Hardwick
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining Randy Davis in representing Tennessee Baptists at the installation service of Jeff Iorg, our new president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
In Dr. Iorg’s message during the service, he cast a vision and celebrated how Southern Baptists are a “force for good” in our cooperative work to share the gospel, send missionaries, train ministers, plant churches and reach the next generation. The room was electric as Dr. Iorg cast the vision and celebrated the cooperative impact of Southern Baptists.
One of the most tangible ways that Southern Baptists cooperate together as a force for good is when disaster strikes. The coordinated mobilization of disaster relief teams across our state conventions in response to devastation and crisis is an impressive and effective work that God uses to meet the urgent and ongoing physical and spiritual needs of those impacted.
Like you, I have been shocked and deeply saddened by the images, videos, and stories emerging from the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Our brothers and sisters in East Tennessee and beyond have been immeasurably impacted. The pictures and videos do not do justice to the destruction and loss so many have experienced.
Yet right in the middle of the rescue and relief efforts are Southern Baptist churches and disaster relief teams with many more already scheduled and lined up to continue working in the clean-up and recovery efforts for months to come. This will not be a speedy recovery but one that will take many months if not years.
Wes Jones, left, disaster relief specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, joins Butch Porch, right center, disaster relief unit leader for Woodland Baptist Church, Brownsville, and other DR volunteers for a time of prayer.
When events occur that leave so many enduring so much loss, we feel the burden and wonder what we could possibly do that would make a difference. What could my family do? What could my church do? I want to share a few thoughts for how to engage your church in response to crisis and specifically, how we as Tennessee Baptists can wrap our arms around our brothers and sisters for the long haul of recovery.
1. Pray. I know it can be a bit cliché, but prayer absolutely is our first and most important response. Pray for the families of those who has lost their lives. Pray for those who have lost their homes and businesses. Pray for the churches that have been impacted yet are still trying to serve their communities. Pray for disaster relief teams that are working so hard to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those impacted. When disaster strikes, we must pray.
2. Give. Your giving to Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief goes directly to supplying the resources needed to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those impacted. The work will continue for months to come and the need for resources is great. Mobilize your church to give or direct individuals to give online at tndisasterrelief.org.
3. Mobilize. If you have a disaster relief team at your church, as we do at Forest Hills, they are probably already on standby or already mobilized. Perhaps your church doesn’t have a team, but you have people willing to go. Or maybe you’d like to form a team at your church. This would be a great time to reach out to your pastor, your association and our Tennessee Disaster Relief office and find out where and how you can get trained to serve. Again, the need for workers and teams will be great for many months to come, so consider if God would have you join a team or start a team from your church or association.
4. Partner. When we see so many people, communities and churches impacted, it gets overwhelming, and we wonder how we can possibly help.
While you or I cannot serve every person, every church, every community, we can perhaps effectively serve one. Maybe you could develop a church-to-church partnership where your church comes alongside a sister church in a heavily impacted community to help that church serve their community and to help that church get back on her feet.
Our church is developing that kind of partnership in East Tennessee now. While your church or my church cannot serve every church, we can serve a church in a community and stick with them for the long haul.
We are heartbroken by the devastation and loss so many in our state and beyond have suffered. We as Tennessee Baptists want to respond as a “force for good” amid the tragedy to meet physical and spiritual needs in Jesus’ name. Tennessee Baptists, let’s pray, give, mobilize our people and partner with churches so that every Tennessean will know the love of Christ and the hope we have in Him as we work together to recover and rebuild. B&R — Hardwick is senior pastor of Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville.
