Baptist World Alliance (BWA) General Secretary Neville Callam announced a new major award made possible by Kowloon International Baptist Church (KIBC) of Hong Kong.
KIBC is known for its strong commitment to evangelism and is a longtime supporter of the BWA.
The award highlights the work of evangelism among Baptists around the world and aims to inspire churches in this vital ministry.
An initial grant of US$60,000 has been made by KIBC to be followed with additional disbursements each year, to a minimum total of US$250,000.
Earnings on the fund will be applied to quinquennial (five-year) awards in evangelism. The first such award will be made at the July 2020 BWA Congress, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“We believe KIBC’s reputation as a church recognizing the priority of evangelism will raise this award to the level of other distinguished awards in the worldwide Baptist family,” Callam stated.
“The ministry of evangelism is at the very heart of the church’s vocation and it has long been my desire to see the BWA find additional ways to signal its importance appropriately,” he declared.
“Coming right before the start of the Christmas season, this KIBC grant reminds us of one significant implication of God becoming a person in Jesus Christ, that is, the Christian obligation to spread the Good News to the entire world.”
KIBC ministers in the center of life in Kowloon in Hong Kong, and is a dynamic and diverse congregation with members from more than 24 countries and a heart for evangelism.
“The congregation is led by a pastor whose dynamic preaching and heart for world evangelism have inspired KIBC to sponsor several church building construction programs and various other mission ventures in fulfilment of the broad vision God has given them,” Callam announced.
Currently, BWA issues awards in recognition of Baptist work to promote or defend human rights. The new award is the first to recognize and support efforts in evangelism.
The BWA previously conducted two campaigns for equipping conventions, unions and churches for evangelism, Jesus Christ, the Living Water, and Jesus Christ, Bread of Life. During these programs, 24 intensive training conferences were conducted in 19 countries.
The new evangelism award came through the efforts of the BWA general secretary and Harry Lucenay, retiring pastor at KIBC, who preached his final sermon at KIBC on December 20.
“The people of Kowloon International Baptist Church are pleased to be a part of this good effort,” Lucenay said. “The award is established by Kowloon International Baptist Church to encourage evangelism.”
Baptist World Alliance®
© December 23, 2015