Among the concerns was the considerable impact that BReaD, formed mostly by active BWA members, could have on the long-term future of the BWA, particularly the relief and development arm, Baptist World Aid. When BReaD came into being, the BWA general secretary had asked the Executive Committee meeting in Durban, South Africa, to clarify how BWA should relate to that organization. In response, the incoming BWA president was authorized to name a Task Force to consider the matter and submit a report to the Executive Committee by March 2016. After receiving a preliminary report from the Task Force, the March 2016 Executive Committee decided to reconstitute the Task Force, extend its life and broaden its mandate. The Task Force report to the Vancouver General Council meeting included a plan to meet with the BReaD Steering Group and to submit a report to the BWA Executive Committee by March 2017.

2020 Congress Plans have begun for the 22nd

Baptist World

Congress in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, in July 2020. The event, dubbed Celebration 2020 will, for the first time, include the Baptist Youth World Conference, which was previously held as a separate assembly. Callam, in his report to the General Council,

stated that the “BWA has signed a contract with the Rio Centro Convention Center, which will host the BWA 2020 quinquennial event in which the worldwide Baptist family will unite in celebrating God and discerning God’s will for the church’s ongoing life and mission.” He indicated that payments to secure the location are being made and “BWA staff and the Congress Committee have commenced working on their mandate for the 2020 event.”

This will be the second Baptist World Congress to be held in Rio. The 10th

congress

was convened in the city in 1960, which saw the largest attendance to congress to date since the first was held in London, England, in 1905. Evangelist Billy Graham preached to a packed Maracanã soccer stadium at the closing service which, at the time, had a capacity of nearly 200,000.

The 2017 Annual Gathering will be held from July 3-8 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Right: BWA General Secretary Callam with John Sigudia, the “father” of the Baptist Convention of Namibia

Namibia was a dependent territory of South Africa and gained its independence in 1990, but South Africa held on to Walvis Bay and the surrounding region. Walvis Bay includes Namibia’s main port and only natural harbor and is an important center of tourism activity. The entire territory was returned to Namibia after Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa. While in Namibia, Callam also spoke at the Lamb of God Baptist Church in

Walvis Bay. OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016 13

GENERAL SECRETARY VISITS NAMIBIA Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Neville Callam made the first visit

to Namibia by a BWA leader in August when he attended the 6th Assembly of the

Baptist Convention of Namibia (BCN) in the tourist resort town of Swakopmund. “What the people in Namibia wanted me to talk about were basic Baptist beliefs,” Callam explained. “What are the fundamental beliefs among Baptists and why do we believe these things? A rationale for what characterize Baptists as Baptists.” Secondly, “they wanted me to talk about the history of the Baptist church,

when did the Baptist movement begin? To characterize the spread of Baptist work around the world and help them to position themselves within the overall history of Baptists.” In addition, “they wanted me to talk about leadership. What are some of the indices of responsible leadership?” They expressed a desire for “me to assist them in their own formation at the stage of development where they are.” Callam explained that the requests came against the background of a lack of a theological educational institution for Baptists in Namibia; that the majority of the pastors did not benefit from theological education and training. “The convention has vast training needs,” Callam said. “They have no convention office and no paid convention staff.” As a result, BCN lists its priorities as “teaching, preaching, educating,

comforting and encouraging one another.” It has focused on leadership development and training through a series of leadership meetings and Youth Leaders Summits.

Sporadic Baptist ministry began in Namibia in about 1910, coming from

South Africa, and lasting until 1959. This was after a long history of token Baptist presence in the country, beginning in the 1800s, with the arrival of German Baptists. A greater level of organization occurred between 1959 and 1967 when government civil servants from South Africa, who were Baptists, were seconded to work in Namibia. More permanent ministry and church planting began in 1967, leading to the formation of the BCN in 1983.