The fourth day of the Baptist Centenary Congress in Birmingham ended with speakers and singers from North America.
Melanie Burns exuded talent and warmth as she led the evening’s worship with songs like “Open the eyes of my heart Lord”, bringing the whole arena into song.
The Human Rights Award was also presented last night by former U.S President Jimmy Carter to Lauren Bethell, who helped establish the New Life Centre in 1997. The award commended Bethell for her work in the Centre, which helps women victims of the Thai prostitution industry to reclaim their lives.
On receipt of her award, Bethell gave a heart-warming acceptance speech in which she said: “I’ve always felt it was God’s work and I was just His happy little helper.”
She accepted the award on “behalf of all women survivors” of the prostitution industry, saying they “taught me about human resilience and the hope in Jesus Christ.”
Bethell’s last words were “Praise be to God who is with us now”, before the whole arena rose to its feet in rapturous applause.
The Baptist Fellowship Choir of North Carolina provided the perfect follow-on from the presentation of the Human Rights Award, with a thought-provoking performance accompanied by a powerful sign language performance.
The mood of quiet self-reflection was transformed into a burst of lively dancing with the funky harmonies of Krystaal from Canada, however, who soon had everyone back to their feet dancing, clapping and waving their hands.
Rick Warren’s eye-opening exposition was the perfect accompaniment to the evening event, giving everyone in the arena plenty food for thought that will endure long after the Congress is over.
He urged delegates to consider God’s perspective and the pattern set by Jesus, quoting John 13:7.
Warren said the Baptist vision for the next one hundred years should focus on three things. He said Baptists needed to see the Father’s perspective, follow the Son’s pattern, and thirdly believe the Spirit’s promises.
He also criticised the churches of today for failing to renew themselves: “A lot of the times we miss what new God is doing in the world because we are too comfortable in the old ways.”
Warren also stressed the importance of the local level church in bringing the Gospel to millions of people around the world, and more importantly, in defeating what he called the five global giants: spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy.
The Purpose Driven author made a powerful call to Baptists around the world to stop reading the Bible and start doing the Bible.
He said: “We need a new reformation…The first was about belief. This one needs to be about behaviour…when we start acting on what we already know to do.
“For too long the church has been known for what it is against. It’s time it was known for what it’s for.”
Warren has delivered numerous talks on the Purpose Driven Church along with other members of his Saddleback Church at the Congress.
Maria Mackay
Christian Today Correspondant