Baptist World Magazine: Summer 2022 Edition

JULY 2022 VOLUME 68-1 A MAGAZINE OF THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE®

Christ’s Hands and Feet: BAPTISTS MINISTER TO UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

HUNGARIAN BAPTISTS OFFER HOPE AND CARE TO ROMA REFUGEES

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PRAYING FOR PEACE: SEEKING SHALOM IN A WAR-TORN WORLD

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MAKING DISCIPLES TOGETHER: BWA LAUNCHES EVANGELISM INITIATIVES

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SAVE THE DATE November 7, 2022

2022

VICTORIOUS LIFE

A Ministry of BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE WOMEN 2 Corinthians 2:14: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in the triumph of Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place.”

Make plans to join us for this incredible event uniting women in strategic prayer, worship, fellowship and giving across each of our seven continental unions.

SIGN UP TODAY: bit.ly/2022-DOP

JULY 2022 VOLUME 68-1 A MAGAZINE OF THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE®

CONTENTS The Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1905, is a fellowship of 245 conventions and unions in 128 countries and territories comprising 51 million baptized believers in 176,000 churches. For more than 100 years, the Baptist World Alliance has networked the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship, and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief, and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights, and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development.

BAPTIST WORLD EDITOR: J. Merritt Johnston • Email: communications@baptistworld.org

2 Christ’s Hands and Feet: A Global Baptist Response to the War in Ukraine

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God at Work in the Middle East

Published biannually by the Baptist World Alliance 405 North Washington Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22046 Telephone: +1-703-790-8980 Email: communications@baptistworld.org Website: BaptistWorld.org Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Falls Church, VA, 22046 and additional entry points.

19 The Joy of Pastoring: BWA President Connects with Baptists Worldwide

Previous volumes of Baptist World are available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106.

21 Making Disciples Together: BWA Launches Global Evangelism Initiatives

PRINTED IN U.S.A. • ISSN 005-5808 BWA OFFICERS Tomás Mackey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Elijah Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Secretary & CEO

23 Haiti Pastoral Retreat Promotes Healing and Collaboration

BWA EXECUTIVE STAFF Everton Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mission & Evangelism J. Merritt Johnston. . . . . . . . . . . . . Communications & Media Carolina Mangieri. . . . . . . . . . . . . Global Events & Fellowship Marsha Scipio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baptist World Aid Monica Teal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance & Administration Julie Justus Williams. . . . . . . . . . Global Partnerships & Unity

29 2022 Annual Gathering Will Focus on Racial Justice

BWA REGIONAL SECRETARIES Elias Apetogbo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Africa Baptist Fellowship Vesekhoyi Tetseo. . . . . . . . . . . Asia Pacific Baptist Federation Anslem Warrick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Alan Donaldson. . . . . . . . . . . . . European Baptist Federation Jeremy Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . North American Baptist Fellowship Parrish Jacome. . . . . . . . . . Union of Baptists in Latin America

26 Stand Against Domestic Violence

8 A Brave Woman 10 Hungarian Baptists Offer Hope and Care to Roma Refugees 12 Praying for Peace: Seeking Shalom in a War-torn World

30 Baptists Participate in Second Baptist-Orthodox Colloquium 31

Remembering Sandor Szenczy

32

In Memoriam

BAPTIST WORLD | JULY 2022

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CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Christ’s Hands and Feet: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

As one Baptist family united in Christ, we bear witness to the biblical truth that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.” So how do we respond in the face of suffering? We grieve. We pray. We act.

In response to rising tensions along the Ukrainian and Russian border early in the year, the Baptist World Alliance immediately initiated solidarity and advocacy efforts. In February, the BWA hosted Igor Bandura, Vice President of the All-Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and a BWA General Council Member, at the ministry headquarters in Falls Church, VA, USA. BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown also joined Bandura in a series of key meetings and roundtables hosted in Washington D.C. on February 10 that brought together representatives from human rights and religious freedom organizations in the United States.

SOLIDARITY VISIT With more than 130,000 troops amassed on three sides of Ukraine, Brown traveled to Kyiv the following week to participate in a national prayer gathering on Wednesday, February 16, at St. Sophia Cathedral – the oldest church in Ukraine. Brown was able to pray alongside other faith community leaders, including Catholics, Orthodox, and Pentecostals. Departing less than 100 hours before commercial aviation to Ukraine was suspended, Brown also gathered with the national council of the Baptist Union as they prayed and prepared to help Baptist churches serve as communities of hope.

Leaders from EBF and BWA, including General Secretary Elijah Brown and former President Paul Msiza, are pictured during a solidarity visit to the “Gray Zone” in September 2018. The apartment building is located near a field laced with landmines.

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CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AND ONGOING MINISTRY Since 2014, portions of eastern Ukraine have been ravaged by political and military conflict, and the already occupied territories have faced increasing persecution and hardship.

“In the Luhansk Occupied Territory, the Ukrainian Baptist churches were officially declared a terrorist organization, therefore requiring all of the churches to close,” said Brown. “The Baptist hymnal and the Gospel of John were outlawed as ‘extremist material.’ The churches that have tried to remain open do so at great risk and in secret.”

In September 2018, the BWA and the European Baptist Federation (EBF) – one of the six regional fellowships of the BWA – participated in a joint solidarity visit to the border of the occupied territories in a region called the “Gray Zone.” Participants included Brown, Paul Msiza, Tony Peck, Jenni Entrican, and Helle Liht.

Despite persecution and the daily hardship of life in an area of conflict, 25 Baptist churches have been established in the Gray Zone within the last five years. Over the last six years, the Baptist union in Ukraine has invested more than $54,350,000 Ukrainian Hryvnia (equates to over $2 million USD) into the Gray Zone for

aid, relief, and community development. Pastors who have fled from the occupied territories and resettled elsewhere in Ukraine, including in Kyiv and Lviv, have started ten new churches. Even in the face of unimaginable challenges, Baptists in Ukraine have demonstrated unwavering faithfulness for years.

The All-Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical ChristiansBaptists, a BWA member body for 30 years, is the second largest Baptist community in Europe and the Middle East. The union represents the largest Protestant group in Ukraine with over 100,000 members across more than 2,100 churches – a nationwide network of Baptists poised to respond.

RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS On February 24, the challenges that had only been the daily reality of those in the gray zone became the reality of all Ukrainians when they woke to the sounds of sirens and falling artillery as Russian military launched a full-scale invasion by land, air, and sea.

Within hours, EBF organized a global solidarity call to hear directly from Baptist leaders in Ukraine. Attended by more than 75 Baptist leaders around the world, the global Baptist community pledged support and prayers as Bandura emotionally described the shortterm and anticipated long-term impact of the attacks.

Hungarian Baptist Aid team members arrive in Ukraine with an initial shipment of humanitarian aid and supplies.

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CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Ukrainian refugees who fled into Poland are welcomed at a Baptist church in Chelm.

Baptist World Aid Director Marsha Scipio convened a BFAD (Baptist World Alliance Forum for Aid and Development) coordination call with representatives from more than 25 Baptist unions and aid organizations, resulting in more than $200,000 raised within 48 hours of the first airstrike.

“The level of support our global Baptist family is demonstrating to not just the Ukrainian Baptists, but also to the communities in which they serve, is a testament to the strength and generosity of the global Baptist movement,” said Scipio. “It is a privilege to come alongside courageous Ukrainian pastors who are keeping the church doors open amid inconceivable trepidation, transforming their churches into places of refuge for the displaced. With BFAD, we will continue to respond to the myriad of needs as a people who believe Biblical compassion requires action.”

A video update from General Secretary Brown was distributed to the BWA’s network of Global Impact Churches, calling for prayer and support, as well as a call to action to all 245 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. BWA President Tomás Mackey offered pastoral support, issuing a statement in both English and Spanish.

“We regret that the humanitarian, economic, political, and other consequences of these actions are serious and painful,” said Mackey.

“We have hope in the knowledge that God is at work in the world he loves and in which he has placed us as his disciples who learn from

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Jesus how to live with integrity the values of his kingdom and how to reflect the fruit of the Holy Spirit.”

BWA leaders across various departments – including BWAid, BWA Women, Integral Mission, and Global Partnerships – connected with Baptist leaders in Ukraine, Russia, and neighboring countries to express care and mobilize responses.

Baptists throughout Eastern Europe saw needs and responded in practical ways, acting as Christ’s hands and feet to serve the most vulnerable. Baptist churches in the westernmost region of Ukraine established their buildings as “Centers of Hope” to provide food and shelter for the displaced, serving more than 45,000 people within the first ten days of the war.

Along the Hungary-Ukraine border, ten Hungarian congregations within Ukraine provided care to thousands of internally displaced people, mostly women and children. Pastors and church members worked alongside Hungarian Baptist Aid to prepare 500 warm meals each day as well as distributing clothes, hygiene kits, and medicine.

