31st March was the early bird deadline for registration to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) Centenary Congress, and Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) have reported that the registration so far has been very successful. The registration continues up until the Congress on 27th July.

It was reported that participants from 76 countries have already registered. Musical groups from the Congo, Canada, Ukraine, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nagaland, Korea, Hungary and Wales among many other places have signed up to perform daily at different venues at the Congress.

The Bible study sessions by famous Bible teachers across the world have attracted many to the congress. Former US President Jimmy Carter, BWA President Billy Kim, Myra Blyth, former Deputy General Secretary of BUGB and other world leaders have been invited as guest speakers.

Rick Warren, the founding Pastor of the Saddleback Church in California, USA, the best selling Christian author of all time, will preach on Saturday evening. Other speakers will come from Africa, the Caribbean and England.

Apart from Bible studies, focus groups will feature personalities such as American Sociologist Tony Campolo and British evangelical Steve Chalke. Issues close to the heart of global Baptists such as poverty, world debt, the modern day trafficking of young women, persecution and religious freedom and the Christian response to HIV/AIDS will all be addressed during the five-day event.

British Baptist Churches, as they will host the event, have been called on to sponsor the delegates from poorer countries to join the historical conference.

An appeal for more churches to sign up to the Baptist World Centenary Congress Global Exchange programme has been launched by the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB). More than 75 churches are needed to help with sponsorship and accommodation for Baptists from developing countries.

BUGB events manager Jenny Stewart said to the Baptist Times, the registration fee for the congress could mean several months’ wages to Baptists in some countries. The sponsorship programme not only aims to solve the immediate financial difficulties, but also looks forward to a long-term relationship being built between international churches.

Stewart stressed the value of such links for UK churches, saying, "Any church which already has a link will talk about the blessing it is to them, even though it often seems as though we are the ones giving."

Currently, around 69 BUGB churches are known to be sponsoring participants. More are expected to sign up as the event preparations gather pace.