Baptist World Alliance
| Baptist World Alliance | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Communion |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Baptist |
| General Secretary and CEO | Elijah M. Brown, since 2018 |
| Chair | Karl Johnson, since 2025 |
| Region | 138 countries |
| Headquarters | Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. |
| Origin | July 1905 London, United Kingdom |
| Congregations | 178,000 |
| Members | 53,871,526[1][2] |
| Missionary organization | Global Baptist Mission Network |
| Aid organization | BWAid |
| Official website | baptistworld |
| Part of a series on |
| Baptists |
|---|
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The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is an international communion of Baptists, with an estimated 53 million people from 283 member bodies in 138 countries and territories as of 2025. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA accounts for about half the Baptists in the world, becoming Christianity's seventh-largest communion (see list of Christian denominations by membership).
The BWA was founded in 1905 in London during an international congress of Baptist churches. Its headquarters are in Falls Church, Virginia, United States. It is led by general secretary and CEO Elijah M. Brown, Karl Johnson of the Jamaica Baptist Union, Chair of the Alliance and Lynn Green of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Vice Chair.
History
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The roots of the Baptist World Alliance can be traced back to the seventeenth century when Thomas Grantham, the Baptist Messenger and leading divine (theologian) of Lincolnshire, proposed the concept of a congregation of all Christians in the world that are "baptised according to the appointment of Christ."[3] Similar proposals were put forward later such as the call of John Rippon in 1790 for a world meeting of Baptists "to consult the ecclesiastical good to the whole."[3]
It was, however, only in 1904 when such a congregation became a reality. John Newton Prestridge, editor of The Baptist Argus, at Louisville, Kentucky called for a world gathering of Baptists. John Howard Shakespeare, editor of The Baptist Times and Freeman, London, endorsed the proposal.[4][5][6] In October 1904, the Baptist Union of Great Britain passed a resolution to invite a Congress to meet with them in 1905.[7] At the Congress, a committee was formed, which proposed a Constitution for a World Alliance. The Baptist World Alliance was founded in London, during this first Baptist World Congress in July 1905. Every five years since, the BWA holds a Baptist World Congress in different locations around the world, and multiple international meetings and programs are held in the times between Congresses.[8][9][10][11]
The gathering was referred to as an "alliance" and not a council in order to establish the nature of the dialogue as a meeting. This means that the body wields no authority over participating churches or national Baptist unions, serving only as a forum for collaboration.[12]
In 2003, the International Baptist Convention, an international association of English-speaking churches, became a member.[13]
In 2004, the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention voted to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) because a member association, the American Baptist Churches USA had accepted an organization that included 2 churches favorable to the blessings of same-sex marriage as well as perceived anti-American sentiment, which were partly attributed to Alliance Secretary General Denton Lotz's visits to Fidel Castro in Cuba.[14][15][16] A year later, two state denominational members of the Southern Baptist Convention—the Baptist General Association of Virginia and the Baptist General Convention of Texas—affirmed their continued support and applied for membership in the Alliance, and were subsequently admitted.[17]
In July 2025, Karl Johnson of the Jamaica Baptist Union became Chair of the Alliance and Lynn Green of the Baptist Union of Great Britain became Vice Chair.[18]
List of members
