BWA gathering highlights communion, reconciliation, mission

Elaborating on the theme of Baptist World Alliance’s 2026 annual gathering, “The Table of Christ: One Gospel, Many People,” speakers highlighted communion and reconciliation.

Employing a polycentric and polyvocal approach to missions and engaging young people were also highlighted.

Keynotes

Alyn Waller, senior pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Penn., urged attendees to examine both their relationship with God and their treatment of others through the lens of the communion table.

Preaching from 1 Corinthians 11, he framed his message around the question, “Guess who’s coming to dinner,” challenging worshippers to approach the Lord’s table with humility, self-examination, and a commitment to reconciliation.

Drawing on Jesus’ command to love God and love one’s neighbor, Waller said the communion table requires believers to confront their own biases and divisions. He emphasized communion is not only about receiving bread and the cup, but also about serving others, pointing to Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.

“The real question is not, ‘Can I eat with you?’ but, ‘Can I serve you?’” Waller said.

Concluding with the hope found in Christ’s death and resurrection, Waller reminded the gathering, while Christians may disagree on many issues, they remain united by the gospel: “We might disagree on a whole lot of other stuff, but we all believe that he’s coming back.”

Danny Zacharias addressed welcome, reconciliation, and the table of Christ, connecting the biblical message of Romans 14 with the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Zacharias provided context about Indigenous communities, the ongoing impacts of colonialism, treaty violations, residential schools, and current challenges involving food insecurity, housing, and access to clean water.

He contended the church has often failed to embody the welcoming unity described by Paul by allowing cultural judgment and colonial attitudes to shape Christian practice.

“The table of Christ is not a melting pot. It’s a place where every person brings themselves and all their complexities and histories,” Zacharias said.

He concluded that the table of Christ should be a place of relationship, mission, and radical hospitality where differences are celebrated and all people are welcomed through the reconciling work of Jesus.

Vernette San, a physician from Burma/Myanmar and a humanitarian and former president of the Asia Baptist Women’s Union, emphasized God’s love, faithful service, and the importance of reflecting Christ through humility and action.

San preached from John 3:16, challenging attendees to consider how they share the gospel, not only through words from the pulpit, but also through acts of love, humility, and service.

“It does not demand, but it simply requires belief—by placing our complete trust in Jesus Christ,” San said.

David Olusola Idowu, of Nigeria, pulled inspiration from Acts 2:42-47’s description of the early church as steadfast, selfless, sacrificial, and supportive.

“We come to the table as we are. … We are to leave the table transformed,” Idowu said.

HSU student first NABF intern

TaNikka Sheppard, general secretary of the North American Baptist Fellowship, introduced Jose Hernandez, a student from Hardin-Simmons University, as NABF’s first intern. Hernandez is developing an app to expand access to Young Prophetic Voices resources for churches and youth groups worldwide.

NABF’s Young Prophetic Voices initiative continues to train young leaders to speak with courage and think clearly about the future of the church. The program focuses on advocacy, community impact, and collaborative justice.

Sheppard also announced the first NABF triennial gathering, scheduled for Oct. 18-20, 2027, in Dallas, in partnership with Baptist Women of North America.

Global Baptist Mission Network update

Launched during the 2023 BWA annual gathering in Stavanger, Norway, the Global Baptist Mission Network now has 29 member bodies and approximately 8,000 global partners, Everton Jackson, BWA’s director of integral mission, reported.

Member bodies are mission agencies, enterprises, and departments from across the six regions of BWA. Global partners is the network’s term for missionaries.

The network anticipates the release of Many Places, Many Voices, a manual on polycentric and polyvocal missions that will be available as a free ebook through BWA’s website. Polycentric and polyvocal refers to direction coming from more than one place, people, culture, and language.

Ruy de Oliveira, of the Brazilian Baptist Convention, reported his convention now has more than 2,500 missionaries, 90 percent of whom are not Brazilian, serving in 97 countries.

The network is planning a missions conference to coincide with the 2027 BWA annual gathering.

The 2027 BWA annual gathering is tentatively planned to take place in the Caribbean.