2021 Midyear Report
Together We are Impacting the World for ChristGod’s Global Mission in Action in 2021
Through your faithful prayers and support, we have seen God at work in incredible ways with Baptist World Alliance this year. Continue reading below the 2021 Midyear Ministry Report to learn more about how we are making a difference together in each of our five core ministry areas.
STRENGTHENING
Worship, Fellowship & Unity
LEADING
Mission & Evangelism
RESPONDING
Aid, Relief & Community Development
DEFENDING
Religious Freedom, Human Rights & Justice
ADVANCING
Theological Reflection & Transformational Leadership
- Celebrated growth from 47 million to 49 million and an increase to 241 member bodies in 126 countries and territories
- Hosted the 22nd Baptist World Congress – the most globally diverse gathering in the 400-year history of Baptists as a movement – with 4,500 registrants from 146 countries and over 100 hours of unique content centering Baptists around worship and God’s ongoing global mission (View the four plenary sessions now on the BWA YouTube Channel)
- Facilitated a global prayer ministry with over 3,000 Baptists who pray weekly for the countries of the world and expanded a dedicated BWA prayer team that has responded to thousands of prayer requests from across the globe
- Established a Global Impact Sunday with worship guides and resources to help churches worship, pray, and grow together with their global Baptist family in areas of unity, mission, aid, religious freedom, and theology
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Hosted the Global Conference of Baptist Women with 1500+ registered from 112 countries
Worship, Fellowship & Unity
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.
Mission & Evangelism
- Published the BWA Holistic Mission Guide with 50+ articles written by leading Baptists from around the world designed to help churches continue to adapt, adjust, and reopen at this critical time
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Trained over 750 evangelists in strategic areas in Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Tanzania) to further accelerate their Gospel witness through door-to-door evangelism and oral Bible storying
- Begun planning and development for a School of Evangelism virtual training initiative to empower indigenous leaders to serve as missioners in their own countries and contexts
- Established leadership for the BWA Forum on Aid and Development (BFAD), a network of more than 20 Baptist aid agencies with an annual budget of over $20 million USD, impacting over 1 million people with direct COVID-19 assistance in the last year
- Welcomed Marsha Scipio as the Director of Baptist World Aid and witnessed her leadership in action through 21 BWAid projects impacting 41,374 people in 15 countries
- Facilitated global advocacy contributing to a more equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, including a worldwide petition that garnered signatures from over 900 Baptist leaders as well as participation in both USA domestic and international COVID-related roundtables and summits
- Added $200,000 USD to a global funding pool to support COVID-19 grants for vaccine awareness and distribution and medical needs
- Led a virtual workshop on Safeguarding the Vulnerable attended by individuals from over 50 countries
Aid, Relief & Community Development
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.
Religious Freedom, Human Rights & Justice
- Led responses to help those suffering as a result of the military coup in Myanmar, including advocacy initiatives at the United Nations and mobilization of global Baptists, as well as direct humanitarian aid that has helped over 5,000 people by providing support to pastors and food for people forced to hide in jungles to avoid aerial bombs being dropped by the military on their own citizens. (Join this ongoing advocacy campaign.)
- Organized monthly roundtables to ensure sustained engagement on the issue of racial justice
- Supported 47 BWA Women leaders from 16 countries who participated in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
- Provided religious freedom advocacy efforts to help prevent or assist those facing persecution in Algeria, China, Denmark, France, Jordan, and Nigeria
- Empowered ministry to build 250 domestic violence support kits in the Pacific (the region of the world with the highest domestic violence incidents), supported a women’s shelter for abuse survivors in Hong Kong, and increased anti-trafficking efforts in both North Africa and the United States
- Appointed Hürrem Carolin Çevik from Turkey as the BWA representative to the United Nations Vienna Office
- Equipped 400 students in the Horizons Training Program for children and youth ministry leaders with 215 new students enrolled in the first half of 2021, the fastest six-month growth of this program in its 10-year history
- Trained 199 women from 30 countries through an online Leadership Empowerment Series
- Added Horizons Training Program Directors for Asia and Africa as well as a new Registrar to help oversee and accelerate growth in areas of great need
- Led training for 83 new Horizons mentors and added a new language (Telugu) to the list of available languages within the Horizons digital learning platform
Theological Reflection & Transformational Leadership
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.
Support Our Global Response
Giving Online
Giving online is convenient and secure, and donations can be one-time or recurring. To contribute to a specific ministry area, simply make that notation in the comment field just before you submit your payment.
Giving By Check
Address check to the Baptist World Alliance and mail to our office located at:
405 N. Washington Street
Falls Church, Virginia, 22046 USA
Giving via Wire Transfer
For those wishing to give via wire transfer, email the BWA Finance Department to receive specific instructions.
The Baptist World Alliance is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization within the United States.
For income tax reporting purposes, donors will receive a receipt for their gift.
Designated Gift Policy: If a ministry project is overfunded, our policy is to apply the unused portion to a similar need.