Christians in the area are mainly Baptists belonging to minority groups such as the Lahu, the Wa and the Shans.  "There are many teenage children among the dead. The earthquake hit when they were praying," said U Kyar Khu, the head of Kyakuni village, according to the Myanmar Times. "About 200 people were in the church at the time," he said.  "Because it is difficult to reach the road, the injured people were sent to the hospital only the next morning. Although they were in pain they were mourning the dead throughout the night." Kyakuni village, which was destroyed, can only be reached by motorbike in good weather. Extensive damage and fatalities were reported elsewhere. In the 50 most affected villages near the epicenter of the quake, more than 50 percent of buildings were severely damaged or destroyed.   There was extensive damage to roads and bridges, and communication was disrupted. Thirty one churches and monasteries, 11 schools, and one hospital sustained severe damage. An undetermined number of persons died as a result of the quake, but some estimates put the death toll at more than 150. The earthquake was felt as far away as Bangkok in Thailand and Hanoi in Vietnam. www.bwanet.org

The scourge of homelessness

May 17, 2011

Washington (BWA)--For a growing estimated 100 million persons worldwide, the concept of "home" is only a desperately distant idea, despite the Christian principles of sharing and charity.     Recognizing the wide disparity in resources for living in different parts of the world the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) in 1985 urged Baptists everywhere to examine their ways of life in the light of the scriptural injunctions to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, heal the sick, care for the disadvantaged, visit the prisoners (Matthew 25:31-46). The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Housing (UN Human Rights Council) has declared, "The human right to adequate housing is the right of every woman, man, youth and child to gain and sustain a safe and secure home and community in which to live in peace and dignity."  This right is denied more and more people in recent years as economic recession has created greater disparity between those with access to adequate housing and those with no hope of such housing. For the period 2003-2007, an estimated three million persons were homeless in Europe, one million in France alone. The United Kingdom has more than four persons per 1,000 who are without shelter. An estimated 78 million are homeless in India, and 100,000 sleep on the streets each night in Australia.   In Brazil, experts estimate as many as 20 million persons live in hovels, under bridges and other street structures, or are squatters in clandestine rooms or properties.   In Mexico City, 40 percent of the residents live in what are called "informal" housing.  In Malawi, an estimated 90 percent of the urban population lives in slum conditions.    In the United States, homelessness is estimated at between 600,000 and 2.5 million persons. Among the 200,000 homeless persons in Canada, women and children are the fastest growing group.   For census purposes, only those sleeping on the streets are generally counted as homeless, indicating that insecurity regarding shelter is even more widespread than outright homelessness. Each nation defines homelessness differently. In developed areas, some cultures may define homelessness as the state of lacking permanent, safe housing. Those living in temporary quarters or moving from shelter to shelter are considered homeless, as well as those who live on the street.  In more impoverished areas, a clear definition of homelessness may be undetermined. The causes of homelessness are as numerous as the causes of poverty generally: unemployment and underemployment; unavailability of securable affordable housing; chronic or weakening disease; substance abuse; domestic violence; forced eviction; effects of imprisonment; abuse by government or others with power; war or armed conflict; and disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes. In Singapore, in 1986, the BWA passed a resolution commending Baptists to study and take action on homelessness through observance of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless, a UN designation for 1987, and encouraged action to lessen this social problem.   The BWA has done much to address the problem of homelessness through the ministry of Baptist World Aid in the provision of shelters after major disasters and the resettlement of refugees and other displaced persons. It has, in various ways, such as through resolutions,  urged churches to work tirelessly to alleviate the general effects of poverty that may also lead to homelessness. The demand for action has not diminished, but has only grown more urgent.

Communication training seminar planned for Malaysia

Washington (BWA)--The Baptist World Alliance will host a communication training seminar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in July.

The seminar will be one of the activities held during the BWA Annual Gathering in Kuala Lumpur from July 4-9, and is aimed at leaders and communicators from conventions and unions in the Asia/Pacific region. 

Presenters include Tony Cartledge, former editor of the Biblical Recorder, the Baptist state convention newspaper for North Carolina in the United States and a blogger with Baptists Today. He is associate professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School in North Carolina and chair of the BWA Communications Committee.

Other presenters are Julie Belding, a freelance editor and writer who is former editor at DayStar Publications, a New Zealand  evangelical Christian magazine publisher, and past editor at New Zealand Baptist, the national Baptist magazine in New Zealand; Gillian Francis, director and chief executive officer of Caribbean Christian Publications, publishers of Sunday School and Vacation Bible School materials for 26 countries in the Caribbean and Central America, and editor of the Jamaica Baptist Reporter; and Leo Thorne, associate general secretary for Mission Resource Development for American Baptist Churches USA.

Topics to be explored are writing skills - press releases and news stories; producing a newsletter; news and social media; developing a strategic communication plan for conventions and churches; and using audio visual media for more effective communication.

Approximately 60 convention leaders and communicators from Asia/Pacific are expected to attend, in addition to local Baptists from Malaysia and other persons who have registered for the Annual Gathering.

The meetings will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church on July 3 and 4.

May 13, 2011