(BWA) – The Baptist World Alliance is transitioning the 22nd Baptist World Congress to a fully virtual event on July 7-10, 2021, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic.
The Baptist World Congress is a quinquennial event originally scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July 2020. In March 2020, the event was postponed a year due to rising coronavirus cases and upon review of travel and health advisories nationally and globally. With the pandemic still impacting so many communities worldwide, the BWA Executive Committee voted to transition to a virtual event during their executive session in October.
Communion at the 2015 Baptist World Congress in Durban, South Africa, led by (from left) Paul Msiza, John Upton, and Neville Callam. (Brian Kaylor/Word&Way)
Leadership affirmed it to be the best decision in light of health and safety concerns for registrants, international travel restrictions, and the importance of offering a Congress experience that reflects diversity and prioritizes accessibility for as many people as possible. With the transition to a virtual experience, the 22nd Baptist World Congress will become the first fully-online, globally-accessible event in the BWA’s 115-year history.
“2020 has been a year of unexpected challenges, but it has also been a year of innovation. The physical doors of many churches remain closed, but praise God that new spiritual doors have opened to live out our Gospel-centered mission through the use of technology,” said Elijah Brown, BWA General Secretary. “We saw this firsthand when thousands from our global Baptist family gathered online for worship, prayer, and engagement at Pentecost. Now I am eagerly awaiting what the Lord has in store as we host a Congress for the 21st Century. Open to Baptists worldwide, this multilingual, multinational event will unite us together in Jesus Christ and his gospel mission.”
Centered on the theme “Together,” the 22nd Baptist World Congress will include:
“After this unprecedented season of physical isolation, we need the encouragement of our Baptist sisters and brothers more than ever,” said Carolina Mangieri, BWA Director of Global Events and Fellowship. “I am prayerful that this transition will enable more people than ever before to experience the beautiful unity amidst diversity of our global Baptist family.”
Since the first Baptist World Congress gathering in 1905, the event has had a long-standing impact on its attendees and the world, and Congress leaders prayerfully anticipate that the new platform will only serve to further the event’s unchanging purpose – networking the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ.
“This virtual opportunity to gather will allow us to seek the wisdom and strength of the Lord during such a special time in the world,” said BWA President Tomás Mackey. “Together we will share the experiences that have enriched us in so many different communities, and thereby strengthen our hope. We will be sensitive to the pains of peoples and individuals, interceding for one another, and plan for ministry that will help in these circumstances. I invite all Baptists to unite together with brothers and sisters around the world to celebrate the Lord’s work among us.”
Additional information can be found at BWA2021.org.