In the immediate aftermath of the invasion, Poland witnessed the largest influx of those fleeing with over 150,000 people crossing the border in the first week. Polish Baptists welcomed refugees into their homes, churches, and seminary with such generosity of spirit that a border guard began to tell those crossing with no arranged destination to go directly to the nearest Baptist church for help.

Volunteers worked around the clock to wash bed sheets, provide food, and check in new people arriving throughout the day.

CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

“These people need to be loved, to be cared for, to be received.

From the first day that the war started, political differences do not exist anymore. We are united – we are bound,” said Marek Glodek, President of the Baptist Union of Poland. “Our people have opened their homes and churches and do not count the cost. God gives us strength, joy, and understanding that this is a moment we can walk together like never before.”

Ukrainian refugees who fled into Poland take shelter in Warsaw at the Warsaw Baptist Theological Seminary. The majority of refugees are women and children, many of whom were forced to say goodbye to husbands, fathers, and sons barred from crossing due to martial law.

Within the first month of the war, approximately 200,000 refugees crossed into Slovakia. To meet the pressing need, nearly every church in the Baptist Union of Slovakia was called upon to offer accommodation to refugees in church buildings and members’ homes. In addition to offering hospitality, church members helped refugees obtain the right documentation, find schooling for their children, and seek employment. The union also acquired a 24-ton truck, which was commissioned to send humanitarian aid – including fresh drinking water and food – into Ukraine.

“We have lived in prosperity and peace for the last thirty years, and I was always wondering how our churches would respond in a time of real crisis,” said Martin Tobák of the Baptist Union in Slovakia. “I praise the Lord for this ministry today and our little contribution to be the light of the world and salt of the earth.”

Even with the magnitude of need, God has used the generosity of Baptists worldwide to sustain the work of his people.

“The Heavenly Father is providing,” said Tobák. “We didn’t even have to ask. We just received so many calls from friends across Europe and around the world asking how they can help. We give thanks for the support that has enabled this ministry.”

“Today we affirm again our love for all people across this region, renew our commitment to enter into the sufferings of humanity, and stand in the belief that all conflicts and differences can be resolved peacefully.”

For thousands of Ukrainian children, life has changed in unimaginable ways.

Through the faithful support of God’s people, we are working with Baptist leaders throughout Eastern Europe to provide shelters that offer more than just food. During a visit to the region in March, BWAid Director Marsha Scipio joined with leaders from Hungarian Baptist Aid to offer care to families impacted by the traumas of war.

For Glodek, it has been an opportunity to see not only God’s provision but also God’s kingdom on earth. “The global Baptist church is part of this movement,” he said. “Physically, you are not with us, but spiritually, you are participating with us. This challenge does not have borders. We are united as one in this. It’s a beautiful picture of unity and what the kingdom looks like.”

As an expression of that unity, the BWA Executive Committee (EC) released a joint statement in response to the crisis, the first statement of its kind released by the EC in over 40 years. The EC is comprised of leaders from each of the BWA’s six regional fellowships, including President Mackey, First Vice President Karl Johnson, thirteen Vice Presidents from around the world, as well as General Secretary Brown.

The statement reads in part: “Today we affirm again our love for all people across this region, renew our commitment to enter into the sufferings of humanity, and stand in the belief that all conflicts and differences can be resolved peacefully. We exhort all people and all governments to stand together in these affirmations and to use every avenue to pursue just peace.”

In pursuit of just peace, BWA leadership has engaged in human rights advocacy, including meetings at the United Nations and with government leaders in the United States, Ukraine, and Romania.

Global Baptist leaders have traveled to the region to provide pastoral support, prayer, and resources yet have left encouraged themselves.

“I’ve been working with different sorts of disasters for years, but this is like nothing I’ve seen. But the response is also like nothing I’ve ever seen,” said Helle Liht, EBF Assistant General Secretary.

“In the middle of what seems like an incomprehensible reality in the midst of the war, they still manage to love and laugh.”

BAPTIST WORLD | JULY 2022

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CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET: A GLOBAL BAPTIST RESPONSE TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE

While millions across Ukraine struggle to live in a country under siege, the city of Mariupol has faced the unimaginable. This beautiful city situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov has endured relentless bombing for weeks. Pictured is Bethany Baptist Church, known in peacetime for its active social and evangelical ministry, that now bears the scars of bombardment.

Though charred, the cross remains. And so does the resolve of Ukrainian Baptists who remain faithful in service to God and their fellow Ukrainians even while war rages.

Day after day, Ukrainian Baptists have remained steadfast. They continue to gather for Sunday services wherever possible (some underground) – worshiping, praying, and observing communion together. The rhythms of life remain with wedding celebrations and the hope-filled report of a woman giving birth in the basement of a Baptist church. The challenges are indeed many, but darkness has not overcome the light. The work of the Spirit has not been quenched, and the Gospel will not be diminished.

“Together we are grateful for other countries who are taking great care and showing great love for Ukrainians,” said Bandura. “God is making miracles in Ukraine. We are only standing because of his protection. And even in the midst of war, we have baptisms. We know that God is here in this place, and He is working.”

To learn more about the global response to this crisis or to find out how you can get involved, visit BaptistWorld.org/prayforpeace.

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Meet Ina & Tania

WORLD REFUGEE DAY MORE THAN 100 MILLION INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY DISPLACED WORLDWIDE AS A RESULT OF PERSECUTION, CONFLICT, VIOLENCE, OR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. THIS REFLECTS THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DISPLACEMENT ON RECORD.

On June 20, the BWA observed World Refugee Day, an international day designated by the United Nations to honor refugees around the globe. Read one story of how Baptists are responding below.

Ina & Tania: After the Russian invasion of Ukraine

on February 24, 2022, these two young mothers heard the terrifying sounds of bombs falling, bore witness to tragedies in their community, and experienced unspeakable fear. Ina was so frightened that she spent nights in the basement of her small house huddled together with her two boys.

After a month of constant fear, Ina and her neighbor Tania bravely gathered what they could carry and left their homes to escape to Moldova with their children.

Tania’s husband remained at home in anticipation that he may be called to fight.

On the dangerous trek to the border, they saw Russian

convoys winding through villages, leaving charred and scarred communities in their wake. Knowing that those in a single car were more likely to be shot, the two women joined a convoy of civilian vehicles and hoped strength in numbers would carry them to safety.

Arriving at Baltata – one of our Baptist ministry partner centers – they could finally rest in the care of tireless volunteers offering food, shelter, and spiritual support.

Would you join us in praying for Ina and Tania and the millions of others like them who have been forced to flee Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and other nations around the world?

A BRAVE WOMAN

By J. Merritt Johnston Executive Director, Baptist World Alliance Women

As the parent of three children with specific tastes, meal planning can be a challenge at my house. But truth be told, my kids have never been in a situation where there was no food to eat. In a land of plenty, there is space to be picky.

But in 1 Kings 17, we see that meal planning was a challenge for one mother for a far more difficult reason – one that is not unlike the situation mothers face in various parts of the world every day. In fact, from 2019 to 2020, the number of undernourished people grew by an estimated 161 million, a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the biblical text, the Lord tells the prophet Elijah there will be neither dew nor rain and a famine ensues. He sends him to a brook where he is cared for by a group of ravens who bring the prophet meat and bread every morning and evening. But eventually the brook dries up, so the Lord instructs him to go to Zarephath.

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

This is a meal plan I cannot fathom. This mother is forced to think of the unimaginable. A last meal. Yet when a stranger asks her to share what little remains, how does she respond?

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”

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Time and time again, in Scripture, in history, when there is a need, women show up. And God provides.

On November 1 of last year, my first day as Executive Director of Baptist World Alliance Women, we celebrated Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer. We received photos and videos from around the world.

One of those messages was from a group of women in Ukraine. The emphasis for the day’s celebration?

What does it mean to be a brave woman?

A poignant question and one that Ukrainian women have had to answer over the course of the last year. When we saw the rising tensions along the border between Ukraine and Russia, I joined with leaders from European Baptist Women United in reaching out to women’s ministry leaders in both countries. I was able to set up a solidarity call with the ministry leader who had shared the photos just months before. During the call, she shared with BWA Women leaders that she had family in the United States but remained committed to stay where God has called her. She said, “Whatever news we hear or whatever may come, we will serve the Lord.” She also said that bravery might change with bombs falling. Sadly, less than 24 hours later, the news around the world told the sad tale of a full-scale invasion by land and attacks by air and sea.

I immediately reached out to check on her safety, and she responded, “I am safe, but I woke to the sound of artillery falling. I can feel the tremors in the building.”

Over the days that followed, we exchanged messages daily as she huddled in the church cellar for safety. When able, she and her husband, a pastor, cautiously took to the streets to bring food to church members

A BRAVE WOMAN

and check on the elderly. And on that first Sunday morning, as I was preparing to worship with my church family, I received a message that some brave souls came to worship with what she described as bombs for their accompaniment. The song they were singing – the classic hymn “Count Your Blessings.”

With her home damaged beyond livability just days later, she was forced to flee westward, but the next Sunday I received a message along with photos of a Ukrainian worship service. There were only four simple words in the description: Church no matter what.

