by Daoud Kuttab

Dr. Elijah Brown the secretary general of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) told Jordanian Baptists that the term Christianity began being used in Syria. According to the Bible, people were called Christians in Antioch which is the modern-day country of Syria. Brown told Baptist Church leaders Friday that two of the three church leaders of this significant church in Syria came from Africa. One was from modern-day Libya and the other had a dark African complexion, according to the Bible, he said.

According to Brown that there are fifty-one million committed church-attending Baptists around the world and a further 110 million who profess to be Baptists in 128 countries and districts. Baptists have grown by 29% in the last ten years. The biggest growth has been registered in Africa at 134% followed by Latin America at 41% and Asia at 20%. However, in the past ten years, the percentage of Baptists has gone down by 6% in the United States and by 3% in Europe. Rev. Brown said that in polls 26% of Baptists around the world have said that they are experiencing danger. This could be hunger, war, persecution, or daily challenges.

The secretary general of the Baptist World Alliance also called on Jordanian baptists to prepare and join Baptists from around the world in the World Baptist Congress due to take place in Brisbane Australia in 2025.

Brown and his wife Amy are guests of the Jordanian government as plans for a major expansion of the Baptism site were revealed to worldwide church leaders and investors. Brown told local Baptist leaders, meeting at the Amman Baptist Church in the Weidbeh neighborhood of Amman, that the new plans will include a Palestinian biblical-style village, hotels, restaurants, and other ways to attract pilgrims and tourists. “A deadline for all this work and construction is set for 2029 in order to be ready for the two-thousand-year anniversary of the Baptism of Jesus at the River Jordan.

The global Baptist leader who attended along with 250 guests was told that Jordan is hoping to attract “hundreds of thousands” of pilgrims to Bethany beyond Jordan on this important anniversary planned for 2030. The King and his two sons as well as the Prime Minister attended the dinner. Brown later said that the event was a delicate fundraiser. “The fundraising was not done in a straightforward way.”

Samir Murad, chair of the not-for-profit company that will develop the area told the state-run Al-Mamlaka TV that the initial cost of the project will be JOD 10 while the entire tourism village will be JD 60 million. “None of this, however, will come from Jordan’s coffers but will depend on contributions local and foreign as well as grants to help build the infrastructure of the village,” he said.

Brown will visit the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS) and will travel to Ajloun where Amy hopes to visit the hospital where her great uncle Lofgren served in the past century.

The global Baptist leader implored local Baptist leaders to work closely with the BWA. “We want to do this in total partnership with your convention,” Brown addressed Rev Nabeeh Abbasi and Baptist local leaders. “We want to plan together, fundraise together and have custodianship together.”

The official news agency Petra said that King Abdullah attended the launch of the masterplan planned for over 1374 dunums (390 acres) to develop the land adjacent to the Baptismal site, “in order to enhance the services offered to pilgrims and visitors,” according to Royal Court statement.

The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, will remain a protected zone, pristine and untouched. It is overseen by a Royal Commission responsible for preserving it, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II, Prince Ghazi, and Prince Mired bin Ra’ad, chief royal councilor at the Royal Hashemite Court, as well as a number of Royal Family members, senior officials, Christian leaders, and international figures and investors attended the launch.