"I think it is highly commendable that the Baptists in North America ... have seen the need to come together to galvanise around some issues that they have no contention about," he said. "We are very pleased to see that Baptists in the US are able to galvanise around a social agenda that is dictated by the demands of the Gospel, not motivated by political concerns.
"There are so many Baptist groups in the US that it's difficult to have a coherent image that is credible and I think that this is part of the genius of the new movement that is being attempted under the new covenant that the Baptists may yet emerge with a fresh image that is true to the Baptist faith," Callam further commented.
Bill Underwood, one of the principal organisers of the New Covenant, said North America "desperately needs a true Baptist witness".
Callam sees a desperate need for a credible witness worldwide.
"I believe that the big challenge that we're going to face over the next few years is to work towards greater progress in the manifestation of the unity of Baptists," he said. "I believe that the unity that we are talking about is going to be a unity that is grounded in truth. It is not a wishy-washy unity that you secure in order to look good but a genuine unity that flows from our understanding of our common baptism, our oneness in Christ Jesus and of the admissibility of diversity in some of the areas of our lives.
"That is to say we may not all believe that women should be ministers, we may not all believe this or that, but in the central tenets of faith, if we are one, we are going to be able to reflect a unity that the world needs to see, that the world may find the message of the Gospel credible," Callam added. "I think that is the challenge."
The church leader aims to do all he can to make a difference in the world by manifesting a unity not for the sake of unity but "because I believe this is what God requires".
"When we reflect on the question of the unity of the Church, I go right back to the Scriptures. And I believe that it is in the mind of Christ that Christians should be united. This is clearly taught in the sacred Scriptures," he stressed. "As one expression of the Christian faith, the Christian family, Baptists therefore by themselves ought also reflect the unity that should characterise the lives of all Christians."
After its beginnings in 1905 at the first Baptist World Congress, the Baptist World Alliance has grown to become a fellowship of more than 200 Baptist conventions and unions claiming to represent a community of over 110 million Baptists.
In the United States, BWA members include the American Baptist Churches in the USA, the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the National Baptist Convention of America, and the North American Baptist Conference.
The Rev Neville Callam was elected this past July to succeed former BWA head Denton Lotz, who retires in December after holding the position since 1988.
