[1]WASHINGTON (BP)–Jan. 5-9, 2000, has been reaffirmed by the Baptist World Alliance as the dates for the 19th Baptist World Congress in Melbourne, Australia.
Because of concerns about the potential “Y2K” computer problems that computer systems would not recognize 2000 and malfunction, the international core Congress leadership on Nov. 19 discussed several options and unanimously agreed to keep the date.
Jan. 5 will be the opening date for the Congress and all pre-Congress meetings such as BWA general council, have been moved to Jan. 10.
“We prayed much and had a firm conviction the Lord was leading us to keep the date,” said Denton Lotz, BWA general secretary who led the discussion.
“It was my firm belief that we should stay with the date and believe that God would work all things well,” said Jim Scott, Congress program chairperson and pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Newark, N.J. “Besides, I checked with several leading organizations and was satisfied we should hold our date.”
“We had done a lot of checking with hotels, travel agents and our official airline, Quantas, and we in Australia believed we should keep the date,” said Leon Norsworthy, chairman of the Australia local arrangements committee and a former head of aviation in Melbourne.
“We enthusiastically invite Baptists worldwide to come to Australia to celebrate the theme, ‘Jesus Christ Forever. Yes!’ Lotz said. “It is in the strong belief in the eternal presence of Christ that we will enter a new millennium and call upon Baptists to be messengers of hope in a needy world.”