BWA creates young leaders network

Posted: 8/03/07

BWA creates young leaders network

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

The Baptist World Alliance has started a network of young people in an effort to develop its next generation of leaders.

More than 30 young leaders from around the world gathered before the BWA’s General Council meeting held recently in Ghana. They met one another and discussed issues they are facing.

Three Texans—John Petty, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville; Beverly Parrish, Texas A&M University Baptist Student Ministries associate director; and Blake Killingsworth, assistant to the Dallas Baptist University president—took part in the initial gathering of leaders.

Chris Liebrum, Baptist General Convention of Texas executive coordinator who helped organize the first young leaders’ meeting, said the gathering helped individuals from around the globe connect.

Parrish said she was blessed by the time she spent with other young leaders. Each person provided unique insight into what it is like being a Baptist where they are.

“It was a great opportunity to meet and spend time with Baptist leaders, basically my peers, from around the world,” she said. “It was very humbling and enriching just to see what being a Baptist and follower of Christ costs people around the world.”

Killingsworth indicated the worship service during the meeting provided a glimpse of heaven.

“I think that the first meeting went exceptionally well,” he said. “Everybody in the group found common ground through Christ, and even though we had different backgrounds and viewpoints, we saw value and worth in each other’s ministries. We wanted to know how we could pray and help each other, and when we worshipped together, each in our own language, it was an incredible glimpse into the future reality of every tongue and tribe gathering around the throne, praising the Risen Lamb.”

Each participant in the group, called the Emerging Leaders Network, was paired with a mentor from another country, and the group committed to meeting annually for the next three years.

Participants encouraged BWA leaders to expand the group, and Parrish said this young leaders group could help the alliance develop people who will lead for years to come.

“I think it’s a starting place of something that hopefully will grow,” she said.