EXPRESSIONS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY at Asia Pacifi c Congress ASIA PACIFIC
M Stir
us up Lord!
Asia Pacifi c Baptist Federation (APBF) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from September 4-8, 2012.
ore than 1,300 delegates from 22 countries attended the 8th
The congress, which drew on the diverse cultures represented
within the APBF, opened in a spirit of celebration with dancing, singing, and inspirational messages. Baptist World Alliance®
President John Upton, keynote
speaker on the second night, spoke on the congress theme, Stir Us Up Lord!, stating that God’s children cannot move if they are not stirred. Making reference to the parable of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Upton shared four principles that are at work in the life of the Christian believer. First, it is important to give what one has to Christ, no matter how insignifi cant it seems. Second, Christ blesses, consecrates and makes holy whatever is offered. Third, Christ often breaks us in order to open us up, an often diffi cult and painful process. “When God breaks our heart, the world gets changed,” the BWA president said. Fourth, God always gives back to the disciple who follows Christ. Wood-Ping Chu, outgoing APBF president and main speaker during the opening celebration, asserted that as Christians face
trials in life, they should remember that God is faithful. Chu reminded the hundreds of delegates of the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “Though the fi g tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fi elds produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” BWA Regional Secretary for Asia and APBF General Secretary
Bonny Resu emphasized the love of God in a region beset by natural and other disasters. These incidences, Resu declared, are opportunities for Christians in Asia Pacifi c to share the love of Jesus Christ. He asserted that the unique cultural diversity in the region enables Christians to share their resources through mission. He called on Asian and Pacifi c Baptists to seek ways to work cooperatively in mission. A number of workshops were held to address challenges
faced by Baptists in the APBF region. Delegates from a number of countries, including Japan, Philippines, Thailand and the states of Assam and Meghalaya in India, shared experiences in the “Mediating Peace” workshop. They told stories of how prayer helped to bring about peace. It was noted that the APBF helped to play a leading role in helping to broker peace in a number of instances, coordinating efforts not only among church bodies but also between nongovernment organizations and governments.
A workshop on “Violence and Interfaith Relationships” noted
that violence by religious adherents stems from several factors, such as extreme religious ideology, a refusal to compromise with secular institutions, a perceived threat posed by globalization, and long historical frictions between religious groups. “Effective interfaith alliance comes through building trust, sharing resources and providing hope,” said workshop leader Victor Rembeth. There is the need, he said, to “start dialogue with communities of different faiths so that the loving hands of Christ can be experienced by many.” Interactive group discussions and presentations were made
in a workshop dealing with child labor. Human traffi cking, discussed in another workshop, was regarded as a serious issue that demands urgent attention. Statistics indicated that human traffi cking is a major problem in Asia and elsewhere as millions are being sold into forced labor and the commercial sex trade. “God demands of us to focus on his justice and to stand up for the oppressed, marginalized, alien and poor,” said Asha Sanchu, who led the workshop on human traffi cking. Presentations were made on work being done in Myanmar
and Bangladesh among marginalized groups. The role of social engagement in mission was highlighted. Participants were encouraged to take up the cause of those who are marginalized, including those ostracized by governments. The “Ministering in Times of Disaster” workshop heard stories
on the impact of disasters that have severely affected parts of Asia and the Pacifi c, with particular focus on the impact on vulnerable groups and habitats. It was made clear that Christians have a responsibility to respond in such instances. Emotional and psychological traumas often accompany natural and other disasters, said Kabi Gangmei, who leads the APBF response to disasters. The “Doing Mission” workshop highlighted the diversity of
mission, involving evangelism, relief work, children’s ministry, pastoral care, feeding the hungry and social justice, among other areas. The understanding and practice of mission should be biblical, emphasized Iwao Kochihira, who led the workshop. Jesus responded to the needs of people, he said. Knowing and addressing the needs of people is important, whether these be material, fi nancial, environmental or educational.
Baptist World Alliance President John Upton, center, with BWA Vice President John Kok, left, and outgoing
Asia Pacifi c Baptist Federation President Wood-Ping Chu, during the Asia Pacifi c Baptist Congress in Malaysia
24 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE
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