India Baptist Summit united Baptists for Kingdom’s advancement

Benjamin Chan

October 15, 2019

We had a very successful India Baptist Summit in Hyderabad, South Asia on October 3 to 6, 2019. Praise the Lord! The Summit was well attended by more than 1,500 South Asian delegates (from 18 states of South Asia who represent 25 of the 26 Baptist conventions), and overseas guests, including 40 American Baptist representatives. Despite the differences and even conflicts between Baptist groups, we came together to seek the unity and completeness in Christ. We were blessed by powerful messages and presentations, joyful worship, sweet fellowship and cultural performance. The congregation passed a declaration to continue the joint ministries on religious liberty, anti-human trafficking, women and youth empowerment. The congregation added a new focus on the networking and cooperation for evangelism and mission. The congregation also voiced their strong desire to form an All India Baptist Council (name to be finalized). The Summit coordinator Rev. Samaresh Nayak remarks that the new council, when formed, will be the largest Protestant Christian council in South Asia representing 5 million members!

Taku and Katie, IM Country Co-coordinators of South Asia have provided strong leadership and sacrificially involved in the execution of the programs. The India Mission Coordination Committee (IMCC), which was initiated and funded by International Ministries, is charged to implement the 2019 Declaration in the next five years, and to prepare the Third India Baptist Summit in 2024.