Nagas join Baptist world in the 100th anniversary with diversity, togetherness

Zacivolu Rhakho
July 30

BIRMINGHAM (MExN): More than 12,000 Baptist Christians from around the world celebrated a century of togetherness beginning July 27, opening their five-day meeting in Birmingham, England, with vibrant music, vivid pageantry and stirring stories of faith. Today’s program included a special lunchtime banquet for Friends of Baptist World Alliance (BWA) featuring former US President Jimmy Carter as the Guest Speaker.  Nearly 150 Nagas are attending the Baptist World Alliance Centenary. 
It may mentioned that on the opening night, the program was led by Kethoser Kevichüsa whose performance drew wide applause from a captivating 25,000 plus Baptists from around the world.

The Chamber Choir representing the NBCC received a standing ovation from the congregation for their special Naga Choral written and composed by Dr. Chishi. 

On Wednesday, the Oriental Theological Seminary, another choir from Nagaland performed at the ‘Festival of the Nations’. The following day the OTS choir performed at the Bible study and at the International concert at the Symphony Hall.

The Baptist World Congress in Birmingham is one of the largest gatherings ever. Delegates swept aside any concern about recent terrorist attacks in London. As they made their way through the legendary English drizzle to the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham’s city centre, many were unaware that several of the city’s residents were arrested earlier in the day as suspects in the London underground bombings of 7 July and 21 July.

“We prayed that you would come, despite the bombings and the terror alerts,” said incoming BWA President David Coffey of Great Britain. The delegates’ presence, he said, was a witness of faith to the victims of terrorism and to persecuted Christians around the world.
A procession of banners from BWA member nations, interspersed with colourful twenty-foot streamers and delegates in native dress, weaved their way around the arena floor as delegates sang. They also experienced the traditional music and dance from various countries. As a demonstration of their unity, the delegates were invited to recite together the Apostle’s Creed. They were led by actor Eric Petrossian in the role of Alexander Maclaren, who led the first BWA meeting in 1905 in a similar recitation. 

The Baptist World Centenary Congress returned to England, where in 1905 the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), now an international fellowship of believers from 200-plus countries, was formed. A century ago, eight-five percent of the world’s Baptists were in Europe and North America, said Denton Lotz, General Secretary of the BWA. Now sixty-five percent of Baptists are in the Two-Thirds World, Lotz told the delegates.

“This is the new paradigm shift,” Lotz said as he asked delegates from Africa, Asia and South America to stand. The Southern Hemisphere may lack money, political freedom or clout, he said, but “they are going to re-evangelize the world.”

In this regard Baptists from fifty different nations had earlier gathered on 26 July for the official launch of the Baptist World Alliance’s (BWA) new evangelism strategy at a one-day conference held in Birmingham, on the eve of the Baptist Word Congress 2005.