CONGRESS 2015

n CONGRESS 2015 n CONGRESS 2015 n CONGRESS 2015 n CONGRESS 2015 n CONGRE

ICC Durban general, and South Africa in particular, for their prayerful and informed advice. The Baptist Convention of South Africa cancelled its 2015 assembly in order to assist their members to participate in the congress. The Baptist Union of Southern Africa rescheduled its 2015 assembly and chose its location in order to strengthen their members’ capacity to attend the congress. The leaders of the Baptist Mission of South Africa and the Baptist Association of South Africa argued strongly for the congress to not be postponed, their program for 2015 being focused around the congress. South African Baptist conventions and unions are breathing a sigh of relief.

The same is the case with the leaders of the BWA Women’s Department. They expressed unwavering support for the decision to reaffirm the scheduled congress and are pleased that BWA’s decision is not endangering the convening of the Women’s Leadership Conference. The decision to adhere to the schedule for the 21st congress represents an effort to express our solidarity with the Baptist community in Africa. It is also a sign of our faith in the power of the sovereign God with whose help the tide of destruction in the three named countries in Western Africa can be turned back. We

Congress Speakers continued

Silvado is pastor of Bacacheri Baptist Church in Curitiba, Paraná, president of the Brazilian Baptist Convention and a vice president-elect of the BWA. He holds degrees from the Federal University of Paraná, the South Brazil Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the US. Silvado is a member of the BWA General Council and the Mission, Evangelism and Theological Reflection Advisory Committee.

look forward to the day when, like South Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will be Ebola free. As the current quinquennium draws

near its close, we continue to seek to walk in step with the Spirit. For this reason, BWA continues its drive to facilitate a comprehensive response to the Ebola

crisis. We have participated in, and convened, discussions by aid and development agencies to foster effective collaboration and management of the response to the Ebola crisis. We continue to channel funds to the affected countries to help meet the need of the families and communities affected by the current Ebola outbreak. We are supporting educational programs promoting Ebola prevention and we have entered into strategic partnerships that have led to three shipments of food, medical equipment and supplies to the Ebola affected countries. With your help, we can do more. Let us all commit to fervent prayer for divine intervention to end

the current Ebola outbreak. Let us also continue our preparation for what will be an unforgettable congress, the first to be held in Africa, marking strong BWA solidarity with the people of that vast continent.

— Neville Callam, General Secretary, Baptist World Alliance

Carroll is senior pastor of Antioch Native Baptist Church in Nassau and former president of the Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Education Convention. He is a graduate of the American Baptist College and Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in the US. Carroll is a member of the BWA General Council and the Commission on Evangelism.

14 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE

Gregory is professor of preaching at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary in Texas. He is founder and principal of Joel Gregory Ministries, an international ministry of teaching and preaching. He earned degrees at Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he taught preaching for three years. He is lead author of the recently published, Baptist Preaching: A Global Anthology, which was launched during the BWA Annual Gathering in Izmir, Turkey, in July 2014. He is a member of the BWA Commission on Baptist Worship and Spirituality.

Joel Gregory from the United States

Luiz Soares Silvado from Brazil

Anthony Carroll from the Bahamas