The 20th Baptist Word Congress is over and what a congress it was! 

It was a gathering where Baptists assembled to discern together what the Spirit is saying in many areas of our life and witness. The issues discussed in the 34 Focus Group sessions ranged from conversations around the ethics of genetic engineering to bearing witness in multi-faith and multi-cultural contexts.
 
It was a gathering where Baptists combined efforts to serve those in need. Much more can be said than has been said about the fact that, during the congress, in partnership with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and Stop Hunger Now, congress participants prepared 30,000 food packages for families in Hawaii. Each bag contained enough to feed an entire family.
 
In partnership with Passport Incorporated, youth attending the congress met for fellowship, worship and training. Approximately 100 youth participated each day. Their work included visits to homeless shelters and cleaning graffiti from walls in the city. They also hiked to Diamond Head.
 
The congress was a gathering where Baptist children met for Bible teaching and arts and crafts projects. They also presented a group song in the plenary on Saturday. The ministry of the Korean children's choir was exceptional. Their presentation during the evening celebration on Thursday was unsurpassed in beauty and richness.
 
It was a congress where, through the ministry of music, Baptists sought both to receive and to communicate the truth of the Gospel.  Choirs and singers came from all regions of the BWA. What rich blessings we derived from their ministry during the international music fest each afternoon during the congress! Their ministry during the major daily corporate worship events was outstanding.
 
The congress was a time that was rich with opportunities for fellowship.  Baptists from 96 countries were in attendance at the congress.  For one reason or another, more than 1,000 registered delegates did not show up for the congress, including all the delegates from nine countries, who registered. We regret their inability to grasp the opportunity to participate. It was very pleasing that, although the BWA has no member body in Hawai'i, hundreds of Baptists from the state attended various sessions of the congress. Furthermore, the leadership of Local Arrangements Committee chairman, Rick Lazor, and  his team, was outstanding.
 
The Women's Leadership Conference which preceded the congress, together with the women's and men's events during the congress, was a source of enrichment for participants.
 
At the 20th Baptist World Congress, Baptists celebrated BWA's irrevocable commitment to evangelism. The Living Water event was a time to recall BWA's efforts in furthering the churches' resolve to fulfill the evangelistic ministry that God has given to the church. The unity of the church's evangelistic and social ministries was reaffirmed.
 
Above all, the congress was a time for Baptists to engage in corporate worship. Evening celebrations were marked by powerful declarations of the Gospel. Morning Bible studies were times of rich sharing. Biblical truth was communicated with great erudition and passionate conviction.
 
When Baptist Christians assembled in Honolulu, Hawai'i, they were determined to hear the Spirit. They listened intently and they listened together because, too often, we listen by ourselves alone and do not follow up by accounting to others concerning the audition. As a result of this, we lose the benefit of the common discernment that is needed for the preservation of harmony in the church and cohesiveness in mission faithfulness. Furthermore, we lose the mutual sharing that corrects the audition we believe we received.
 
As happens so often when we engage in spiritual contemplation, in Hawai'i, we were not deprived. And what we heard together was about the need for greater openness to the Holy Spirit that must characterize both our inner life as individuals and as churches and our life together in service and witness.  We were constantly reminded of the need to be both objects and agents of the Spirit's transforming work - a fact that is carefully reflected in the Congress Message.
 
As we begin a new quinquennium, by God's grace, let us seek constantly, to keep in step with the Spirit. This way, we will never be deprived of the blessings of the Lord.
 
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