Texas Baptist named to BWA general secretary search committee

FALLS CHURCH, Va.—The Baptist World Alliance executive committee named a Texas Baptist to an 11-member search committee for the global organization’s next general secretary.

Chris LiebrumChris Liebrum , director of the office of Cooperative Program ministry for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, was elected to serve on the committee to find a successor to Neville Callam, who will retire Dec. 31.

The committee also includes John Upton, executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and Elaine Smith with the American Baptist Churches USA.

Others on the search committee are BWA President Paul Msiza of South Africa, Luiz Roberto Silvado of Brazil, Jan Saethre of Norway, Ernest Adu-Gyamfi of Ghana, Miyon Chung of Korea, William Thompson of the Carribean, Ksenija Magda of Croatia and John Beasy of Australia.

Liebrum pointed to BWA as an important missions partner with the BGCT. BWA accepted both the Texas Baptist and Virginia Baptist state conventions as full members in 2005, after the Southern Baptist Convention withdrew from the global organization.

“Our involvement with BWA provides an avenue of access and relationships with 235 Baptist unions, conventions and associations around the world,” he said. “It is a privilege to serve on the search committee for the next general secretary.”

The committee will seek the 10th general secretary for the international Baptist fellowship. Callam, a Jamaican, was elected in July 2007. Since the BWA’s founding in 1905, all previous general secretaries were American or European. During his tenure, BWA membership expanded from 214 to 235 member organizations in 122 countries and territories.

To nominate an individual for BWA general secretary or download the position profile, click here.