Baptist Union announce 2008 Vice President
Tuesday 8 April 2008
The Revd Kingsley Appiagyei, founder of the two largest Baptist churches in the UK, is to be Vice President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) from this May and President in May 2009.
The announcement comes after Revd Appiagyei, who was the sole nomination, was voted to the honorary position in a postal ballot.
Kingsley Appiagyei is 55 years old, and trained at Spurgeon’s College, completing a BA in 1988. He now holds a Masters in Theology with Luther Rice Seminary in Georgia.
After his studies at Spurgeon’s, the Lord led him to begin Trinity Baptist Church, which started in a home in South Norwood with eight people. Through God's leading Trinity Baptist has experienced tremendous growth over the years and despite starting several church plants from the congregation, the membership now exceeds 2000, making it the second largest church in the Union (the largest is Calvary Charismatic Baptist Church in Plaistow, East London, which is one of Kingsley’s church plants). Kingsley has succeeded, through Trinity Baptist Church, in providing sound and effective leadership for its members. His messages and teaching are centred on the building of godly characters as Christians.
Kingsley has a passion for the family, and is currently engaged in activities internally within Trinity and externally with a weekly television programme, which seek to promote family values and address issues facing ethnic minority families. He is also leading Trinity Baptist Church in helping to build an orphanage complex in Ghana, which will provide a place for orphans to live, go to school, as well as providing a well-equipped clinic and vocational school. He is committed to helping others develop their potential, with a particular emphasis on mentoring emerging leaders within Trinity. His church has sent a number of ministers to Spurgeon’s College and on into Baptist ministry.
Kingsley has been a member of the Baptist Union Council for eleven years and has been a helpful colleague to the London Baptist Association (LBA); and he is held in high regard within both the Association and the Union. Originally from Ghana, he is a British citizen and is married to Cynthia. They have 4 daughters: Genevieve, Ruth, Esther and Davina.
In response to the news of his vice-presidency, Kingsley said, “My focus for the Assembly would be to encourage my Baptist brothers and sisters to have a burden for revival. That God will burden us with a ministry which will seek God’s direct intervention in the affairs of our society. When our personality is aflame with commitment to Christ and with a burning vision of what he purposes to do for us, our whole life and leadership comes alive with life and becomes vibrant with power. We need another visitation from heaven – when the Holy Spirit will set our hearts aflame, and when self-centredness will be consumed by a passion for the master and the end-time harvest. Even though revivals are determined solely by God, the Church must be consumed with a fresh passion to see it happen.”
Pat Took, Regional Team Leader of the LBA, is pleased that Kingsley is taking on this national Baptist role. "I am delighted that at last the time has come for Kingsley to serve the Union as its President. I have the greatest respect for his ministry and have been grateful for his help and friendship over the years. He is deeply committed to the Baptist family, both here in London and beyond, and will bring passionate leadership to the Union. I know we will all be blessed by this appointment.”
Jonathan Edwards, BUGB General Secretary agrees. “Kingsley exercises a remarkable ministry and all who know him will agree that he is truly a man of God. His love for the Word of God and his deep commitment to prayer and revival thrill my heart and I am delighted that he will be available to serve our churches in this significant way. As we continue to journey as a multi-racial Union we thank God for the ways in which we have been blessed by the fervour and commitment of our Ghanaian brothers and sisters.”