[edit]As of February 2025, the Baptist World Alliance listed 267 unions, conventions and associations of Baptist churches as members, which together claimed a total of 53,803,096 members.[1] In June 2025, 9 new denominations were received into membership, increasing the total number of member bodies to 276, which together represented 53,871,526 individual members.[2]
| Country | Denomination | Number of members[1] |
|---|---|---|
| Angola | Baptist Convention of Angola | 37,500 |
| Angola | Evangelical Baptist Church in Angola | 174,218 |
| Angola | Free Baptist Church in Angola | 4,383 |
| Angola | Evangelical Baptist Union of Angola | 14,250[2] |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua Baptist Association | 250 |
| Argentina | Argentine Baptist Association (ABA) | 8,700 |
| Argentina | Evangelical Baptist Convention of Argentina | 85,000 |
| Armenia | Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches of Armenia | 6,205 |
| Australia | Australian Baptist Ministries | 79,326 |
| Austria | Baptist Union of Austria | 1,887 |
| Azerbaijan | Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptists of Azerbaijan | 3,000 |
| Bahamas | National Missionary and Educational Baptist Convention of the Bahamas | 88,000 |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship | 58,000 |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha (BBCS) | 29,948 |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Garo Baptist Convention | 13,300 |
| Barbados | Baptist Alliance of Barbados | 181 |
| Barbados | Baptist Convention of Barbados | 200 |
| Belarus | Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists of Belarus | 11,597 |
| Belgium | Union of Baptists in Belgium | 1,532 |
| Belize | Belize Baptist Association | 4,000 |
| Benin | Union of Baptist Churches in Benin | 13,695 |
| Bermuda | Bermuda Baptist Fellowship | 330 |
| Bolivia | Baptist Convention of Bolivia | 20,761 |
| Bolivia | Bolivian Baptist Union | 50,580 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Christian Baptist Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina | 250 |
| Botswana | Baptist Convention of Botswana | 657 |
| Brazil | Brazilian Baptist Convention | 1,814,158 |
| Brazil | Convention of Independent Baptist Churches (CIBI) | 41,000 |
| Brazil | National Baptist Convention of Brazil | 405,816 |
| Bulgaria | Baptist Union of Bulgaria | 2,600 |
| Burkina Faso | Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Burkina Faso | 10,000 |
| Burundi | Baptist Union of Burundi | 98,500 |
| Burundi | Free Baptist Churches of Burundi | 15,188 |
| Cambodia | Baptist Union of Cambodia | 5,914 |
| Cameroon | Cameroon Baptist Convention | 270,735 |
| Cameroon | Native Baptist Church of Cameroon | 16,000 |
| Cameroon | Union of Baptist Churches in Cameroon | 80,000 |
| Canada | Canadian Baptist Ministries | 70,616 |
| Canada | Canadian National Baptist Convention | 17,991 |
| Cape Verde | Association of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Cape Verde | 371 |
| Central African Republic | Association of Baptist Churches of the Central African Republic | 84,755 |
| Central African Republic | Union of Baptist Churches (UEB) | 14,400 |
| Central African Republic | Central African Evangelical Baptist Community (CEBAC) | 60,000 |
| Central African Republic | Baptist Brotherhood Church | 8,690 |
| Central African Republic | Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Central Africa (CEBEC) | 11,000 |
| Central African Republic | Evangelical Baptist Church of the Central African Republic (EEB) | 98,855 |
| Central African Republic | Fraternal Union of Baptist Churches | 49,742 |
| Central African Republic | National Association of Baptist Churches (ANEB) | 38,500 |
| Chad | Evangelical Baptist Church of Chad | 121 |
| Chile | National Baptist Convention of Chile | 2,410 |
| Chile | Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Chile | 25,749 |
