The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) formalized two appointments during a meeting of its general council in Chile on July 6.
The BWA recently held its annual gathering in Santiago, Chile, from July 2-7.
Rothangliani Rema Chhangte, originally from northeast India but whose last position has been liaison for Burmese refugees with American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) in the United States, was formally appointed as the director of Baptist World Aid.
Not only does she have a strong development background through her work with ABHMS but also as program analysis coordinator with Church World Service (CWS), as founder and executive director of the Asian American Youth Association, and as an administrator at the Oxford Conference on Christian Faith and Economics. Her bachelor’s and master of business administration degrees are in the fields of business and development.
An ordained pastor, Chhangte is a lifelong Baptist; she was baptized as a young child in India.
She has had a long association with the BWA, previously serving on the general council from 2001-07 and attending a number of Baptist World Congresses and Baptist Youth World Conferences.
She was pastor of Woodland Baptist Church from 1994-2000 and, prior to that, was assistant pastor of Chestnut Street Baptist Church, both in Philadelphia.
She also has interchurch cooperation credentials. In addition to her work with CWS, Chhangte is a member of the central committee of the World Council of Churches and was a member of the executive committee and governing board of the National Council of Churches from 2001-07, co-chairing its interfaith commission between 2004 and 2007.
She holds a master of divinity degree from Palmer Theological Seminary, a master of business administration degree from Eastern University, and a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University, all in the United States; as well as diplomas from the Oxford Graduate Summer School of Theology in the United Kingdom and the Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies in Switzerland.
“I am humbled by your vote of confidence and thank you and God for giving me this opportunity to be of service to Baptist churches around the world,” Chhangte told the council. “I look forward to working closely with all of you and partnering with you so that together we can make Baptist World Aid the premier relief and development agency for Baptists worldwide.”
In addition, Duro Ayanrinola, who was elected general secretary of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF) at a meeting in Nigeria in November 2011, was formally appointed as the BWA regional secretary for Africa.
He was previously director of the Missionary Organization Department of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
He holds bachelor’s degrees from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso and the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tenn.; and master of divinity and doctor of missiology degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
