European Baptist Federation

The European- Baptist Federation (EBF ) is an association of national Baptist unions of Europe, western and central Asia.

History

Forerunner of the European Baptist Federation, which was founded in 1949 Rüschlikon ( Switzerland ), were the European Baptist conventions, of which the first was held in 1908 in Berlin.

The first Council meeting of the EBF found a year after it was launched in 1950 also held in Rüschlikon. One of the main reasons for the merger were the devastating consequences of the Second World War and the consequent need to contribute to international understanding and to the reconstruction of Europe on free-church level. The first Council meeting of the EBF adopted, among others, the following objectives of Baptist cooperation:

  • The commitment to human rights, especially of conscience and religion;
  • The promotion of joint evangelism and the exchange of missionaries;
  • The organization of material assistance to the most affected by the war countries - as an aid to self-help
  • The support of theological education and training of church workers and pastors projects

Line structure

All Member unions each appoint two members of their church in the council of the EBF, which takes place once a year. It is the most important organ of EBF and selects every two years the President of the Council of the Federation. Since July 2011 this office has been held the German Baptist pastor Hans Guderian.

The council also appoints a governing body to which they delegated a number of decision-making powers. The general secretary is determined by the council. He leads as full-time for the current business and is in personal union of the Regional Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance.

Seat of the EBF is Prague ( Czech Republic), where there is also the Theological College of European Baptists.

The member churches of the European Baptist Federation

Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Serbia

Baptist Union of Scotland Baptist Union of Wales

Statistics

The European Baptist Federation - united about 800,000 baptized members in 12,000 congregations. The Ukrainian Baptist Union is among the member churches of the EBF of the largest; it includes 140,000 members and 2,029 churches.

Albania Union of Baptists in Belgium 1892 Bulgaria Finland France Israel 1920 Nazareth Italy Lebanese Baptist Convention 1895 1845 1846 Baptist Union of Poland Portugal 1847 Baptist Union in the Czech Republic 1919 Baptist Union of Hungary Baptist Evangelical Christian Union of Italy Baptists in Ukraine
320057
de