International Year of Youth

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BWA General Council Resolution 1984.5

WE TAKE NOTE that 1985 has been set apart as the International Year of Youth.

WE BELIEVE this to be an important emphasis in view of the following statistics published by the United Nations:

a) In 1980 there were 657 million young people under 35 years of age in the world. By 2000 it is estimated that there will be 880 million.

b) In the same period the number of young people in Africa, Asia and Latin America will have doubled.

WE CALL UPON Baptists of the world, in cooperation with other Christians, to make one of their evangelistic goals the winning of a whole new generation of young people for Christ, by sharing with them the Gospel of hope as the only answer to the many problems and dangers facing them — nuclear threat, unemployment, drugs, hunger, poverty, materialism, racism, violence, etc.

WE ESPECIALLY URGE the Alliance, the Regional fellowships, the member conventions and unions and all our churches to promote leadership training among young people under 35 and entrust greater responsibility to them in the life and mission of the church.

WE WOULD ENCOURAGE the Nominating Committee and President-nominee to give careful consideration to the placement of young people in the committees, commissions and programs of the Alliance.

WE UNDERTAKE to do all within our power to encourage and enable maximum participation by young people in the Los Angeles Congress.

FINALLY, WE UNDERLINE the three-fold motivation of this resolution:
a) to bring to the world’s young people the blessings of salvation through Jesus Christ alone;
b) to recognize and receive the significant contribution which young people have to make;
c) to develop experienced and gifted Christian leadership for the future of both Church and Society.

Citations

Original Source Bibliography: Claas, Gerhard, editor. Baptist World Alliance 1984 Yearbook: Minutes of the General Council Meeting and Directory. Washington, DC: Baptist World Alliance, 1984.

Original Source Footnote/Endnote: Gerhard Claas, ed., Baptist World Alliance 1984 Yearbook: Minutes of the General Council Meeting and Directory (Washington, DC: Baptist World Alliance, 1984), pp. 87-88.

Online Document Full Citation: BWA General Council Resolution 1984.5 International Year of Youth; https://baptistworld.org/resolutions.

In-text Online Document Citation: (BWA General Council Resolution 1984.5).

For more information about Baptist World Alliance Resolutions, visit BaptistWorld.org/resolutions.

Since its formation in 1905, the Baptist World Alliance has networked the global Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief, and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights, and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development.