May 3, 2005

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. – Fausto Aguiar de Vasconcelos, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been invited by the Baptist World Alliance to be the new director of the Evangelism and Education and Study and Research Divisions for the next five years (2005-2010).

He will succeed Tony Cupit of Australia, who retires in July.

The Rev. Dr. Denton Lotz, general secretary of the BWA, announced the invitation to Vasconcelos, which is expected to meet the approval of the BWA General Council when it gathers July 26 in Birmingham, England. "I am overjoyed and excited about having the first Latin American executive to serve as part of the BWA team for 2005-2010," Lotz noted.

American Baptist News Service