| Colombia | Colombian Baptist Denomination | 21,300 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Baptist Church of the Congo | 52,200 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Baptist Community in Central Africa (CBCA) | 220,591 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Baptist Community of the Congo River (CBFC) | 1,769,444 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Baptist Community of the Faithful in Africa (CBFA) | 48,724 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Baptist Community of Western Congo (CBCO) | 1,050,000 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Evangelical Baptist Convention of Congo (CBECO) | 4,221 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of Autonomous Baptist Churches Wamba-Bakali | 45,600 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of Baptist Churches of North Congo (CBCN) | 41,544 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of Baptist Churches of Eastern Congo (CEBCE) | 145,100 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of Baptist Churches of the Union of Churches of Congo (CUEBC) | 46,321 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of Independent Evangelical Baptist Churches | 40,104 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Community of United Baptist Churches (CEBU) | 62,500 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Convention of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Congo (CEBEC) | 2,821 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Union of Baptist Churches of Congo (UEBCO) | 26,278 |
| Republic of the Congo | Federation of Baptist Churches of Congo | 2,600 |
| Costa Rica | Federation of Baptist Associations of Costa Rica | 2,600 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Union of Missionary Baptist Churches of Côte d'Ivoire | 15,000 |
| Croatia | Baptist Union of Croatia | 1,764 |
| Cuba | Eastern Baptist Convention of Cuba | 43,500 |
| Cuba | Western Baptist Convention Association of Cuba | 28,095 |
| Cuba | Fellowship of Baptist Churches in Cuba | 2,198 |
| Cuba | Free Will Baptist Convention of Cuba | 5,125 |
| Czech Republic | Baptist Union of the Czech Republic | 2,363 |
| Denmark | Baptist Union of Denmark | 4,771 |
| Dominican Republic | Dominican Baptist Convention | 350 |
| Ecuador | Baptist Convention of Ecuador | 23,560 |
| Egypt | Egyptian Baptist Convention | 2,500 |
| El Salvador | Baptist Association of El Salvador | 9,500 |
| El Salvador | Baptist Federation of El Salvador | 1,140 |
| Equatorial Guinea | Baptist Church of Equatorial Guinea | 170 |
| Estonia | Union of Evangelical Christian and Free Baptist Churches of Estonia | 6,465 |
| Ethiopia | Emmanuel Baptist Church of Ethiopia | 94,000 |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian Baptist Church | 65,000 |
| Ethiopia | Evangelical Baptist Church of Ethiopia | 6,000 |
| Fiji | Baptist Convention of Fiji | 800 |
| Finland | Baptist Union of Finland | 1,003 |
| Finland | Finnish Baptist Union | 1,003 |
| France | Federation of Evangelical Baptist Churches of France | 5,730 |
| The Gambia | Baptist Union of The Gambia | 1,344 |
| Georgia | Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia | 810 |
| Germany | International Baptist Convention | 4,621 |
| Germany | Union of Evangelical Free Churches (Baptists) in Germany | 73,029 |
| Ghana | Baptist Convention of Ghana | 99,988 |
| Grenada | Grenada Baptist Association | 520 |
| Guadeloupe | Baptist Federation of Evangelical Churches of Guadeloupe | 1,350 |
| Guatemala | Convention of Baptist Churches in Guatemala | 70,184 |
| Guyana | Baptist Convention of Guyana | 2,600 |
| Haiti | Association of Conservative Baptist Churches of Haiti (ASEBACH) | 22,400 |
| Haiti | Haitian Baptist Churches Connection for Integral Mission (CEBAHMI) | 41,000 |
| Haiti | Southern Haiti Evangelical Baptist Mission (MEBSH) | 60,000 |
| Haiti | Baptist Convention of Haiti | 79,375 |
| Honduras | National Convention of Baptist Churches in Honduras | 25,150 |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong Baptist Convention | 83,266 |
| Hungary | Baptist Union of Hungary | 11,530 |
| Hungary | Hungarian Baptist Aid | 75,000 |
| India | Council of Baptist Churches in Arunachal Pradesh | 152,532 |
| India | Assam Baptist Convention | 44,559 |
| India | Telugu Baptist Churches Association | 42,080 |
| India | Baptist Church of Mizoram | 132,695 |
