Karen Baptist Convention

2020

The KBC is the co-operation and co-ordinating body of all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar.

The first Karen Baptist convert was a former illiterate and uncouth man named Saw Ko Tha Byu. He was converted through the ministry of the American Baptist pioneer missionary Adoniram Judson. Later he asked for baptism, and on a trip to Dawei with George Dana Boardman, the first American Baptist Missionary to the Karens, he was baptized at Dawei on May 16, 1828, at the age of 50. His conversion turned him into a flaming evangelist. By the time of his death on September 9, 1840, at age 62, there were 1270 Baptist church members among the Karens. He was also given a title of "The Karen Apostle" by The American missionaries.

3.1 Vision

The vision of the Karen Baptist Convention is to organize all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar for co-ordination and co-operation in holistic Mission.

3.2 Mission Statement

Karen Baptist Convention is the co-operating body organized with all the Karen Baptist Churches in Myanmar. The KBC is committed to strive for the oneness of the Karen Baptist Churches, and working together in Church planting, holistic development of the Church leaders and church members, spiritually and physically which will lead to the fullness of life with dignity through worship, fellowship and meeting, training, publishing of literature and co-operation with churches and organizations, inside and outside the country.

The Convention, however, shall have no power to interfere with the internal affairs of its churches and associations in its endeavor to fulfill its purposes.

The following churches associations co-operate fully in the work of the Convention.

1. The Hpa-an Mawlamyaing Karen Baptist Association.
2. The Dawei Myeik Karen Baptist Association.
3. The Pathein Myaungmya Sgaw Karen Baptist Association.
4. The Yangon Home Mission Karen Baptist Association.
5. The Hinthada Karen Baptist Association.
6. The Shwegyin Karen Baptist Association.
7. The Toungoo Paku Karen Baptist Association.
8. The Toungoo Thandawn Bwe Moh Bwa Karen Baptist Association.
9. The Toungoo Kehko Kehbah Karen Baptist Association.
10. The Pyi Thayawady Karen Baptist Association.
11. The Kayah Moh Bwa Baptist Association
12. The Hpa-pun Karen Baptist Association.
13. The Nyaunglebin Karen Baptist Association.
14. The Upper Myanmar Karen Baptist Association.
15. The Myaungmya Sgaw Karen Baptist Association.
16. The Myeik Karen Baptist Association.
17. The Kayah Poo Baptist Association.
18. The Bago-Yangon Baptist Association
19. The Kya Inn Karen Baptist Association
20. The Myro Baptist Association

1. Finance and Property Department
2. Evangelism and Mission Department
3. Christian Education Department
4. Publication Department
5. Care and Counseling Department
6. Leadership Promotion Department
7. Christian Social Service & Development Department
8. Theological Department
9. Department for Youth Work
10. Women's Department
11. Ministers' Department
12. Communication Department
13. Men's Department
14. Literature and Culture Department

Directors of the Departments

With a modest beginning of 1270 members at the death of Saw Ko Tha Byu in 1840, the KBC today has 20 Churches Associations, 1829 Churches and 287682 members.

Its annual budget reaches Kyats 570 Million in 2009. The great majority of the Karen Baptist Churches had reached the three goals of missionary effort; being self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating.

The KBC is affiliated to the Myanmar Baptist Convention which in turn, has relationship with the Myanmar Council of Churches, the Board of International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches, the Baptist Council of World Mission, the Asia Baptist Federation, the Baptist World Alliance, the Christian Conference of Asia, and the World Council of Churches, for participation in world-wide mission.