BWA Congress 4 - indigenous worship

Hawaii continues to enchant as this image of the city last night bears testimony.

But away from the natural beauty of the island, and tucked away in the meeting rooms of the huge Hawaiian Convention centre, a number of important gatherings took place today.   The BWA Membership Committee on which I’ve served the past five years is, as the name suggests, the route into being recognised as part of the worldwide Baptist fellowship of BWA.   Each year several groups apply to join, with varied histories – each unique to its circumstance.

One of today’s privilege moments was to meet a pastor from Vietnamese Baptist Convention who, if formally accepted later this week, will become the first Baptist group from that country to join the BWA.  Speaking through a young Vietnamese-American acting as interpreter, he was able to tell us briefly of the beginnings of their story in the late 1950s through the witness of one particular Southern Baptist missionary.

Over the years, and most notably in the 1970s, the group were known to the government but like others they were severely persecuted.  As a result their gatherings were restricted to homes, with baptisms held secretly in streams, rivers and even in barrels of water. Today they are nearly 40,000 strong and accepted by a government who had a radical volte-face a few years ago, a change that resulted in part from a Human Rights visit to the country by BWA officials. 

There will be other stories like this heard during the week.  Some in formal session, others shared in simple conversations with those with the patience to stop and listen. 

This evening was special, a meal shared with friends from Lebanon, hosted by our BMS partner from Beirut, Nabil Costa.  Others were there from Bahrain and Jordan.  Though they are all completely bi-lingual in Arabic and English, so conversation for me was easy and free-flowing, occasionally of course the conversation slipped entirely into Arabic.  On those kind of occasions, and they happen frequently in various countries, I find myself mentally sitting back and interpreting, or guessing, the conversation by watching people’s faces.  Certainly in the case of jokes, you can tell when the build-up to the punch line is coming!  But facial expression and body language can help you discern what kind of conversation is taking place.  Over the years I have found such moments really special, a time to sense what’s going on not by listening to the words but by observing with a greater intensity the people speaking.

Of course being Hawaii, in the background were Hawaiian musicians and two beautiful young dancers.  Having seen us bow our heads to pray before we started our meal, one of the dancers came over and asked me who we were.  She was fascinated by the table of Arabic speakers, to learn we were all Christians and share that she herself was a member of a local Pentecostal church!  What really intrigued me was her story of how she, as a highly professional Hula Dancer was working with others to incorporate this art form into worship. 

Here is a theme dear to any mission practitioner.  Too often in the past mission work shared the gospel but also shared a censorious attitude to indigenous arts and crafts, customs and culture.  It was good to hear that such an expressive art form was being harnessed in worship.   There is nothing like praise expressed to God using indigenous instruments, forms of song and dance.  Even in Hawaii, its good to know this insight is being explored.  

Meanwhile it was announced today too that the 2015 Congress will be in Durban, South Africa in 2015 – details can be found here.  I think an African Congress will be amazing – a riot of colour expressed through a confident African identity in Christ.  I am sure this announcement will be well received, and I hope (and believe) that from the outset this will be intentionally an African Congress.  What an experience that would be.  Bring on the drums!

BWA Council tomorrow morning, then the opening session of the Congress tomorrow evening.  

David Kerrigan

Comments

[The Revd Paul J Lavender]

Thanks for the updates David. Good to hear about South Africa in 2015, as we need to hear those voices, especially when our natural instinct is to believe we have something to give - then we discover we have much more to learn. But enjoy the now moments - may there be much to celebrate in our Baptist diversity.