| India | Baptist Churches Council of Eastern India (BCCEI) | 27,112 |
| India | Northern India Baptist Union | 15,700 |
| India | Bengal Baptist Union (BBU) | 11,150 |
| India | Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars | 240,000 |
| India | Evangelical Baptist Convention of India | 40,882 |
| India | Garo Baptist Convention of India | 377,132 |
| India | Association of General Baptists in India | 10,300 |
| India | Baptist Convention of India | 8,000 |
| India | Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention | 40,866 |
| India | Karnataka Baptist Convention | 90,500 |
| India | Lairam Jesus Christ Baptist Church | 23,126 |
| India | Lower Assam Baptist Fellowship (LABF) | 39,978 |
| India | Maharashtra Baptist Society | 14,826 |
| India | Manipur Baptist Convention | 232,730 |
| India | Nagaland Baptist Church Council | 716,495 |
| India | North Bank Baptist Christian Association | 136,227 |
| India | Orissa Baptist Evangelistic Crusade (OBEC) | 3,842 |
| India | Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches | 475,639 |
| India | Telangana Baptist Convention | 74,200 |
| India | Tripura Baptist Christian Union | 80,360 |
| India | Tamil Nadu Baptist Union | 2,000[2] |
| Indonesia | Convention of Indonesian Baptist Churches | 9,976 |
| Indonesia | Union of Indonesian Baptist Churches | 49,332 |
| Israel | Association of Baptist Churches in Israel | 900 |
| Italy | Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of Italy | 4,100 |
| Jamaica | Jamaica Baptist Union | 40,200 |
| Japan | Japan Baptist Conference | 476 |
| Japan | Japan Baptist Convention | 13,218 |
| Japan | Japan Baptist Union | 3,116 |
| Japan | Okinawa Baptist Convention | 2,059 |
| Jordan | Jordan Baptist Convention | 1,524 |
| Kenya | Kenya Baptist Convention | 2,000,000 |
| Korea | Korea Baptist Convention | 550,000 |
| Latvia | Union of Baptist Churches in Latvia | 6,077 |
| Lebanon | Convention of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Lebanon | 1,600 |
| Lebanon | THIMAR-LSESD | 124,053 |
| Liberia | Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention (LBMEC) | 55,392 |
| Lithuania | Baptist Union of Lithuania | 202 |
| Macau | Macau Baptist Convention | 750 |
| North Macedonia | Union of Baptist Christians in the Republic of North Macedonia | 200[2] |
| Madagascar | Association of Baptist Bible Churches in Madagascar | 11,133 |
| Malawi | African Baptist Assembly, Malawi | 72,000 |
| Malawi | Baptist Convention of Malawi | 388,000 |
| Malawi | Evangelical Baptist Church of Malawi | 19,000 |
| Malaysia | Malaysia Baptist Convention | 28,613 |
| Mauritius | Mauritius Baptist Association | 151 |
| Mexico | National Baptist Convention of Mexico | 90,000 |
| Moldova | Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches of Moldova | 17,361 |
| Mozambique | Baptist Convention of Mozambique | 175,000 |
| Mongolia | Samoa Baptist Union and International Ministries | 500[2] |
| Myanmar | Myanmar Baptist Convention | 1,723,500 |
| Myanmar | Self-Supporting Kayin Baptist Mission Society | 14,871 |
| Myanmar | Zomi Baptist Convention of Myanmar | 24,263 |
| Namibia | Baptist Convention of Namibia | 16,024 |
| Nepal | Baptist Church Council of Nepal | 28,029 |
| Netherlands | UNIE-ABC: Baptist and CAMA Churches in the Netherlands | 14,541 |
| New Zealand | Baptist Union of New Zealand | 18,633 |
| Nicaragua | Baptist Convention of Nicaragua (CBN) | 20,867 |
| Niger | Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Niger | 5,012 |
| Nigeria | Mambilla Baptist Convention | 32,000 |
| Nigeria | Nigerian Baptist Convention | 9,015,000 |
| Norway | Baptist Union of Norway | 6,622 |
| Palestinian Territories | Council of Local Evangelical Churches in the Holy Land | 1,500 |
| Panama | Baptist Convention of Panama | 5,040 |
| Papua New Guinea | Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea, Inc. | 85,100 |
| Papua New Guinea | Fellowship of Baptist Churches of Papua | 70,000 |
| Paraguay | Evangelical Baptist Convention of Paraguay | 21,500 |
| Peru | Evangelical Baptist Convention of Peru | 14,000 |
| Philippines | Baptist Conference of the Philippines, Inc. | 35,000 |
