At its recently concluded meetings in early March, the Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) responded to appeals for an extension of the early bird registration for the 21st Baptist World Congress to be held in Durban, South Africa, from July 22-26.
The new early bird deadline is April 15.
The Executive Committee’s decision was based on adverse conditions that existed at the time when the early registration fee was in effect, which influenced some people not to register. With the significant change in the situation, the Executive Committee favorably considered requests for an extension of the discounts that applied during the early bird period.
Persons from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States and Western Europe will pay US$200 until April 15 and US$250 after that date.
Registrants from other countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Central Europe and Eastern Europe will pay US$150 until April 15 and US$200 thereafter.
South African residents will pay a set fee of US$100 regardless of the time of registration, as will youth ages 12-18 who will pay US$50 and children from 5-11 years old, US$25.
Registration is best done on the Baptist World Alliance website at www.bwanet.org/congress.
Online registration closes on July 10, 2015.
The Executive Committee offered thanks to God for the remarkable progress made in dealing with the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Some Committee members had recently visited South Africa. BWA President John Upton and others had just returned from a meeting of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship in Kenya. Everyone rejoiced that normality has returned to West Africa, and celebrated the decline in fear of travel to the African continent.
In an address to the Executive Committee, Duro Ayanrinola, BWA regional secretary for Africa, expressed appreciation and thanks for the prayers and support Baptists worldwide have given to people in the countries that were affected by Ebola. Ayanrinola was sorrowful over those who were victims of the disease.
Recognizing the changed situation in West Africa, he appealed for all to “Come over to Africa. There is no more Ebola. You are safe. Come over to Africa. Ebola is behind us by the grace of God. Come over to Africa and praise God with us!”
Ayanrinola told Executive Committee members that he and other Baptist leaders have been mobilizing African Baptists to attend the congress, and that Baptists in Africa are eagerly awaiting a vast turn out from the worldwide family of Baptists to Durban.