Pour out from what little we have and what the Lord provides. In that beautiful Bible story, the oil never ran dry. But the widow had to pour out before the Lord could fill back up.

Now is a time to pour out. Now is a time to be brave. And we are seeing it happen in churches where pews have made way for beds. At border crossings where guards tell those in need to go find the nearest Baptist church. May we pour out so that we can watch our miracle-working God provide. May we continue to be the church – no matter what.

Friends, that is what it means to be a brave woman.

And bravery abounds. This week I saw a picture of strollers, but it conveyed so much more. The image captured strollers that Polish moms left at the train station for Ukrainian refugees arriving with their children – most with only what they could carry. A practical source of help in an unimaginable situation. There was a need, and women showed up. In Moldova, a women’s ministry leader writes: “The first flood of refugees is now settled in our homes for the rooms are filled already at public schools and church buildings. They need everything: food, clothes, personal hygiene products, etc. We have a family of four kids, oldest is eight and youngest 5 months, staying with us. Their daughter lost her winter shoes. They do not have any idea where it happened, so she wears flip flops. We will buy her shoes today.” When there is a need, women show up.

Like the widow at Zarephath, many of us might ask what can we do in the face of such great need? The answer for each of us – show up.

Photo Courtesy of Francesco Malavolta

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HUNGARIAN BAPTISTS OFFER HOPE AND CARE TO ROMA REFUGEES

HUNGARIAN BAPTISTS

OFFER HOPE AND CARE TO ROMA REFUGEES

“HUNGARIAN BAPTISTS SAW A NEED, AND THEY HAVE RESPONDED. THEY ARE DEMONSTRATING COMPASSION THAT REFLECTS THE HEART OF CHRIST.”

It is 5:30 in the morning, and Lagos is in the kitchen of the Balaton Center (a facility of the Baptist Union of Hungary) beginning to prepare breakfast. Soon, families begin to arrive in the dining room, chatting and having coffee before sharing a meal together – now a daily routine. For more than 50 women and children, the Balaton Center has become their home since they fled the violence in Ukraine.

These refugees, Roma people from an area of Ukraine near the Hungarian border, struggled to find a place to stay when they entered Hungary. Many faced discrimination along the evacuation route as well as the challenges of navigating border crossings without documentation.

In addition, Hungarian Baptists are working to help families become legally established in Hungary. Since many do not have birth certificates and are unable to read, Lagos and other volunteers accompany them to the immigration office to assist with the required paperwork.

But Hungarian Baptists welcomed them in. Marsha Scipio, Director of Baptist World Aid, had the opportunity to tour the center during her visit to Eastern Europe in March.

“Hungarian Baptists saw a need, and they have responded. They are demonstrating compassion that reflects the heart of Christ,” she shares.

On Sundays, the Roma men join their families at the Center. These men have been working and living outside of Budapest since before the war began, so Sundays at the Center provide a cherished opportunity to reunite – particularly amid such challenging circumstances.

Together the families share a meal and are invited to attend Sunday services. Attendance is not required but encouraged. “We never know when the Word of God will arrive to their hearts,” says Lagos.

During her visit, Marsha met Lagos who serves as the response coordinator and heads up the center’s efforts to provide for the refugees in their care. Many were sick, scared, and depressed when they arrived. “Sorrow and pain were on their hearts,” Lagos describes.

Utilizing financial and food donations and drawing from an abiding love for people, Lagos and his team have been able to provide compassionate care for weeks – even when exhaustion threatens to overwhelm them.

Lagos does the shopping as well as the cooking for the group. His wife, who was a teacher, finds educational exercises for the children.

Afternoons consist of outings to a local playground, and a children’s minister from a neighboring church also visits to minister to the families.

“Sometimes I’m really tired. The day is long,” he says. “But we will do this as long as they need it.”

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Marsha shares, “As I listened to Lagos, Leviticus 19:34 kept coming to mind: ‘The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one

HUNGARIAN BAPTISTS OFFER HOPE AND CARE TO ROMA REFUGEES

born among you, and you shall love the stranger as yourself.’ His words and his actions toward these guests were acts of love.”

As the violence in Ukraine continues to escalate, Hungarian Baptists anticipate that their ministry has only just begun.

“Honestly this is just the beginning. More people will come from more complicated situations,” says Lagos. “But we would like to help, and I praise God we can help them.”

Lagos is just one of many Hungarian Baptists responding to this crisis.

Within hours of the initial invasion, Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid) began transporting food, clothes, and medical supplies across the border. The Baptist Union of Hungary is working strategically with its ten Hungarian Baptist congregations located within Ukraine near the Hungary-Ukraine border to care for thousands of internally displaced people.

“They need shelter and food, warm clothes, care, and spiritual guidance,” report Baptist union leaders. “Our pastors fulfill all these needs, and they work day and night to provide them everything.”

We are grateful for the faithful ministry of Hungarian Baptists at this critical time and invite you to pray for:

• Continued generosity and provision of supplies to meet the many needs of the internally displaced within Ukraine and refugees who have fled to Hungary • Strength and endurance for Lagos and his team of volunteers as they serve the Roma people • Sustaining power for pastors and church leaders who are seeking to meet physical and spiritual needs • Peace and rest for the many refugees, primarily women and children, during this difficult time

Utilizing financial and food donations and drawing from an abiding love for people, Lagos and his team have been able to provide compassionate care for weeks – even when exhaustion threatens to overwhelm them.

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PRAYING FOR PEACE: SEEKING SHALOM IN A WAR-TORN WORLD

PRAYING FOR PEACE: SEEKING SHALOM IN A WAR-TORN WORLD

“Pray for peace.” This has been the unified plea of Ukrainian and Russian Baptists since tensions began to escalate between their two countries earlier this year.

As war has unfolded with indescribable destruction and loss, the global Baptist family has joined together to lift up our suffering brothers and sisters. Prayer, along with humanitarian aid, advocacy, and pastoral encouragement, is a central part of the Baptist World Alliance response to the crisis in Eastern Europe.

Within days after the outbreak of war, the BWA held a virtual “Standing Together” Global Prayer Gathering on February 28 that drew participants from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Germany, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Malawi, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Taiwan, United States, Uruguay, and more. The worldwide event included firsthand testimony from Igor Bandura, Vice President of the All-Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and a BWA General Council Member, about the conditions in Ukraine as well as the Baptist humanitarian response.

BWA Vice Presidents offered prayers for union leaders, pastors, seminaries, aid and relief, mission and evangelism, women and children, refugees, and global unity. Karl Johnson, BWA First Vice President Karl Johnson of Jamaica, spoke this prayer for Ukrainian Baptist leaders: “Grant them, O God, as they offer leadership, as they coordinate, as they inspire, as they strategize, as they plan, grant them discernment, grant them clarity, and grant them courage. Create in them, O Lord, a calm and persevering spirit as they point the hurt, the hopeless, the angry, the anxious to you. As they point them to you, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations.”

The BWA also had the opportunity to engage in prayer and advocacy for Ukraine at the United Nations. On March 3, BWA leadership participated in a multi-faith prayer meeting entitled “Global Prayers for Ukraine: A Multi-Faith Service for Peace and Freedom in a Hurting World” at the United Nations Church Center Chapel in New York City, NY, USA.

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BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown speaking at the “Global Prayers for Ukraine” multi-faith service at the United Nations Church Center Chapel.

PRAYING FOR PEACE: SEEKING SHALOM IN A WAR-TORN WORLD

BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown speaking at the “Global Prayers for Ukraine” multi-faith service at the United Nations Church Center Chapel.

Held in partnership with the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN, the service drew faith leaders from around the world to pray and stand in solidarity with Ukrainians. Attendees, including BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown, Baptist World Aid Director Marsha Scipio, and BWA UN Representative Scott Stearman, called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and support for the many in need of humanitarian aid.

“We are responding to the global crisis that is happening in Ukraine in the way we know how to, which is to pray,” said Stearman. “We are also here to demand freedom for the Ukrainians and for all humans.”

The European Baptist Federation, one of the six regional fellowships within the BWA, rallied the global family to prayer with weekly video conferences throughout the month of March. Drawing in participants from around the world, the gatherings featured updates from Baptist leaders in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

Ion Miron, General Secretary of the Union of Christian Evangelical Baptist Churches of Moldova, joined the call on March 23 to share his gratitude for the prayers of the global Baptist family. Within the first month of the war, more than 250,000 refugees traveled to Moldova with 100,000 seeking long-term residence in the country.

“We had never experienced refugees in our country, so this started a new ministry for us. At this moment, the Baptist union and family are sheltering up to 4,000 in churches, family homes, and five refugee centers,” said Miron. “It is good to see the Baptist church is engaged so strong and so deep in this ministry. We thank you for praying for us, and we pray that God may bring revival to Moldova and to Europe.”

In the weeks following the initial invasion, many of the BWA’s Global Impact Churches designated a portion of their services to a time of prayer for the people of Ukraine and numerous member bodies hosted special prayer gatherings. In addition, the BWA continues to mobilize the global Baptist family to pray through our “Share a Prayer” campaign.

