Asia Pacific Baptist Federation

Asia Pacific Baptist Federation
AbbreviationAPBF
ClassificationProtestant
TheologyEvangelical Christianity/Congregationalist
AssociationsBaptist World Alliance
Region22 countries
HeadquartersOkinawa City, Japan
Origin1972
Congregations40,000
Official websiteapbf.org

The Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF) is a federation of 65 Baptist associations and is one of six regional fellowships in the Baptist World Alliance. The headquarters is in Okinawa City, Japan.

History

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English missionary William Carey started his work in the Dutch controlled Serampore north of Calcutta, India in 1793, initially focussing on Bible translation, preaching, teaching, and the founding of schools.[1][2] One of the major schools established by this mission is Serampore College, founded in 1818.

Other pioneers include Joshua Marshman and William Ward who together with Carey became known as the Serampore Trio.[3] Of the three, Ward was instrumental in converting American Congregationalist missionary, Adoniram Judson, to Baptist beliefs and baptised both Judson and his wife, Ann Haseltine Judson, in Serampore.[4]

Judson later began Baptist missionary work in Burma on 13 July 1813 upon his arrival in Rangoon.[5]

The APBF was formed in the then British colony of Hong Kong in 1972 as the Asian Baptist Federation (ABF).[6][7] It joined the Baptist World Alliance in 1975.[8]

It adopted its current name in 2007 after a resolution was approved during the ABF Congress held in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand from 2 May to 6 May 2007.[9]

Organization

The APBF represents almost 60 Baptist denominations (known as conventions or unions) from 20 different countries, encompassing almost 30,000 congregations with more than 5 million baptized believers.[9] The single largest member of the APBF is the Myanmar Baptist Convention which claims more than 1.1 million baptized believers.[9][10]

The principal officers of the APBF are:[11]

Office Name Territory
President Rev. Edwin Lam Singapore
Vice Presidents Mr. Bijoy Sangma

Mr. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola

Rev. Mark Wilson

India

Fiji

Australia

General Secretary Rev. Dr. Vesekhoyi Tetseo Okinawa, Japan
Treasurer Mr. Peter Leau Australia

Members

According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 65 member associations in 22 countries, 40,000 churches.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ William Carey University: Center for Study of the Life and Work of William Carey, D.D. (1761-1834) - Baptist Missionary Society
  2. ^ BMS World Mission: BMS origins and early days
  3. ^ "The Rest of the Serampore Trio". Christian History & Biography (36). October 1992. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
  4. ^ "The Life and Work of Adoniram Judson, Missionary To Burma". Theological Studies.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
  5. ^ Glimpses of Christian History: 13 July 1813 • A Miserable, Dirty Town for the Judsons Archived February 16, 2006, at archive.today
  6. ^ Erich Geldbach, Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 249
  7. ^ Asia Pacific Baptist Federation: About APBF Archived July 22, 2012, at archive.today
  8. ^ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2021, p. 43
  9. ^ a b c Baptist World Alliance News: Asian Federation changes name, elects new leadership Archived July 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Myanmar Baptist Convention: Affiliation and Partnership Archived July 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "APBF Leaders - APBF". APBF. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
  12. ^ Asia Pacific Baptist Federation, We Represent, ebf.org, Japan, retrieved May 5, 2023
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