| Philippines | Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, Inc. | 700,000 |
| Philippines | Visayas and Mindanao Convention of Southern Baptist Churches | 200,000 |
| Philippines | General Baptist Churches of the Philippines, Inc. | 18,000 |
| Philippines | Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches, Inc. | 52,000 |
| Poland | Baptist Union of Poland | 5,760 |
| Portugal | Portuguese Baptist Convention | 4,800 |
| Romania | Baptist Union of Romania | 87,468 |
| Romania | Convention of Hungarian Baptist Churches in Romania | 7,855 |
| Russian Federation | Euro-Asian Federation of Unions of Evangelical Christians-Baptists | 228,995 |
| Russian Federation | Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists | 66,732 |
| Rwanda | Association of Baptist Churches in Rwanda (AEBR) | 58,960 |
| Rwanda | Baptist Churches of Christian Unity | 12,051 |
| Rwanda | Community of Christian Churches in Africa (CECA) | 67,408 |
| Rwanda | Reformed Baptist Convention in Rwanda | 662,883 |
| Rwanda | Union of Baptist Churches in Rwanda | 30,040 |
| Rwanda | Seira Community Church | 5,200[2] |
| Samoa | Samoa Baptist Union and International Ministries | 300[2] |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Kitts Baptist Association | 787 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Saint Vincent Baptist Convention | 1,141 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Baptist Convention of São Tomé and Príncipe (CBSTP) | 350 |
| Senegal | Association of Baptist Churches of Senegal | 760[2] |
| Serbia | Union of Baptist Churches in Serbia | 920 |
| Serbia | Union of Christian Baptist Churches in Serbia | 348 |
| Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone Baptist Convention | 25,075 |
| Singapore | Singapore Baptist Convention | 9,700 |
| Slovakia | Baptist Union in Slovakia | 1,963 |
| Slovenia | Union of Baptist Churches in Slovenia | 160 |
| South Africa | Baptist Association of South Africa | 2,000 |
| South Africa | Baptist Convention of South Africa | 23,485 |
| South Africa | Baptist Mission of South Africa | 2,000 |
| South Africa | Baptist Union of Southern Africa | 32,738 |
| South Sudan | Baptist Convention of South Sudan | 30,500 |
| South Sudan | Evangelical Faith Baptist Church of South Sudan | 15,846 |
| South Sudan | Evangelical Faith Baptist Church of Sudan | 14,912 |
| Spain | Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Spain | 11,284 |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya | 4,195 |
| Sudan | Sudan Interior Church | 133,000 |
| Sweden | Uniting Church in Sweden | 57,118 |
| Switzerland | Swiss Baptist Union | 880 |
| Syria | Syrian Baptist Convention | 1,000 |
| Taiwan | Chinese Baptist Convention | 25,500 |
| Tanzania | Baptist Church of Tanzania | 2,692,179 |
| Thailand | 12th District of the Church of Christ in Thailand | 17,267 |
| Thailand | Karen Baptist Church of Kawthoolei (KKBC) | 18,208 |
| Thailand | Thailand Baptist Convention | 16,000 |
| Thailand | Karen Baptist Convention of Thailand | 48,355 |
| Thailand | Lahu Baptist Convention of Thailand | 9,067 |
| Togo | Baptist Convention of Togo | 25,923 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Baptist Union of Trinidad and Tobago | 5,000 |
| Turkey | Turkish Baptist Alliance | 175 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist Union, Inc. | 612 |
| Uganda | Baptist Union of Uganda | 550,000 |
| Uganda | Baptist Convention of Uganda | 109,200 |
| Ukraine | All-Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christian Baptists | 112,000 |
| United Kingdom | Baptist Union of Great Britain | 99,121 |
| United Kingdom | Baptist Union of Scotland | 8,586 |
| United Kingdom | Baptist Union of Wales | 6,971 |
| United Kingdom | BMS World Mission | 61 |
| United States of America | American Baptist Churches USA | 1,105,426 |
| United States of America | Baptist General Association of Virginia | 610,000 |
| United States of America | Baptist General Convention of Texas | 1,898,142 |
| United States of America | Baylor University | 20,000 |
| United States of America | Buckner International | 140,000 |
