Commissions

Commissions

Worship, Fellowship, and Unity Network 

Centered in Jesus Christ and rooted in deep spiritual life, we strengthen our worldwide family through ongoing gatherings; pastoral presence; mutual friendships; and the cultivation of worship, fellowship, and unity. 

Commission on Baptist Doctrine & Unity

This commission identifies, reflects on, and clarifies issues of doctrine important to Baptists. It shares in theological conversations between the BWA and other Christian communities in furtherance of Jesus’ prayer for the unity of the church. It participates in programs to improve inter-church understanding and cooperation, especially in relation to Christian World Communions, and makes findings available to the BWA family. It analyzes the causes of disunity among Baptists and promotes ways to overcome this disunity.

Commission on Baptist Heritage & Identity

This commission seeks to clarify issues pertaining to the heritage and identity of the Baptist family with a view to furthering the local congregation’s understanding of its place and calling in the mission of God, in the culture, and in the worldwide Baptist movement. It records the story of God’s dealings among Baptists around the world and produces materials for use by Baptists and others who are interested in understanding Baptist identity. Click to access the Commission website.

Commission on Baptist Worship & Spirituality

This commission reflects on the understanding and practice of worship and spirituality among Baptists to encourage corporate responses to God’s gracious care and promote habits conducive to healthy Christian formation. It develops and identifies materials for use by Baptists in their daily walk with God. It helps establish prayerful worship during BWA Annual Gatherings, as well as for use in broader corporate worship within the Baptist community. 

Commissions

Mission and Evangelism Network 

Compelled by the Great Commission, we lead with a passionate commitment to Gospel witness in every context and people group, foster multidirectional partnerships that connect individuals and churches, and encourage global mission and evangelism. 

Commission on Evangelism

This commission provides biblical and theological reflection on the church’s calling to share the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ alone and live out its impact in our lives. It assists churches in affirming and fulfilling their vocation of disciple-making by clarifying the biblical mandate, along with promoting and implementing strategies for world evangelization. It identifies and develops resources and initiatives that help member bodies, churches, and individuals engage directly in evangelism or within multidirectional partnerships. 

Commission on Mission

This commission nurtures a passionate commitment to Gospel witness within the BWA and among Baptists worldwide. It identifies, discusses, and shares available analysis of the ever-deepening understandings of the mission of the church in the world today in obedience to the Word of God. It assists the BWA and Baptists worldwide in embracing partnerships for mission, including in church planting and disciple-making, within every context and among every people group. 

Commissions

Aid, Relief, and Community Development Network 

Challenged to generously love our neighbor, we respond to people in need; collaborate in times of crisis; network agencies; support sustainability and creation care; build capacity; empower local church engagement; and resource aid, relief, and community development.

 

Commission on Baptist World Aid

This commission reflects on the biblical command to love our neighbors generously and holistically with an understanding of contemporary practices of empowerment, development, and sustainability. It assists Baptist World Aid in the commitment to engage collaboratively and proactively. It works to strengthen Baptist churches and individuals by developing resources, best practices, and initiatives that deepen humanitarian responses that are partnership-oriented, prayerful, biblical, holistic, and sustainable. 

Commission on Creation Care

This commission provides biblical and theological reflection on how Christians may live responsibly in the world, relating to the whole of life as part of God’s continuous work of creation and sustenance. It provides information on issues of environmental degradation, offering a theological framework to advance creation care and a biblical mandate of human stewardship of the earth. It provides Baptists with resources for use in congregational worship, personal practices, and the exploration of experiments in sustainable development. 

Commission on Racial, Gender, and Economic Justice

This commission deepens awareness of the biblical portrait of equal dignity among all people, as well as the individual and corporate sin that maligns this reality. It provides biblical and theological reflection designed to identify and confront all forms of racism, sexism, and economic injustice in the church and beyond. It engages in research; develops resources; and challenges Baptists to work for racial and gender justice, ethnic reconciliation, and human flourishing, especially in local communities. 

Commissions

Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Justice Network

Committed to a biblical understanding of the image of God in every person, we defend an ethic of life; support religious freedom for all; stand in solidarity with the marginalized; advocate at every level; train and network proactively; and mobilize for religious freedom, human rights, and justice.

Commission on Christian Ethics

This commission identifies and reflects on issues of personal and social morality with a view of furthering practical Christian discipleship in both the church and the world. It helps develop BWA resources and white papers on critical issues, designs resources for congregational study within the Baptist family, and equips individuals to live with prophetic biblical witness today in both word and deed. 

Commission on Religious Freedom

This commission resources BWA Baptists in their advocacy for the advancement of religious freedom for people of all faiths or no faith, especially Baptists who experience or are threatened by persecution. It develops theological resources, provides information on issues of religious freedom, prepares reports and research papers, assists the BWA in direct advocacy, and empowers through training and mobilizing greater engagement on behalf of religious freedom. 

Commission on Human Rights, Peacebuilding, and Reconciliation

This commission explores how the BWA and BWA Baptists can further human rights broadly and peace and reconciliation specifically. It monitors situations; assists Baptist victims of violence or oppression; raises awareness of human rights abuses; and mediates when Baptists are involved in conflict, either with each other or with others. It reflects theologically; networks; engages alongside the work of the BWA, particularly at the United Nations; and resources Baptists at local, national, and international levels. 

Commissions

Theological Reflection and Leadership Formation Network 

Called to discipleship, we advance multicultural and multilingual training, empower next generation leaders, encourage meaningful dialogue and praxis, and engage in relevant theological reflection and transformational leadership. 

Commission on Interfaith Relations

This commission reflects on interfaith relations in order to foster mutual respect and to promote the common welfare of Baptists and their neighbors of other religions. It probes the mandate to evangelize while also living as persons of peace. It seeks to increase mutual understanding and interaction between people of different religious communities. It suggests ways to diffuse violence and conflict rooted in religious ideology or language. It develops toolkits, resources Baptists worldwide, and participates in appropriate interfaith conversations and relationship-building endeavors. 

Commission on Theological Education

This commission works to advance theological education among Baptists. It considers a wide range of endeavors, including theological education within local churches, certificate programs, nonaccredited initiatives, distance learning, online opportunities, and formal accredited programs. It engages in reflection, analyzes Baptist methodologies, and promotes strategies that lead to sound ministerial formation among Baptists worldwide. It proactively works alongside BWA initiatives and helps advance quality theological education, especially in countries and communities where it is least available. 

Commission on Transformational Leadership

This commission advances leadership formation among Baptists. It nurtures effective congregational ministry built upon Christian education and leadership for both ordained and lay church members. It promotes biblical and practical strategies that lead to faithful Christian discipleship, leadership, and ministry within and beyond the local church. It deepens understanding of a calling to whole-life discipleship and Christian leadership in church, business, government, education, and social sectors. It enhances initiatives to cultivate global Baptist leadership and to invest in emerging leaders.