BWA's New Strength for Worldwide Evangelism

Moving beyond the battle from the split with the Southern Baptist Conference (SBC) over the past few months, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Council held in Seoul, Korea on 26th-31th July has renewed the hearts of worldwide Baptist leaders and envisaged a brighter future of evangelism.

One of the great areas of news from the council is the election of new leaders. While Denton Lotz, General Secretary of the BWA, was re-elected for another five-year term beginning 2005, the General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain David Coffey has been newly nominated as the President of the Baptist World Alliance.

As one of those who have to stand at the frontline guiding worldwide Baptists to pass through the hardship faced by the BWA, Denton Lotz commented, “deep waters and a break in our fellowship which has caused great distress, especially in our minority conventions around the world, but we have to go forward.”

Lotz pleaded with all Baptists to be united for the sake of the greater commission that Christians have to fulfill. “We believe unity is central to the gospel and basic to the Biblical understanding of the church,” Lotz said, “unity in the body of Christ is not to be taken lightly, it is the divine imperative. One of the greatest hindrances to evangelism in the world is the lack of unity.”

The new President, David Coffey also pledged his responsibility as a disciple of Jesus Christ to work with others to reach the lost with the good news of the Gospel.

Under the approval of the Council members, “Christ the Living Water” Global Evangelism Strategy will be launched during next year’s centennial BWA World Congress in England, “to enlist and equip Baptists for evangelism and leadership for the next quinquennium.”

Tony Cupit, director of Evangelism and Education, was appointed to coordinate this programme. He said this programme will feature “Living Water” conferences around the world and will place much emphasis on the Holy Spirit.

“We believe this movement will impact the 216 BWA member bodies in a transforming way. We believe in the power and we seek the blessing of the Holy Spirit on this whole Living Water strategy,” Cupit said.

Cupit asked Council members to pray for the lost and the evangelisation of the world and proposed that Baptists celebrate Pentecost Sunday as a focus for this outreach.

Lotz, General Secretary of BWA declared, "Let me be very clear that as Baptists we believe that Jesus Christ is our only way of salvation. There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved.”

"Sixty thousand Christians are killed every year for their faith," he added. "That is why we as Baptists need to be more and more concerned about religious freedom in the 21st century, because the clash of civilisations is more real than ever before."