Baptists are encouraged to submit a prayer to bit.ly/shareaprayer that will be gathered and shared with Baptists in Eastern Europe as an expression of solidarity and source of encouragement.

“It’s the number one request we’ve received from Baptist leaders in Ukraine and across the region – to pray for the cessation of war and the restoration of peace and communities that flourish together,” said Brown. “It’s been remarkable as we visited with leaders in Russia, Ukraine, and across the region. They are united in one spirit – pray for peace.”

To access prayer guides BaptistWorld.org/prayforpeace.

and

other

resources,

visit

“Grant them, O God, as they offer leadership, as they coordinate, as they inspire, as they strategize, as they plan, grant them discernment, grant them clarity, and grant them courage. Create in them, O Lord, a calm and persevering spirit as they point the hurt, the hopeless, the angry, the anxious to you. As they point them to you, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations.”

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PRAYING FOR PEACE: SEEKING SHALOM IN A WAR-TORN WORLD

A Shared Prayer from Russian Baptist Women: Our Heavenly Father, we come to you with humble hearts as to the Lord of History who holds the destiny of Ukraine and Russia in His hands. Lord, we come to you in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who brought your Peace – Shalom – to the earth.

Forgive us when we do not abide in your peace.

We pray for people of the land of Ukraine whose dreams, hope, health, properties, and life itself are damaged and destroyed. Be their hope, provider, and healer. We pray for children and mothers who are vulnerable and live in fear for years. Protect them, comfort them, and embrace them with your love. We pray for wisdom for the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. Guide them toward the path of peace. We pray for the world leaders, politicians, and diplomats making efforts to resolve the tension between Ukraine and Russia.

We pray for military forces - that your commandment “you shall not kill” will have a mighty power over their hearts and minds. We proclaim your victory over all principalities and evil powers. Amen.

A Shared Prayer from an Australian Church:

In the face of such terror, we pray that people will come to know your Son, Jesus Christ even at this time – the Lord Jesus Christ, their only hope. May many experience comfort through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Lord, hear the plea from our 11 year-old boy who prays that the children will stand firm and that they don’t get separated from their parents. We pray that many families who have been separated will be able to reunite and your peace will be experienced by suffering, despairing families.

Loving Father, we pray that you will watch over the men and women who have been protecting their people from invasion and harm, and for their families who suffer trauma due to their separation. Please make a way for support, medical and food supplies to reach those desperate for daily needs, and may those who deliver these goods be protected from attack as they courageously try to replenish stolen or destroyed supplies to all who need them.

As a world-wide family of Christians, we pray that our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and Russia will be able to show love and encouragement to others – even to their enemies.

The following is a prayer from the hearts of those attending Pendle Hill Baptist Church in Australia. Men and women contributed together with children who want to pray at this critical time.

We pray for discernment and guidance for everyone caught in this war, that they will make right choices as to whether they should stay or move on, fight or flee.

Loving Heavenly Father, Creator of all things,

Loving Heavenly Father, we pray that you, in your mighty power will intervene and make a way of just peace.. We ask Lord that you will comfort, provide and protect those suffering bereavement and facing danger right now.

We pray for all those who are suffering so terribly through the conflict in Ukraine and Russia. Loving Father, please bring the peace that only you can give to sustain all those caught in this evil web of violence.

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In the name of Jesus we humbly pray. Amen.

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GOD AT WORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST

GOD AT WORK

IN THE MIDDLE EAST

By Lauren Sterling

LEBANESE BAPTISTS ARE MEETING HUMANITARIAN, SOCIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS THROUGH THEIR LOCAL CHURCHES, THE CONVENTION, AND THROUGH THE LEBANESE SOCIETY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (LSESD).

BWA Vice President Lina Sawan, Amy Brown, and Joseph Al-Kazzi

3,100 Baptists in 54 churches. That is the numerical Baptist presence in Lebanon and Jordan, but it does not fully represent the scope of how God is at work in these two countries. Although they represent a religious minority in their countries and a fraction of the overall population, Baptists are having a significant impact as they minister faithfully in their communities.

In January, with the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions allowing for travel, Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Elijah Brown and his wife, Amy, visited the two Middle Eastern countries to meet with local Baptist leaders and to explore possibilities for further partnership with the global Baptist family.

LEBANON Charles Costa, President of the Convention of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Lebanon, invited the BWA to Lebanon to see firsthand the crisis caused by the country’s economic collapse. The Lebanese currency has lost 90% of its value and the annual inflation rate is the highest in the world. Three-quarters of the population are now living in poverty, unemployment is rising, and basic services are fractured.

The financial crisis in Lebanon is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, governance challenges, the arrival of more than one million Syrian refugees, and the destruction caused by the 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut. The blast caused damage as far as 20 kilometers away from the explosion site and displaced more than 300,000 people.

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The effects of the economic tailspin reverberate throughout all of society. For example, Baptists report that teachers are unable to afford gas to drive to school all five days of the week, impacting the educational opportunities for children.

The BWA visit to Lebanon was an “opportunity to listen and to learn about the situation with the intention that in the upcoming months the BWA will be able to partner with the Lebanese Baptist Convention, the Lebanon Society for Educational and Social Development, and with others around the world to raise awareness and engagement on behalf of Lebanon,” said Brown.

Amid significant challenges, Baptists are serving with compassion in their struggling communities. Brown was able to hear about their work at two gatherings during his visit, one in Beirut and the other in Byblos in northern Lebanon. He met with the leadership of the Baptist convention, President Costa and General Secretary Rabih Wazir, as well as a majority of the Baptist pastors in the country. He was also able to serve alongside BWA Vice President Lina Sawan who hosted the Byblos event.

GOD AT WORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST

General Secretary Elijah Brown and his wife, Amy, visiting the Baptism Center at Bethany.

“Meeting with Lebanese Baptists was such a blessing – strengthening and encouraging them so they will be able to help and encourage brothers and sisters in their churches to trust God who is the God of miracles,” said Sawan.

Lebanese Baptists are meeting humanitarian, social, and educational needs through their local churches, the convention, and through the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development (LSESD).

During his visit, Brown toured the facilities of LSESD, was introduced to their six primary ministries, and led a devotion for staff.

Education is a strategic focus of Baptists in the country. Through the Beirut Baptist School (BBS), 1,300 preschool through secondary school students receive a well-respected, holistic education. BBS views its mission as extending beyond the classroom. The school seeks to invest in “young Lebanese world changers” who will be able to engage in their communities “guided by ethical and spiritual values.”

The importance of inclusive education is a guiding principle for LSESD. Recognizing a gap in understanding and services for students with special needs in Lebanon, LSESD launched the SKILD (Smart Kids with Individual Learning Differences) program in 2011. Through SKILD, students receive social, emotional, and academic support to meet their unique learning needs. Now one of the leading special education efforts in the country, SKILD also works to raise community awareness about the special needs community and advocates for the rights of children with learning differences before Lebanon’s Ministry of Education.

In addition to education for young people, Baptists provide theological training through the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS). Since its founding in 1960, hundreds of leaders have received training to serve throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Graduates are uniquely qualified to meet the challenges of ministry in the Arab world.

LSESD also seeks to equip the church through its publishing house, Dar Manhal Al Hayat, which publishes and distributes Christian and educational resources in Arabic for use by the church and community.

Pictured is former European Baptist Federation General Secretary Tony Peck speaking at the dedication of the Baptism Center at Bethany in 2009.

The final two ministry areas of LSESD focus on ministering to vulnerable families and children in Lebanon, including refugees. Through Baptist Children and Youth Ministry (BCYM), Baptists hold 20 three-day camps and 20 follow-up events for Syrian and Lebanese children each year. BCYM aims to share the love of God, form long-term relationships with the children and their families, and help them grow in faith and maturity to be leaders in their churches and communities.

LSESD’s relief and development arm, Middle East Revive and Thrive (MERATH), partners with local churches and organizations to support families in need from Lebanon and Syria. Assistance includes provision of basic needs such as food and clothing, income-generating opportunities, medical care, psychosocial supports for children, vocational training, and more.

“My wife, Amy, and I left in prayerful solidarity with the people of Lebanon, a commitment to continue to raise awareness and engagement on behalf of Lebanon, and inspiration at the remarkable ministry that so many are doing, such as local churches providing care for many in the community who are struggling with daily needs in ways that have not been experienced in Lebanon in a generation,” said Brown.

As well as witnessing the tremendous work of Baptists in the country, Brown was able to engage in an ecumenical meeting during his time in Lebanon. Brown chaired a delegation to visit Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, head of the Marionite Church which is prominent in Lebanon. The Baptist delegation included Amy Brown, BWA Vice President Sawan, LSESD CEO and former BWA Vice President Nabil Costa, ABTS President Elie Haddad, and Joseph Al-Kazzi from the Convention of the Evangelical Baptist Churches in Lebanon. Together the group affirmed its support for the Lebanese people during this difficult time. They discussed the different social and educational services provided by Baptist churches and institutions in Lebanon and emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue between the two denominations to live as a shining light in the midst of a dark world.