| United States of America | Chin Baptist Churches USA (CBCUSA) | 34,881 |
| United States of America | Converge (Baptist General Conference) | 377,146 |
| United States of America | Cooperative Baptist Fellowship | 725,000 |
| United States of America | Czechoslovak Baptist Convention of the USA and Canada | 300 |
| United States of America | Dallas Baptist University | 4,201 |
| United States of America | Baptist Convention of the District of Columbia | 41,394 |
| United States of America | General Association of General Baptists | 38,286 |
| United States of America | Howard Payne University | 832 |
| United States of America | Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, USA | 1,200,000 |
| United States of America | Baptist Missionary Conference, USA | 10,000 |
| United States of America | National Baptist Convention International, Inc. | 3,500,000 |
| United States of America | National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. | 8,415,000 |
| United States of America | National Missionary Baptist Convention of America | 400,000 |
| United States of America | North American Baptist Conference | 60,000 |
| United States of America | Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. | 1,500,000 |
| United States of America | Russian-Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Union, USA, Inc. | 950 |
| United States of America | General Conference of Seventh Day Baptists USA and Canada | 3,454 |
| United States of America | Latvian Baptist Union in America | 99 |
| United States of America | Zomi Baptist Churches of America | 7,000 |
| United States of America | Kachin Baptist Churches USA | 2,700[2] |
| United States of America | Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas | 42,520[2] |
| Uruguay | Evangelical Baptist Convention of Uruguay | 3,550 |
| Uzbekistan | Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists of Uzbekistan | 2,735 |
| Venezuela | National Baptist Convention of Venezuela | 48,000 |
| Vietnam | Baptist Convention of Vietnam (BCV) | 58,300 |
| Zambia | Baptist Convention of Zambia | 143,840 |
| Zambia | Baptist Community of Zambia | 255,000 |
| Zambia | Baptist Union of Zambia | 220,000 |
| Zimbabwe | Baptist Convention of Zimbabwe | 300,100 |
| Zimbabwe | Baptist Missionary Association of Zimbabwe | 8,136 |
| Zimbabwe | Baptist Union of Zimbabwe | 4,725 |
| Zimbabwe | National Baptist Convention of Zimbabwe | 2,835 |
| Zimbabwe | United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe | 9,756 |
| World | Baptist World Alliance | 53,871,526 |
Statistics
[edit]According to an Alliance census released in 2025, the BWA has 283 participating Baptist fellowships in 138 countries, with 178,000 churches and 53,000,000 baptized members.[19] However, some churches and members may be counted more than once if they belong to more than one Baptist association, each being members of the BWA.[20][21]
Beliefs
[edit]The communion has a Baptist confession of faith.[22]
Structure
[edit]The BWA is divided into six regional or geographical fellowships: North American Baptist Fellowship, Caribbean Baptist Fellowship, Latin American Baptist Union, European Baptist Federation, Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, and All-Africa Baptist Fellowship.[23] Each regional fellowship is served by an Executive Secretary.
List of general secretaries
[edit]In the initial stages of the Baptist World Alliance, the role of General Secretary was split into two geographical regions. In 1928, these positions were merged into a single general secretary role.[24]
| Name | Term | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern or European Secretaries | ||
| John Howard Shakespeare | 1905-1924 | United Kingdom |
| James Henry Rushbrooke | 1925-1928 | United Kingdom |
| Western or American Secretaries | ||
| John Newton Prestridge | 1905-1913 | United States |
| Robert Healy Pitt | 1913-1923 | United States |
| Clifton Daggett Gray | 1923-1928 | United States |
| General Secretaries | ||
| James Henry Rushbrooke | 1928-1939 | United Kingdom |
| Walter O. Lewis | 1939-1948 | United States |
| Arnold T. Ohrn | 1948-1960 | Norway |
| Josef Nordenhaug | 1960-1969 | Norway |
