This is one subject that the Baptist World Alliance has included in its ministry agenda for the immediate future. Tourism is the world's greatest money spinner.
At the 20th Baptist World Congress just concluded in Hawaii tourism was on the agenda for all the wrong reasons.
First, a session was held on the ethics of tourism in so far that when western tourists visit the third world, they should ensure a 'fair pay' payment system.
Second, that western tourists should respect the local culture.
As laudable as these two issues are, both subjects completely missed the mark in relation to evangelism ministry to tourists and the tourist industry.
My wife Delma and I have gained some experience in Tourism Ministry having run Australia's Bush Orchestra in Moruya on the New South Wales south coast for 10 years (a natural bush under a canopy of birdsong) and have since spoken at seminars and workshops on developing a ministry to tourism.
Moreover, it's working in Hawaii and Waikiki Beach. Where else would one have a mission to see people respond to Jesus Christ's forgiveness and offer of Salvation, but where people are? And where are they? – at tourist locations.
This is as obvious as might possibly imagine, and for the wider Church and Baptists, this represents a new dawn.
For us, the three special things from the Lord, that warmed our souls from this visit to Hawaii, focusing on the Baptist World Alliance -
One, that Tourism Ministry is getting some recognition and that the Waikiki Beach Chaplaincy illustrates its operation.
Two, the 40 video interviews of third world Baptists for the 'Basil Sellers Australian Missionary News IPTV' (Television on the Internet) will be such a blessing to so many around the world as tools in evangelism. These videos are currently being edited.
Three, reflections on our visit to the military museums at Pearl Harbour (USS Arizona and USS Missouri) as we had recently visited Darwin's military museum. The same Japanese air arm that bombed Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941 bombed Darwin 10 weeks later, 19 February 1942.