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GOD AT WORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST

JORDAN After their time in Lebanon, General Secretary Brown and Amy traveled to Jordan to meet with leaders of the Jordan Baptist Convention and tour the Baptism Center at Bethany beyond Jordan.

The Baptism Center opened in 2009 on land gifted to Baptists by Jordanian King Abdullah bin Al Hussein at the location historically regarded as the site of Jesus’ baptism. Former BWA President David Coffey, General Secretary Emeritus Neville Callam, and former European Baptist Federation General Secretary Tony Peck participated in the opening ceremony.

Brown’s visit to the site is part of the BWA’s ongoing commitment to partner with Jordanian Baptists to develop the site and honor the location where Jesus was baptized. In coming months and years, the BWA anticipates working with the Jordan Baptist Convention to establish a more permanent center on the land.

“The hope of the BWA,” said Brown, “is to continue to partner with the Jordan Baptist Convention and other Baptists around the world to ensure that the Baptism site which was graciously and generously donated by King Abdullah would be a center for Baptists that could be used by individuals across the region as well as Baptists from around the world who would like to come and study, learn, pray, and perhaps even be baptized themselves in the Jordan River.”

STANDING TOGETHER WITH BAPTISTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Global Baptists can be encouraged and thankful for the witness and ministry of Baptists in Lebanon and Jordan. These faithful sisters and brothers also provide a challenge for the rest of the world.

“Though these conventions may be numerically small in the eyes of some,” said Brown, “they have developed robust ministries especially in the area of education that are having a national influence. Be encouraged – if the Baptist communities in Jordan and Lebanon which are a small percentage of their whole population can develop education ministries that have a national footprint, then Baptists in any country can also seek a vision for the Lord that would give them a truly national impact.”

In addition to being challenged and convicted by their remarkable witness, global Baptists can also pray that “Lebanese and Jordanian Baptists will maintain strong positive relationships in their multi-faith societies and that robust religious freedom will be firmly maintained across these countries,” said Brown.

During his time in Jordan, Brown was also able to meet with local pastors to learn about the ministry and witness of churches in the country. He preached at two churches, met with convention leaders General Secretary Samer Batarseh and President Suheil Madanat, brought greetings at a widows’ ministry gathering at Batarseh’s church, and toured historic and biblical sites across Jordan.

Baptist ministry in Jordan is vibrant. Baptists operate the Jordanian Baptist High School which is well-respected in the country and attended by some members of the royal family. Baptists also offer support for Syrian refugees, medical clinics, orphan care, publication of discipleship materials, deaf ministry, husbandry, seminary training, and more.

In addition to touring Baptist ministries, Brown had a dinner with leading evangelicals from across Jordan including the Baptist convention leadership, the president of the Evangelical Alliance, the head of the Assembly of God denomination, and others. Along with Batarseh, he also attended a meeting with representatives at the Melkite Greek Catholic Church headquarters in Jordan where they discussed common concerns such as religious freedom, refugees, education, and the continuing Baptist-Catholic dialogue.

During their visit, Melkite leaders gave a demonstration of their oral production of the Bible that is sung in the style of the Muslim call to prayer. This project, which is nearing completion, will provide an Arabic translation of the entire Bible that will connect with their society in a musical style that is culturally familiar and accessible, allowing for deeper engagement with the scriptures.

General Secretary Elijah Brown with Samer Batarseh

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THE JOY OF PASTORING: BWA PRESIDENT CONNECTS WITH BAPTISTS WORLDWIDE

THE JOY OF PASTORING: BWA PRESIDENT CONNECTS WITH BAPTISTS WORLDWIDE CENTERED ON THE THEME OF “LIGHT AMONG THE CHAOS,” SEMINARS ADDRESSED TOPICS RANGING FROM BUILDING A TEAM FOR SERVICE TO DEVELOPING MINISTRIES President Mackey voices a prayer for Russian Baptist leaders, including Peter Mitskevich who serves as President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

AMONG REFUGEES.

As Tomás Mackey begins the second full year of his tenure as BWA President, he is grateful for both the gift of technology but also the opportunity to enjoy face-to-face visits with Baptists around the world as travel resumes.

His leadership role carries many responsibilities, but his heart is “being with the people.” Leveraging virtual tools, he was able to participate online or share video greetings at numerous member body assemblies, including: • Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches, Inc. (The Philippines) • Arunachal Baptist Church Council (India) • Convention of Baptist Churches in Guatemala • Jamaica Baptist Union • National Baptist Convention of Chile • Baptist Convention of Nicaragua • Equatorial Guinea Baptist Church “Baptist Convention of Equatorial Guinea is a new member of the BWA, and it was a joy to meet its President, Vice President, General Secretary, and a missionary to Equatorial Guinea from Spain,” said Mackey.

Worshipping with Russian Baptists In May, the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists gathered in Moscow for the Russian Baptist National Youth Summit and the 36th Russian Baptist Congress, drawing hundreds of pastors from across the country. President Mackey and General Secretary Elijah Brown attended the event, valuing the opportunity to preach and offer pastoral prayer and support during this critical time in the nation.

“One of the most moving moments was when a Ukrainian led the Congress in a prayer for peace,” said Brown.

Centered on the theme of “Light Among the Chaos,” seminars addressed topics ranging from building a team for service to developing ministries among refugees.

“We learned and shared with each other the experiences of how we should live, serve God, and reach a new generation with the Gospel in these new conditions that our country is currently going through,” said attendee Vitaly Zanin.

In recent months, he also had the opportunity to travel to Russia and France to participate in nationwide Baptist assemblies.

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THE JOY OF PASTORING: BWA PRESIDENT CONNECTS WITH BAPTISTS WORLDWIDE

Pictured above L-R: FEEBF President Nicolas Farelly, EBF President Stefan Gisiger, and BWA President Tomas Mackey celebrate the 100th Anniversary of FEEBF.

Following the Congress, Mackey was able to preach at Moscow Central Church pastored by Pastor Sergei Zolotarevsky – a historic church where Billy Graham once shared years ago.

Mackey and Brown were also able to visit Moscow Baptist Seminary to connect with faculty, students, and staff. They were also received

by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s of the Orthodox Church Department for External Church Relations.

Celebrating a Ministry Milestone in France The Federation of Evangelical Baptist Churches of France (FEEBF), led by Pastor Nicolas Farelly together with Pastor and General Secretary Joëlle Razanajohary, invited Mackey to celebrate their 100th anniversary in May. Gathering near Paris, they celebrated this milestone through a series of events (webinars, lectures, and expos) all leading to the annual Congress.

Advocating for Peace

“The theme for the 100th anniversary was ‘Roots and Zeal’ (there is a play on words in French), and they wanted to communicate the importance of where they come from, who they are, but also the importance of working on being zealous for the Gospel where the Lord has placed them today,” he said.

Over the last few months, members of the BWA team have worked for justice and peace in Ukraine, including meeting with leaders at the United Nations and Presidents and Members of Parliaments in multiple countries. To further these efforts, advocating with Russian leaders was a key part of Mackey and Brown’s ministry in Moscow.

Mackey was also able to meet with several other European Baptist leaders present at the event and seized the chance to learn more about how God is moving through the Baptist family in different parts of the world. He also connected with local churches, including preaching at Eglise Protestante Baptiste de Sartrouville.

“We were able to meet with Russian government authorities and raise the need for the immediate cessation of the war, the creation of humanitarian corridors, and respect for religious freedom with special emphasis on the occupied territory of Ukraine,” said Mackey. “We were able to pray with them for a just peace and reconciliation.”

“It is always a pleasure and a real delight to connect with brothers and sisters from different parts of the world in special moments of their life and history,” said Mackey. “Learning from them and sharing the prayers and greetings of our worldwide family is a real learning experience.”

“We discussed ways in which the church should be a bridge builder and capable of mutually uplifting conversations,” said Mackey.

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MAKING DISCIPLES TOGETHER: BWA LAUNCHES GLOBAL EVANGELISM INITIATIVES

MAKING DISCIPLES TOGETHER: BWA LAUNCHES GLOBAL EVANGELISM INITIATIVES GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES. THIS GOSPEL CALL REMAINS UNCHANGED TWO THOUSAND YEARS AFTER IT WAS SPOKEN, EVEN IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD.

As cultural and technological trends shifted at the turn of the century, the Baptist World Alliance convened the “Summit on Baptist Mission in the 21st Century” in Swanwick, England, in 2003. The BWA Declaration on Mission was borne from this five-day event, calling Baptists to a renewed commitment to win the world for Jesus Christ and work in partnership with mission groups around the world.