| Robert S. Denny | 1969-1980 | United States |
| Gerhard Claas | 1980-1988 | Germany |
| Denton Lotz | 1988-2007 | United States |
| Neville Callam | 2007-2017 | Jamaica |
| Elijah M. Brown | 2018-present | United States |
List of presidents (renamed Chair in 2025)
[edit]| Name | Term | Country |
|---|---|---|
| John Clifford | 1905–1911 | UK |
| Robert Stuart MacArthur | 1911–1923 | USA |
| Edgar Young Mullins | 1923–1928 | USA |
| John MacNeill | 1928–1934 | Canada |
| George Washington Truett | 1934–1939 | USA |
| James Henry Rushbrooke | 1939–1947 | UK |
| Charles Oscar Johnson | 1947–1950 | USA |
| Fred Townley Lord | 1950–1955 | UK |
| Theodore Floyd Adams | 1955–1960 | USA |
| Joao Filson Soren | 1960–1965 | Brasil |
| William Tolbert | 1965–1970 | Liberia |
| Carney Hargroves | 1970–1975 | USA |
| David Wong | 1975–1980 | Hong Kong |
| Duke Kimbrough McCall | 1980–1985 | USA |
| Noel Vose | 1985–1990 | Australia |
| Knud Wümpelmann | 1990–1995 | Denmark |
| Nilson do Amaral Fanini | 1995–2000 | Brasil |
| Billy Kim | 2000–2005 | South Korea |
| David Coffey | 2005–2010 | UK |
| John Upton | 2010–2015 | USA |
| Paul Mzisa | 2015–2020 | South Africa |
| Tomás Mackey | 2020–1015 | Argentina |
| Karl Johnson | 2025-2030 | Jamaica |
Baptist World Congress
[edit]Baptist World Congresses have been held every few years since 1905.[11][25][26][27]
| No. | Year | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1905 | London |  GBR |
| 2. | 1911 | Philadelphia |  USA |
| 3. | 1923 | Stockholm |  SWE |
| 4. | 1928 | Toronto |  CAN |
| 5. | 1934 | Berlin |  DEU |
| 6. | 1939 | Atlanta | USA |
| 7. | 1947 | Copenhagen |  DNK |
| 8. | 1950 | Cleveland | USA |
| 9. | 1955 | London | GBR |
| 10. | 1960 | Rio de Janeiro |  BRA |
| 11. | 1965 | Miami Beach | USA |
| 12. | 1970 | Tokyo |  JPN |
| 13. | 1975 | Stockholm | SWE |
| 14. | 1980 | Toronto | CAN |
| 15. | 1985 | Los Angeles | USA |
| 16. | 1990 | Seoul |  KOR |
| 17. | 1995 | Buenos Aires |  ARG |
| 18. | 2000 | Melbourne |  AUS |
| 19. | 2005 | Birmingham | GBR |
| 20. | 2010 | Honolulu | USA |
| 21. | 2015 | Durban |  ZAF |
| 22. | 2021 (Online) | Online | N/A |
| 23. | 2025 | Brisbane | AUS |
Affiliated organizations
[edit]Global Baptist Mission Network
[edit]The Global Baptist Mission Network has 23 member mission organizations.[28][29]
BWAid
[edit]BWAid supports humanitarian aid projects.[30]
BFAD
[edit]BWA Forum for Aid and Development (BFAD) brings together 30 Baptist humanitarian agencies.[30]
Ecumenical relations
[edit]The Baptist World Alliance is involved in ecumenical dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church and the World Methodist Council, among others.[31] One series of International Conversations between the BWA and the Catholic Church took place from between 1984 and 1988 moderated by the Reverend Dr David T. Shannon, sometime President of Andover Newton Theological School, and the Most Reverend Bede Heather, Bishop of Parramatta.[32] While this dialogue produced the report called Summons to Witness to Christ in Today's World, the second phase did not push through because of opposition from within the Baptist World Alliance itself.[33] Negotiations continued, however, so that a series of consultations transpired from 2000 to 2003. During this period the Baptists and Catholics discussed important doctrines that divided these denominations.[33] These second series of conversations resulted in formal meetings between 2006 and 2010. The current Co-Moderators are Paul Fiddes, Professor of Systematic Theology in the University of Oxford and formerly Principal of Regent's Park College, Oxford, and Arthur J. Serratelli, Bishop of Paterson.[34]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Baptist World Alliance: Members". Baptist World Alliance. 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "BWA welcomes 17 new members". July 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- 1 2 Williams, Michael; Shurden, Walter (2008). Turning Points in Baptist History: A Festschrift in Honor of Harry Leon McBeth. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. p. 223. ISBN 978-0881461350.
