|TOP|Special prayers are to be said for the new General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Rev Jonathan Edwards, as he prepares to take up his new position.

As celebrations are concluded at the ‘Leading Edge 2006’ event on Sunday 20 August, the President of the Baptist Union, the Rev Dr Kate Coleman, and other BUGB representatives will lay hands on Jonathan and pray for an anointing on his new ministry.

Dr Coleman has specifically called on all Baptist churches to make 20 August a day of special prayer for Jonathan and the staff at Baptist House in Didcot.

Dr Edwards, who will officially take up the new position as the BUGB General Secretary on 1 September, said: “Without prayer we will go nowhere, so I am delighted that the start of my ministry as General Secretary will be baptised in prayer at Leading Edge.

|AD|“Leading Edge is the largest gathering of Baptists between annual Baptist assemblies and in view of its proximity to my first day in my new ministry this seemed absolutely the right place to seek God's blessing. I hope that churches throughout these islands will want to join us in prayer on that day.”

The General Secretary is the highest representative of the Baptist Union in the UK, and Rev Edwards will take over from Rev David Coffey, who is stepping down to fully focus on his position as the President of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA).

In a previous interview with Christian Today, Rev Edwards spoke about how he came to accept his new position, and his humble heart towards God to have called him into such a vital role. He explained, “For ten months I was put under huge pressure to let my name go forward, and I came up with every argument I could think of as to why I shouldn’t do it. Really we are very happy where we are as a family with kids, a young family. It would suit us well to stay where we are.

”But in November the Lord spoke to me really powerfully and said you must be willing, and so I was willing. I tried to think of anyone I could think of that the committee should look at, hoping to deflect their interest. But I think, having fought it so hard, in January, after 6 hours of interview, they said we are convinced you are the man. So I said ‘fine, I’ve put up my fight’. So I think actually I don’t feel daunted, I feel peaceful, I feel excited, I will give it my best shot and, by the grace of God, will take the Baptist family forward.”