CONGRESS SPEAKERS

Light, Peace, Leadership, Discipleship, Love & Opportunity

Drawing on the congress theme, “Jesus Christ, the Door,” the six plenary speakers at the 21st

Baptist World Congress in Duran, South Africa, challenged Baptists to self

examination and a renewed commitment to Christ and the mission and ministry of the church. Peter Chin of South Korea, who spoke on the opening night, July 22, said because the world is filled with so much darkness, it is imperative that Baptist Christians shine the light of Christ. Chin declared that the darkness affecting humanity is reflected in suffering, death, ignorance, discrimination and abuse. There is also darkness in the levels of deception, political corruption and oppression that exist. Economically, darkness is demonstrated in

Peter Chin

Worst of all is “spiritual darkness,” where people say there is no God.

the levels of greed, poverty and debt that are so prevalent. But worst of all, there is “spiritual darkness, a darkness where people say there is no God.” Dimitrina Oprenova from Bulgaria drew on experiences in her country during the communist era to declare that Christians can experience peace even during times of turbulence. Oprenova, installed as a BWA vice president at the congress, said “sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child.” She told the gathering that “whatever the circumstances,

whatever culture we

come from, wherever we are, we can be free to live without regret and fear.” If persons give place to fear, this can rob them of their freedom. “Fears of the past and of the future paralyze us and rob us of the power of serving God.” Oftentimes, the fear “stems from selfishness, from being overly concerned about our own self-preservation [and] self-image.”

Dimitrina Oprenova “We can be free

to live without regret and fear.” The good thing, said Oprenova, is that God is always seeking

us out. God searches because God “is not indifferent to the suffering of His people.” God searches “to find hearts opened for Him, who are willing to be found.” Those who allow themselves

Congress to Remember continued

the US. “Technology worked perfectly. I was able to watch the whole service without a problem.” “Thank you so much for making this stream available,” Douglas

Stratton said. “How I miss being there,” stated Nettie Walker Wood. “Love seeing people from around the world joining together in praise to our Lord. Reminds me of when we get to heaven.” “Praise the Lord. I am with you even though I am in Kenya,” Jeremiah Mauti exulted.

There are many stories of lives changed and deeply inspired moments during the five days of meetings.

to be found by this searching God receive healing and liberty. But in order for all this to happen, “we need to be found!” or rather, be willing to be found. God, in essence, saves us “from ourselves, from our own pride and selfishness, from our wrong decisions, from our social prejudice, from our judgment of others, from our hatred and brokenness.” Bahamian Baptist pastor Anthony Carroll made an impassioned call for pastors to avoid the pitfalls of leadership. The former president of the Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Education Convention said that for

Anthony Carroll

An impassioned call for pastors to avoid the pitfalls of leadership.

pastors, “matters of leadership cannot be ignored.” Carroll claimed that pastoral leadership is distinctive. “Leadership is sought, but pastoral leadership is having been sent. Leadership is by popular opinion, but pastoral leadership is being open and responsive to the Spirit. Leadership is delegation to the devoted, but pastoral leadership is about a divine dialog.” He said that “within the realm of the secular, oftentimes,

rather more often than not, the concentration is not the benefit of others; it’s about power and the acquisition of wealth.” Pastoral leadership, on the other hand, “has a depth within it that leadership elsewhere knows nothing about.” Carroll presented Jesus as the “model for leadership” for the pastor. Jesus was “Kingdom- connected and Kingdom-committed.” Jesus “was resolute concerning His assignment and uncompromising about His relationship with the One who has given the assignment.” Luiz Soares Silvado, former president of the

Brazilian Baptist Convention and a newly installed vice president of the BWA, encouraged Baptists to make a determined commitment to discipleship.

Luiz Soares Silvado

“We must not only hear about Jesus, but be formed into His character.”

Silvado argued that discipleship is at the core of the Christian experience. He made a distinction between discipleship that is simply the passing on of information and discipleship that results in formation. “We must not only hear about Jesus, but be formed into/by His character.” Jesus both informs the mind and forms the character. But

formation is paramount. “A church that invests in formation believes in a continuous discipleship. It is something that the disciple does and submits to for all his [and her] life.” There is the