From that moment, the global Baptist family saw spectacular growth of the Church in Asia, Africa, and Latin America yet also bore witness to the emerging challenge of a post-Christian culture in large parts of Europe and North America. BWA statistics for the last decade bear testimony to the emerging trends. Membership in Asia Pacific grew by 20%, the Caribbean by 48%, and Latin America by 41%. However, membership in Europe and the Middle East declined by 3% and North America by 6%. Of note, a staggering 90% of those living in the 10/40 window – a geographic area stretching across 68 countries from North Africa through the Middle East to Asia – have never heard the Gospel.

“From Genesis to Revelation, God invites us to join him in his holistic mission around the world. We are invited to live with Gospel intentionality from our neighborhoods to the nations,” said Elijah Brown, BWA General Secretary & CEO. “In a world where there are still three billion people who are unreached with the good news of Jesus Christ, I encourage all Baptists to join us in a global commitment to Gospel witness.”

Compelled by the unchanging Great Commission, the Baptist World Alliance has a longstanding commitment to evangelism, rooted in the call to live out Gospel witness in every place and among all people groups in partnership with other believers.

Pictured L-R: St. John’s (London) Baptist Church Steel Orchestra during the School of Evangelism Opening Celebration

In response to this call and in collaboration with the global GO Movement (gomovement.world), the BWA Executive Committee declared the month of May as Evangelism Emphasis Month, guided by the axiom that “every Baptist is a witness.” Throughout the month, Baptists worldwide were urged to focus on united prayer and personal evangelism with a prayer for every Baptist to lead at least one person to Christ.

“The call for increased evangelization is as urgent today as when Jesus issued the Great Commission to his disciples and – by extension – the church,” said Everton Jackson, BWA Director of Integral Mission.

“Evangelism is central to the mission of God, and it is the vocation of the Church to share the good news of Christ for the sake of the salvation of the world and the renewal of creation.”

As part of the strategic evangelism focus, the BWA launched its inaugural School of Evangelism (SOE) from April 29-May 1 in partnership with Caribbean Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Offered virtually and guided by the theme “Making Disciples Together,” the initiative will be rolled out in the other five BWA regions of the BWA by 2024. SOE objectives include: • Affirm the whole Church’s calling and gifting to bear witness to Jesus Christ.

• Emphasize the whole Gospel of Christ as the power to transform lives and communities.

• Highlight the whole world as the object of the triune God’s redemptive mission.

• Create space for Baptists to learn from one another and to mobilize the global Baptist family for greater intentional holistic evangelism.

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MAKING DISCIPLES TOGETHER: BWA LAUNCHES GLOBAL EVANGELISM INITIATIVES

In the words of the 1974 Lausanne Covenant, “Evangelization requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.” Believing this statement offers a faithful summary of biblical teaching and resonates with the BWA Commission on Evangelism’s commitment to making disciples, the SOE training aims to mobilize the church for this evangelistic task.

Adopting the Lausanne’s threefold thematic structure, the School of Evangelism experience includes six main sessions anchored by Scripture and centered on the whole church, the whole gospel, and the whole world.

The inaugural event hosted by CBF also included an opening and closing worship celebration featuring prayers, Scripture readings, and musical contributions from throughout the region as well as a series of Bible studies and testimonies from Baptist leaders around the world.

“We were proud to take the lead in this essential and relevant program, and we hope to set the tone and the pace for the other BWA regions,” said Anslem Warrick, CBF Executive Secretary-Treasurer. “The School of Evangelism is really a recognition of our mission as God’s people who have been recipients of God’s love and grace. This is a reflection of our commitment to respond to the call of God in Christ Jesus our Lord to reach the whole of humanity in the whole world with the whole Gospel.”

With more than 400 registrants from over a dozen countries, the event connected Baptist leaders across the Caribbean and equipped them for greater Gospel reach.

“My participation in the BWA School of Evangelism allowed me to see the holistic impact of the church evangelizing on a global scale,” said Shenell Vernice Best, a youth leader from Trinidad and Tobago. “It also propelled a desire to keep on spreading the Gospel.”

The next School of Evangelism will be hosted November 18-20 by the Union of Baptists in Latin America. To express interest in participating in SOE in your region, visit bit.ly/soe-info.

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BWA CONCLUDES HOLISTIC MISSION WEBINAR SERIES In response to the global impact of COVID-19 on the mission of the church, the BWA developed and released a Holistic Mission Guide in 2021 featuring over fifty articles from around the world. To expound on the ideas and principles found within the guide, the BWA Commission on Mission hosted a 3-part webinar series featuring guide contributors.

The final webinar in the series was held in March with a focus on suffering. Israel Oluwole Olofinjana from Nigeria addressed “Theology of Discipleship: Jesus’ Discipleship Model of Suffering and Sacrifice” and Wati Longchar from Nagaland, India, shared about “The Power of Last Words.” A personal story entitled “From Relapse to Church”

by Cristina Arcidiacono (Italy) was also presented. Visit BaptistWorld.org/missionguide to learn more.

HAITI PASTORAL RETREAT PROMOTES HEALING AND COLLABORATION

HAITI PASTORAL RETREAT

PROMOTES HEALING AND COLLABORATION “A Christian community is therefore a healing community not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for new vision.” – Henri Nouwen In April, leaders from four BWA member bodies in Haiti – the Haiti Baptist Convention, the Association of Conservative Baptist Churches of Haiti, the Convention of Haitian Baptist Churches for Integral Mission, and the Evangelical Baptist Mission of South Haiti – gathered for a time of sharing, healing, and visioning.

Hungarian Baptist Aid to construct the $1.5 million Source of Light Complex in Port-au-Prince. With 90% of the schools in the area damaged or destroyed by the earthquake, the Source of Light facility lived up to its name – providing a school for 200 preschool and primary students and an orphanage for approximately 50 children.

The pastoral retreat, organized by the Baptist World Alliance and American Baptist Churches International Ministries (ABC-IM), was held in the Dominican Republic (DR) due to ongoing safety concerns in Haiti. Participants included four leaders from each of the four Baptist groups in Haiti; Baptist World Aid (BWAid) Director Marsha Scipio; Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Executive Secretary-Treasurer Anslem Warrick; Global Servants from ABC-IM with many years of service in Haiti; and a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missionary serving in Haiti. The leadership of two Haitian Baptist Conventions in the Dominican Republic and a representative from the Dominican Baptist Convention joined the group for a special time of fellowship and a service one evening.

Since then, the nation has sadly endured multiple hurricanes and earthquakes, including a 7.2 magnitude quake in 2021. In addition, Haiti is experiencing the negative consequences of deforestation, pollution, and limited access to safe water and sanitation.

Although the Haitian convention leaders did not know each another previously, they were united by common challenges, anxieties, and hopes as they serve in a difficult context.

Through the ministry of BWAid and the BWA Forum on Aid and Development (BFAD), the global Baptist family has been working alongside Haitian Baptists to respond to these disasters. Following the 2021 earthquake, BFAD partnered with the local conventions to construct temporary school shelters, distribute school supplies and food, and provide water filtration.

The pastoral retreat grew out of weekly capacity building meetings held via Zoom with the leadership of the conventions. The leaders wanted an opportunity to gather for reflection and pastoral support.

ABC-IM, a BFAD partner, had already expressed a desire to sponsor

The country of Haiti is facing numerous crises. With a poverty rate of nearly 60%, Haiti is the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean and is one of the poorest in the world. Most Haitians do not have access to quality education and almost 50% of citizens 15 and older are illiterate.

The country is also plagued with political instability, corruption, and increasing violence and gang activity. In 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his home.

Natural disasters and environmental concerns also greatly impact the lives of Haitians. In 2010, Haiti suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people, one of the deadliest earthquakes ever recorded. With one-third of the population impacted in some way by the disaster, BWAid was quick to respond with prayer and immediate financial support. In the months following, BWAid partnered with Baptist General Association of Virginia and

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HAITI PASTORAL RETREAT PROMOTES HEALING AND COLLABORATION

an activity like this and so the vision was birthed. This aligned with BFAD’s desire to offer further support for leaders in Haiti who are ministering amid these crises and to discuss how the four conventions – comprised of 177,400 members in 1,110 churches – ­ can unify to address the ongoing challenges in their country.

In addition to the burdens of poverty and environmental problems, the upsurge in gang violence is creating significant fear and difficulties for Haitian churches and pastors. Members of Baptist churches have been kidnapped and threatened. Pastors struggle to continue doing church in a way that is safe for members. One of the attendees of the retreat came to the Dominican Republic with a threat against his life.

The assassination of the president also greatly affected the people of Haiti. The convention leaders shared that this event shattered any sense of safety – if even the president is not safe, then how can we be safe?

Focused on healing from trauma, the retreat provided a time of respite for the leaders. It included worship, communion, prayer, a study of 1 Kings 19 where Elijah struggles with trauma and depression, and workshops on identifying trauma and finding healing and koinonia in community. There was time for teambuilding and listening to each other’s stories in a safe space.

BWAid Director Marsha Scipio shares communion elements with attendees

“It touched me at my deepest need of releasing stress and anxiety,” said one participant. “I like the way the whole team was focused on helping us liberate ourselves from being traumatized,” shared another.

