History

In the years that followed, women gathered strategically for prayer, fellowship, and service. By 1934, a Baptist World Alliance women’s committee was formed. In 1939, Committee Chair Eva Brown from England is noted to have been “fearless, dynamic, resourceful, consecrated and determined to keep the idea of a world Baptist Women’s Fellowship alive” even throughout World War II. In the wake of the war, Chair Olive Martin worked to fully reinstitute the ministry of the women’s committee. In 1948, European Baptist Women’s Union was formed, the first of what is now seven women’s continental unions. In 1950, the BWA Women’s Committee was formally approved by the Baptist World Alliance and heartily endorsed by the 10,000 women from 21 nations at the Baptist World Congress that year. The newly elected officers were Oliver Martin (USA) and Lois Chapple (England) who traveled around the world to connect women’s organizations from every continent. 

In 1951, Baptist Women of North America was formed (formerly known as North American Baptist Women’s Union) followed by the formation of the Latin American Baptist Women’s Union in 1953. In 1955, the women’s committee officially became the BWA Women’s Department, and in 1956 the Asia Baptist Women’s Union (formalized in 1958) and Baptist Women’s Union of Africa were formed. Baptist Women of the Pacific was constituted in 1968 as was Caribbean Baptist Women’s Union in 2000. In 1980, the women’s department recognized the need to hire our first executive staff and establish a permanent office with June Totten hired as executive director in 1982. Over the years, God has provided many faithful women to serve their sisters around the world and further our global mission.

1955-1960
Chair: Olive Martin (USA)
Secretary: Lois Chapple (England)
Treasurer: Marion Bates (Canada)