Baptist group names new president, general secretary

South Korea (MNN) — More than 300 delegates from 33 countries have nominated their new president. At the General Council of the Baptist World Alliance nominated David Coffey of England to be the next BWA president with a five-year term starting in 2005.

Meanwhile, Denton Lotz, general secretary of the BWA, was re-elected for another five-year term beginning IN 2005. Lotz told the council, the first since the Southern Baptist Convention voted to leave the BWA.

The BWA also committed itself to the Micah Challenge, “to halve current levels of world poverty by 2015.” It calls upon the richest nations to take urgent action to ensure that at least 0.7 percent of their gross national product is used for this purpose. Coffey pledged his support, saying, “I affirm my commitment to the Micah challenge and will work with others to make poverty history.”