While gathered, the leaders took time to envision how they could work together to have a unified response to ongoing events in Haiti, pooling their differing resources and levels of expertise for even greater impact.

They engaged in community asset-based mapping to identify each convention’s strengths individually and collectively.

“They were surprised to see the wealth of experience they had as a group and to learn about the spiritual and community service programs within each convention. This created an appreciation for their own strengths and opened up conversations for collaboration and knowledge sharing among the leaders,” said BWAid Director Scipio, who served as a facilitator for the retreat.

Baptist churches in Haiti are making a difference – providing education, disaster response, training for leaders in the community, food and other basic needs assistance, teaching microbusiness skills, and offering programming for youth to discourage gang recruitment.

As a result of the dedicated time of sharing and strategizing at the retreat, the Haitian conventions desire to move forward as a more united regional body partnering to respond to the needs of their country. The four groups plan to meet again this year to continue the conversation.

“As we came together and articulated some of the wounds and the trauma that leaders were carrying, shared pain inspired a desire for the churches to have an even greater or should I say, more strategic impact within their communities,” said Scipio. “I think people left hopeful that we can begin to address the problems and impact our communities together.”

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Pray for: • the continuation of a unified path for the four conventions in Haiti as they seek to serve together • economic and political stability and for gang violence to cease • for pastors and leaders as they serve in challenging times Give: Support BWAid’s efforts to alleviate poverty, educate young people, and provide pastoral support in this time of need. Visit BaptistWorld. org/give to donate.

HAITI PASTORAL RETREAT PROMOTES HEALING AND COLLABORATION

BFAD HOSTS “MOVING BEYOND THE PANDEMIC” WORKSHOP How can the church serve faithfully in its context and community in 2022?

In a world still discovering new norms and ways of being, this can “be” a challenging question to answer.

As part of their capacity building series, the BWA Forum for Aid and Development (BFAD) hosted the “Moving Beyond the Pandemic: Making 2022 Count” workshop on January 27. Featuring global community development specialists Oenone Chadburn from Tearfund and Dipak Raj Rai from MCDS, the workshop provided practical insight to equip attendees for the challenges of a postpandemic context.

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STAND AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Globally, the United Nations estimates that more than 700 million women – one in three – have experienced domestic violence at least once in their life.

This staggering statistic has only grown worse since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Incidents of domestic violence have increased 300% in China, 25% in Argentina, 30% in Cyprus, 33% in Singapore, and 50% in Brazil.

In the face of this “shadow pandemic” of domestic violence, how do global Baptists respond?

The Spirit’s Stirring At the Global Conference of Baptist Women in 2021, Valérie DuvalPoujol (France) and Jenni Entrican (United Kingdom) led a workshop on the topic of domestic violence. As they prepared their presentation, they felt the Spirit’s prompting to expand the focus beyond a single event and to create something with more lasting impact.

Meanwhile, Elissa Macpherson, President of the Baptist Women of the Pacific, was feeling the same yearning to take action. “As someone who works with women in churches all around Australia, it was a story I would come against often with women who just seemed to have a great life. But as we would spend one-on-one time together at a conference or after church, they would start to share their stories and I would hear over and over again the heartbreaking stories of domestic violence,” recalled Macpherson.

“Then I took up a position working with women around the Pacific. The Pacific has some of the highest incidences of domestic violence in the world, so my heartbreak was taken to a whole new level,” she shared.

Hearing the conversations that were happening worldwide around this issue, former BWA Women Executive Director Moreen Sharp convened a group to discuss how Baptist women could respond. Out of this gathering, the “Stand Against Domestic Violence” Global Initiative was born.

The steering team for the initiative, coordinated by Macpherson, also includes Duval-Poujol, Entrican, Patricia Ihlenfeldt (South Africa), Margaret Warren (Australia), Beulah Wood (New Zealand), and J. Merritt Johnston (USA), the new Executive Director of BWA Women as of November 2021.

A Global Resource Hub With a passion to address the problem of domestic violence, particularly in the context of churches, the BWA Women team committed to develop an online resource – a global resource hub – to educate and equip individuals, churches, and communities to bring an end to domestic violence.

The Stand Against Domestic Violence resource site, hosted online at StandAgainstDV.net, launched in November in alignment with the 2021 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The easy-to-navigate website is filled with high-quality resources organized by three central calls to action: 1) How can I learn more?

2) How can I make a difference?

3) How can churches get involved?

“As people of faith, we must be on the frontlines – responding to needs with the love of Christ. That’s why the BWA is committed to providing resources like Stand Against Domestic Violence to equip individuals and faith communities to respond to this global issue.”

–BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown

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STAND AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

A unique focus of the resource hub is faith communities.

The site seeks to equip faith leaders and congregations to help victims of violence, but it also seeks to educate people about how the church can sometimes be complicit.

The site approaches the issue of domestic violence from all angles and for all audiences, including victims of violence, persons seeking to help a friend or family member, congregations and pastors, and even the perpetrators themselves. The aim is for anyone who visits the resource hub to come away with actionable steps to help stop domestic violence in their context.

Drawing on the expertise of scholars and practitioners in the field, the steering team carefully vets each resource that is posted.

New material is being continually added with a particular focus on expanding video content as well as increasing the number of languages represented on the site.

The Role of the Church A unique focus of the resource hub is faith communities. The site seeks to equip faith leaders and congregations to help victims of violence, but it also seeks to educate people about how the church can sometimes be complicit.

Helen Paynter – Baptist minister, Biblical scholar, and one of the experts consulted in the development of the resource hub – studies how the Bible is sometimes used to harm others.

“Abuse happens in churches really as commonly as it does in wider society,” explained Paynter. “And when it happens in a church setting, in a Christian home, the Bible is sometimes weaponized by the abuser in a whole range of ways. It’s taken and it’s twisted and it’s warped to try to make women endure suffering rather than walk away.”

It is also sometimes mistakenly and unintentionally used by churches to cause harm to victims of violence, she says. For example, conflating forgiveness, an important Christian theme, with staying in a relationship with an abuser.

“As churches or ministers, as those with influence in our denominations, we need to make sure we understand these [misinterpreted] passages really well and teach them in a way that helps our churches to be resistant to such abusive interpretations, helps those experiencing abuse to know when they are being fed a line that’s just a lie, and trains people up in ways that they know better than to use the Bible abusively,” says Paynter.

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The Global Resource Hub seeks to strengthen churches in the critical role they have to play in ending domestic violence in their congregations and communities, bringing about the change required for women, children, and families to thrive.

Standing Together to Seek Change Now that the Stand Against Domestic Violence site is live, the goal is to share this resource widely so individuals, congregations, and communities will be empowered with greater knowledge and understanding of how to confront this growing crisis.

“As people of faith, we must be on the frontlines – responding to needs with the love of Christ. That’s why the BWA is committed to providing resources like Stand Against Domestic Violence to equip individuals and faith communities to respond to this global issue,” said BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown. “I am grateful for BWA Women’s leadership of this initiative, and I call on all of us to stand with them in love with a boldness that transcends and transforms violence.”

To further this effort, BWA Women presented the site to a global audience during the Stand Against Domestic Violence launch service as well as the United Nations 66th Annual Commission on the Status of Women. Both events included a live demonstration of the site, presentation of planned expansions, and a question-andanswer segment facilitated by the project’s steering committee members. This is just a beginning of a long-term emphasis on the issue of domestic violence for Baptists worldwide.

“Never has there been a time when the voices of women have been needed as much or oppressed as greatly. Violence from one gender to the other is far from God’s heart and his good plan for us from creation,” said Karen Wilson, BWA Women President. “Jesus came to set things right. Modeling his love, we must stand together.”

BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown echoes this call to action: “I am grateful for BWA Women’s leadership of this initiative, and I call on all of us to stand with them in love with a boldness that transcends and transforms violence.”

To find out how you can join the stand against domestic violence, visit StandAgainstDV.net today.

2022 ANNUAL GATHERING WILL FOCUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE

2022 ANNUAL GATHERING WILL FOCUS ON RACIAL JUSTICE IN LIGHT OF THE ONGOING REALITIES OF RACIAL INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD, THE BWA LAUNCHED A SPECIAL RACIAL JUSTICE ACTION GROUP IN OCTOBER 2020 WITH UNANIMOUS AFFIRMATION FROM THE BWA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Allan Boesak

Given a two-year mandate, one of the primary objectives of the group was to focus the 2022 BWA Annual Gathering around the theme of racial justice – including keynote speakers, the work of all 14 BWA Commissions, pilgrimages, and other points of prayer and action.

This objective will come to fruition when hundreds of global Baptist leaders gather on the campus of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, from July 10-15.

Among the racial justice initiatives offered at the hybrid event, the Annual Gathering will feature special guest and racial justice visionary Allan Boesak. Dr. Boesak’s involvement in public life and South Africa’s freedom struggle began in 1976 when he began to play a leading role in resistance politics in South Africa. In 1983, he called for the formation of the United Democratic Front which would grow into the largest, nonviolent, non-racial anti-apartheid formation in the history of the struggle.