- ↑ Lord, Townley F. (2007). Baptist World Fellowship: A Short History Of The Baptist World Alliance. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-0-548-44182-4.
- ↑ Wardin, Albert W., ed. (1995). Baptists Around the World: A Comprehensive Handbook. Broadman & Holman. ISBN 0-8054-1076-7.
- ↑ Leornard, Bill J. (1994). Dictionary of Baptists in America. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 0-8308-1447-7.
- ↑ Erich Geldbach, Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 139
- ↑ Johnson, Robert E. (2010). A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches. UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 238.
- ↑ Brackney, William H. (2009). Historical Dictionary of the Baptists. US: Scarecrow Press. p. 59.
- ↑ Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin (2010). Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. US: ABC-CLIO. p. 297.
- 1 2 Pierard, Richard V. (1 October 2010). "The Baptist World Congress of 1905 and the Emergence of Black American Baptists on the International Scene". Baptist Quarterly. 43 (8): 494–505. doi:10.1179/bqu.2010.43.8.004. ISSN 0005-576X. S2CID 162270005.
- ↑ Johnson, Robert (2010). A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 238. ISBN 978-0-52187781-7.
- ↑ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021, p. 314
- ↑ "SBC severs ties with BWA as theological concerns remain". Baptist Press. 15 June 2004.
- ↑ "Southern Baptists Vote To Leave World Alliance". Washington Post.
- ↑ Olsen, Compiled by Ted (1 June 2004). "Southern Baptists No Longer In, Nor Of, World Alliance". ChristianityToday.com.
- ↑ Herald, Religious (8 August 2005). "Part of the family: Virginia is elected new BWA member". Baptist News Global.
- ↑ Baptist World Alliance, BWA Commissions New Leadership, baptistworld.org, USA, July 12, 2025
- ↑ Baptist World Alliance, Members, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved August 16, 2025
- ↑ Robert E. Johnson, A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2010, p. 361
- ↑ Paul Finkelman, Cary D. Wintz, Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-first Century Five-volume Set, Oxford University Press, USA, 2009, p. 193
- ↑ Baptist World Alliance, Beliefs, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved November 5, 2022
- ↑ Baptist World Alliance, Regional Fellowships, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved November 5, 2022
- ↑ Pierard, Richard V. (2005). Baptists Together in Christ 1905-2005.
- ↑ McKinney, Blake (March 2018). ""One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism" in the Land of ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer: The Fifth Baptist World Congress (Berlin, 1934)". Church History. 87 (1): 122–148. doi:10.1017/S0009640718000823. ISSN 0009-6407. S2CID 165401185.
- ↑ Deweese, Charles W. (1 January 2008). "E. Y. Mullins and Baptist World Congresses". Baptist History and Heritage. 43 (1): 4. ISSN 0005-5719.
- ↑ "Gathering Global Baptists for More than 100 Years". Baptist World Alliance Website. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ↑ Ken Camp and Eric Black, BWA launches Global Baptist Mission Network, baptiststandard.com, USA, July 5, 2023
- ↑ Baptist World Alliance, Global Baptist Mission Network, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023
- 1 2 Baptist World Alliance, BWAid, Relief & Community Development, baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023
- ↑ Geoffrey Wainwright, Paul McPartlan, The Oxford Handbook of Ecumenical Studies, Oxford University Press, UK, 2021, p. 175
- ↑ Angelo Maffeis, Ecumenical Dialogue, Liturgical Press, USA, 2005, p. 44-45
- 1 2 Cassidy, Edward (2005). Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue: Unitatis Redintegratio, Nostra Aetate. New York: Paulist Press. pp. 68. ISBN 0809143380.
- ↑ "Baptist—Roman Catholic International Conversations". Centro Pro Unione. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
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