August 4, 2005
Baptists Plan Worldwide Fishing Expedition
Baptists from fifty different nations gathered recently for the official launch of the Baptist World Alliance’s (BWA) new evangelism strategy at a one-day conference held in Birmingham, Engalnd. This strategic meeting took place on the eve of the Baptist Word Congress 2005.
According to Michael Ireland of Assist News Service (ANS), church leaders from across the globe were urged by out-going Baptist World Alliance (BWA) President Dr. Billy Kim to make the practice of prayer the underpinning factor behind the new $1.2 million project.
The meeting was called the 'Christ the Living Water Conference' and it took place at Aston University, in Britain’s second city. Delegates were told preparations were being made for ten further "Living Water" conferences due to be held on different continents in a bid to roll out the vision worldwide.
The program is the brainchild of BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz who told delegates the BWA wanted all of the 211 Baptist unions across the world to be involved in evangelism.
Dr. Kim, of 15,000-member Central Baptist Church in Suwon, Korea, also told delegates that prayer must be the focus for the policy to bear fruit by leading unbelievers to Christ. "All the money you have," he declared, "all the organizations you have will mean nothing unless there is prayer. This committee will be like noisy cymbals and a lot of hot air."
"I would like to tell you as your colleague who has been involved in evangelism for forty years now that the foremost thing for me has been prayer. If we put prayer behind the strategy the Baptist World Alliance will be a force to reckon with."
"I believe the practice of prayer is so vital. We preach about prayer, we tell people about prayer, but there is a lack of prayer among Baptist leaders. It is easy to preach, but I have a hard time to pray for half-an-hour on my knees. For 'Christ the Living Water' to be successful there must be focus and practice of prayer."
The first international conference is due to be held in St Petersburg, Russia, in October this year with guest speakers Anne Graham-Lotz and BWA youth president Ron Bobo.
This will be followed by Curitiba, Brazil next April, 2006, Mexico City, Mexico in July, and Nairobi, Kenya in October.
In 2007 other events will follow in Thailand, Ghana, and the USA. Two more evangelism events have been scheduled for India, the Middle East, and Europe in 2008. The Caribbean and Holland will host regional conferences in 2009, followed by the next World Congress due to be held in Hawaii in 2010.
At the Birmingham launch event delegates also attended 'Telling the Story' workshops which covered areas as diverse as "telling the story in a hostile environment" and "telling the story to an HIV/AIDS victim."
Each workshop was addressed by expert practitioners in the various fields, people who spoke from their experience, not just from a theoretical knowledge. The workshop "telling the story to a Muslim enquirer" was of particular significance in the current climate, and was led by two Baptist pastors who live and work in countries with a Muslim majority. Victor Rembeth, of Indonesia, said, "Everything has changed since September 11th, and there is a need to befriend Muslims and see them simply as humans in need of God."
For more information please contact Chris Hall on (+01144) 07990 523731.
Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
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