A fervent believer in direct, militant, nonviolent action, he became its most visible leader at home and abroad. He worked with President Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and an array of African and world leaders to end apartheid.

The event will also include a Racial Justice Journey to nearby Montgomery, Alabama, during which we will visit several historic sites that document sins of racial injustice as well as efforts to pursue sustained change and justice.

On the final day together, there will be a tour organized by members of the BWA Commission on Baptist Heritage and Identity. This tour will include a visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church that was bombed during the civil rights struggle in Birmingham.

We look forward to this meaningful time of listening, learning, praying, and leaving better equipped to follow the path of transformative racial justice in our communities.

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BAPTISTS PARTICIPATE IN SECOND BAPTIST-ORTHODOX COLLOQUIUM

BAPTISTS PARTICIPATE IN SECOND BAPTIST-ORTHODOX COLLOQUIUM Saudi Arabia Hosts First MultiFaith Conference BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May to participate in the Forum on Values Among Religious Followers, the nation’s first multi-faith conference. Attended by approximately 100 religious leaders representing Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim communities, the event included an opening session and multiple discussion panels addressing topics like human dignity and “Bridging Humanity for the Good of Humanity.”

“All of us came from around the world to sit around a common table to discuss the values that we share as humanity,” said Brown. “As we gathered as faith leaders at a time when over 80% of the world holds to a faith tradition, there was a clear sense that we could do more together to address some of the most pressing challenges in our world today – challenges such as war, violence, hunger, migration, education, gender disparity as well as environmental concerns.”

On June 6, 2022, Baptist and Orthodox leaders and theologians from around the world participated in a second Baptist-Orthodox Colloquium, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as online. Rev. Dr. Parush Parushev, Rector of St. Trivelius Institute Sofia, directed the event, which was jointly organized by the Faculty of Theology at Sofia University, the Theological Institute of St. Trivelius, and the BaptistOrthodox Theology Resource Group of the Baptist World Alliance.

The colloquium engaged the theme “Church and Society” and included a paper by Dr. Brandon Gallaher on the recent document, “A Declaration on the Russian World (Russkii Mir) Teaching,” followed by a lively panel discussion.

Orthodox participants and panelists included: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Ribolov (Bulgaria); Fr. Mihail Mihailov (Bulgaria); Assoc.

Prof. Dr. Kostadin Nushev (Bulgaria); Dr. Kamelia Slavcheva (Bulgaria); Dr. Tamara Grdzelidze (Georgia); Rev. Dr. Brandon Gallaher (England); and Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou (USA).

Baptist presenters and participants included Rev. Dr. Parush Parushev (Bulgaria); Rev. Dr. Theodor Angelov (Bulgaria); Dr. Daniel R. Patterson (Australian working in Bulgaria); Rev. Otniel Bunaciu (Romania); Dr. Valérie Duval-Poujol (France); Rev. Dr. Paul Fiddes, (England), Rev. Dr. Steve Harmon (USA); Dr. Elizabeth Newman (USA).

“The purpose of these colloquiums is to extend the BWA vision of seeking our essential oneness in the Lord Jesus Christ,” said Elizabeth Newman, Chair of BWA Commission on Baptist Doctrine and Christian Unity. “We do this not by papering over differences but by seeking together ways the church can be more faithful and visible in the world today.”

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“There is still a lot of work to be done at the global level, but I am encouraged that the Baptist World Alliance can continue to intentionally cultivate relationships with other Christian traditions as well as other faith traditions.”

REMEMBERING

SANDOR SZENCZY Sandor Szenczy, founder and President Emeritus of Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid), died on May 21, 2022, at the age of 57.

After a difficult adolescence of drugs and alcohol, gang membership, and homelessness, Szenczy became a Christian during his time of service in the Hungarian army. He was first confronted with the truth of the Gospel during a conversation with an anonymous caller on a secret military phone line.

After leaving the military, Szenczy attended seminary and in 1994 became a pastor of a small church in Velence, Hungary. Within ten years, the congregation grew from 10 people to 100.

With a desire to follow Jesus’ command of love by caring for those in need, Szenczy founded HBAid in 1996.

He received a widow’s gift of 5,000 HUK (about $25USD) and made a commitment to turn her contribution into $1 million USD in aid for North Korea.

One month later, with support from Baptist World Aid and others in the global Baptist family, a shipment of $1 million dollars’ worth of medicine, corn, and seeds was on its way to North Korea.

Under Szenczy’s leadership, HBAid grew to be one of the largest aid organizations in Hungary, providing humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and support for marginalized groups. With 70 full-time staff and hundreds of volunteers, the organization has worked in more than 25 countries to meet physical, psychological, and spiritual needs.

disabled youth with cerebral palsy. Szenczy continued to partner extensively with Baptist World Aid in North Korea and around the world, including pivotal ministry in Iran following the 2003 earthquake and in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.

Through his work, Szenczy built relationships with leaders around the world, including meeting personally with four United States presidents.

In 2007, he was recognized by Hungary for his contributions to the “the International Relations of the Republic of Hungary.” In 2015, he received the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit.

“Sandor’s personal joy and bold humility resulted in fruit of passionate faith felt around the world. His love saved the lives of countless thousands, many of whom he would only meet in the eternal throne room of Christ,” said BWA General Secretary Elijah Brown. “His legacy of living as the hands and feet of Jesus will continue to be felt through a generation of leaders serving around the world out of his modeled wisdom.”

Szencky is survived by his wife, Katalin, five children, and grandchildren.

HBAid is recognized internationally as a skilled rescue and aid organization that aims to be on the ground within hours of a disaster.

It coordinates the ‘Baptist World Aid Rescue24 International Team’ that consists of Hungarian workers and volunteers as well as members from the USA, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Malaysia, and the Czech Republic.

During Szenczy’s tenure as president from 1996-2020, he traveled to the sites of natural disasters, wars, and poverty including Kosovo, Vietnam, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Chechnya, and Iraq. He visited North Korea numerous times and was given the opportunity to speak in one of only two Protestant churches that exist legally in the country. He also held formal talks with the regime which resulted in an agreement for Hungarian specialists to work in North Korea assisting

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IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM John Ema Amromare, retired Secretary of the Delta State Baptist Conference in Nigeria, passed away on January 3, 2022.

Comfort Arinlade Ayanrinola of Nigeria, wife of Duro Ayanrinola - the immediate past General Secretary of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship, passed away in April 2022 at the age of 65. She dedicated her life to Christian service including as a nurse, primary teacher, missionary in Sierra Leone, and Coordinator of Family Life for the Nigerian Baptist Convention. She had a heart for children and worked to develop age-grade literature, create awareness for children’s ministry, and train children’s workers. Ayanrinola held a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary and was also an accomplished writer, authoring six books and 150 articles for The Nigerian Baptist magazine. She served on the BWA Commission on Christian Education/Nurture from 2015-2020. She is survived by her husband, five children, and nine grandchildren.

Walter Arturovich Mickiewicz, father of Peter Mitskevich who is president of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and member of BWA General Council, passed away in January 2022 at the age of 90.

Ed Olson, former staff member for the Baptist World Alliance, died on September 25, 2021, at the age of 81. Olson served as Advancement Project Specialist for the BWA after retiring from the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service. He was an active member of McLean Baptist Church in McLean, Virginia, USA, for 30 years.

Fuad Sakhnini, pastor of Nazareth Baptist Church in Israel for 60 years, died in February 2022 at the age of 95.

Marina Sands, President of the Bahamas Baptist Women’s Convention from 1990-2001 and President Emeritus of Bahamas Baptist Women’s Convention until her passing, died on September 4, 2021. She also served as President of the Caribbean Baptist Women’s Union and Vice President of the BWA Women’s Department from 2000-2010, and she was a member of the BWA General Council.

A. Clark Scanlon passed away on January 24, 2021, at the age of 92. A Southern Baptist missionary for many years, Scanlon also served on the BWA’s World Evangelization Strategy Workgroup and Evangelism and Education Executive Committee from 1990-1995.

He was active at First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia.

Anthony Cross

Timothy Stewart of The Bahamas, president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention based in Washington, D.C., died on September 17, 2021, at the age of 64. Stewart was the first nonAmerican to hold the presidency. Stewart also served for almost four decades as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in the Bahamas, the oldest continually operating Baptist church in the Caribbean.

Anthony Cross, influential Baptist historian and theologian from the United Kingdom, died in July 2021 at the age of 59. Cross published an extensive range of books and articles and held positions at University of Roehampton, Regent’s Park College, and more recently the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic.

Joe Thomas “Joe T.” Lenamon, one of the founders of Texas Baptist Men, died on April 2, 2022, at the age of 92. He was president of the organization from 1974-76 and received the Pioneer Award for Service from the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation in 2008. An Air Force Veteran, banker, philanthropist, and deacon, he also was active with the BWA Men’s Department.

Timothy Stewart

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