TheBaptistTimes weekly since 1855 August 24, 2006 • 75p • No 8138 www.baptisttimes.co.uk

WHY PRAY? Jonathan Edwards • p5 Philip Yancey • p16

LEADING EDGE What went on in Warwick? Report and pictures • p10

FOCUS ON COMMUNION • OPEN LINE P9 • FEATURE P13

Rick Warren:‘Churches can play vital role in Aids fight’

By DANIEL GROTE

THE HEAD of the world’s major funding body for the fight against Aids has said he wants more faith-based Aids treatment groups to receive funding – and he has enlisted Baptist evangelist the Revd Dr Rick Warren to help. Richard Feachem,who oversees billions in Aids spending as director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, made the announcement during the 16th international Aids conference, AIDS 2006, in Toronto, Canada last week. The event, a gathering of Aids activists, politicians and funding bodies, saw 24,000 delegates from 132 countries attend, and significant involvement from faith groups. Former US president Bill Clinton, and Microsoft mogul Bill Gates, who has given millions to Aids care projects, were among the speakers. Mr Feachem said he had long sought to fund more faith-based groups, but that few apply for money from the fund. The fund does not prescribe grants – they are prescribed by the countries where the work is being funded – but his comments can be seen as a significant endorsement of the work of faithbased bodies in fighting Aids. Dr Warren,meanwhile,said that local churches could play a vital role in the fight against Aids. ‘The church is the biggest network in the world,’he said. ‘I can bring you to 10 million villages in the world that don’t have a doctor, don’t have a post office,they have nothing but a church. ‘But it’s already on the ground, and we don’t have to hire staff.’ AIDS 2006 also saw the launch of a new international support network for HIV-positive faith leaders, after the success of a similar initiative in Africa. INERELA+, The International Network of Religious Leaders living with or personally affected by HIV and Aids, will act as a support group for HIV-positive faith leaders. The Revd Christo Greyling, himself HIVpositive and one of INERELA+’s founders, said that the demand for the group came from faith leaders themselves. ‘Faith leaders are frightened of revealing their HIV status because of the potential backlash of their congregation and, as a result, they feel alienated,’he said. ‘It was the leaders themselves who had seen the success of the Africa network we had set up and asked for something similar.’ The network will provide ‘a safe, supportive environment’ for HIV-positive faith leaders, and encourage them to fight stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people in their communities. INERELA+ follows the formation of ANERELA+, a similar group for African faith leaders, set up in 2002 and which now has a membership of 1,500. 􏰀􏰀 News focus page 4

Picture:Kristen Nicole Sayres/inset picture: C hris Hall

Matthew Dean (6) helps erect his tent. He joined 1,200 other campers at this year’s Leading Edge event held at Warwick School

Jonathan Edwards welcomed at Leading Edge

By CHRISHALL

HUNDREDSof Baptists prayed for the incoming Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) general secretary, the Revd Jonathan Edwards, on Sunday, the last day of Leading Edge. BUGB President, the Revd Dr Kate Coleman led prayers for Mr Edward’s new ministry at the Baptist holiday week held at Warwick School. ‘This is not strictly an act of commissioning,’ explained Dr Coleman. ‘But it is an opportunity to totally saturate Jonathan in prayer and to recognise the moment.’ Representatives from BUGB senior management,Baptist House staff and regional ministers laid hands in prayer on Mr Edwards.

The congregation then formed a ‘prayer tunnel’ in the aisles that Mr Edwards, his family, regional ministers and BUGB staff walked through. Addressing the 500-strong congregation, Mr Edwards thanked the Leading Edge team for including the ceremony in the event.

‘Thank you for allowing this moment of prayerfulness with tens of thousands of other Baptist Christians today, praying for us,’ he said. Talking about his new role as BUGB general secretary Mr Edwards said, ‘I’m here today, not because I have great confidence in

my ability, but I have great confidencein God and I’m here I believe in a step of obedience.’ Mr Edwards emphasised his passion for the local church and his desire to return to local Baptist ministry in the future. ‘I want you to hear that I’m utterly committed to the local church. And as I do my stuff dayby-day in Didcot, it will be with your church in mind, the local church in mind,’he said. Mr Edwards (50) officially starts as BUGB general secretary on Friday,September 1. His successor as team leader for the South West Baptist Association, the Revd Jez Brown, also starts his new role next month. 􏰀􏰀 Despite wet weather, this year’s Leading Edge has been hailed as a big success. See centre pages