Buckner International President and CEO Albert Reyes was installed last week as the North American Vice President of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) during the organization's first-ever virtual General Council. Reyes was installed during a special Officer Installation and Commissioning Service July 23 to a five-year term, also known as a quinquennium.

BWA, founded in 1905, is a fellowship of 240 conventions and unions in 125 countries and territories comprising of 47 million baptized believers in 169,000 churches. The organization networks the global Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief, and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights, and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development.

Also elected as officers for the 2020-2025 quinquennium were Tomás Mackey of Argentina as president; Karl Johnson of Jamaica as first vice president; and Carolyn Fossen from the U.S. as treasurer. 

Reyes is among 12 vice presidents representing BWA's global geographical divisions.

He is excited for the opportunity to serve through BWA, calling the organization, "a global network of faithful Baptists linking both missions and ministry as two sides of the same coin through local congregations, associations, conventions and fellowships to bring the Kingdom near.”

Reyes added that being elected to this position will be a strategic development for Buckner as an international ministry. Buckner currently serves in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico and Peru.

“This will further help connect us to serving the least of these and encouraging the best we have to offer through our Baptist family around the world. I am honored to represent Buckner, an affiliated ministry of Texas Baptists, and the larger Baptist family in North America to BWA around the world,” Reyes shared.