IZMIR, Turkey (TAB) — In Turkey, a country rich with Christian heritage but with a dwindling minority of Christians in its population today, four Baptist congregations recently formed the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Turkey to “encourage member churches, explain the teachings of Baptists, develop Baptist leaders, pray for churches’ needs and strengthen believers by organizing seminars, camps and conferences,” according the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). Ertan Çevik, pastor of Izmir Baptist Church in Izmir, Turkey, was elected president. He will serve an initial term of five years. The founding of the Alliance occurs just months before the BWA annual gathering meets in Izmir in early July.
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