Denominational leaders, when rallying the 47,000 autonomous churches of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to work together for the proclamation of the gospel, often say, “We’re better together.” Few examples could prove the truth of this phrase better than Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR).
Though SBDR has been rightly called the “third-largest disaster response group in the nation,” the work of this particular disaster response group isn’t coordinated by a type-A chief executive working from national headquarters in Nashville. A very Southern Baptist organization, it instead operates on the basis of cooperation.
SBDR consists of a network of Disaster Relief groups, like Missouri Disaster Relief (MODR), operating out of various state conventions across the nation. To see the effectiveness of this disaster response network, we need to do little more than to take heed of the ongoing natural disasters hitting the nation this month.
Writing for Baptist Press, July 10, Brandon Elrod reported on SBDR’s various response efforts. I’ve pulled excerpts from his report below. As you read, note the variety of state DR groups that are working together across the nation right now:
• Hurricane Beryl in the Gulf Coast: “Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) units have deployed in and around Houston up into Texarkana in response to Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall early Monday morning, July 8. Units with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC), Texans on Mission, Arkansas and Alabama are providing meals, showers and chainsaw work to survivors.
“SBTC has a unit providing up to 5,000 meals and showers in Wharton, southwest of Houston, while Texans on Mission (formerly Texas Baptist Men) has a 15,000-meal-a-day feeding unit set up in Houston to prepare meals for those without electricity.
“While Texas received the brunt of the storm’s initial impact, Beryl destroyed Beulah Baptist Church in Mansfield, La., and has brought heavy rain and severe storms as it has trekked across the United States, creating potential for flash flooding and tornadoes in New England and New York.
• Floods in Iowa (See related stories on pages 1, 3): “In Iowa, SBDR teams from Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas-Nebraska joined Iowa Baptists to conduct flood recovery in Okoboji, Sioux City and Spencer, Iowa, after historic flooding hit the northwest part of the state.”
• Wildfires in New Mexico: “Teams from Arizona, SBTC, Kentucky and the Hawaii-Pacific joined New Mexico SBDR crews to feed survivors and help with fire and flood recovery in New Mexico.”
Time and again, this network of state Disaster Relief groups – that is, SBDR – has proven it can respond to a broad variety of disasters with rapidity, efficiency and flexibility, as well as with a passion for proclaiming the gospel to hurting people.
At its core, SBDR’s success derives from the amazing volunteers who give of their time, money and sweat to bring help, hope and healing to people in the aftermath of disasters. Disaster Relief volunteers are some of the best people I’ve ever met, and they put to action the missional mindset that has driven SBC cooperation throughout its history.
To SBDR volunteers across the nation, I say, Thank you for serving!
Moreover, I encourage other Southern Baptists to learn about, support and pray for the Southern Baptist disaster response groups in your states. Pray specifically for the leaders of your state DR group. And, if you haven’t already done so, consider serving.
Of course, I say the same to Missouri Baptists: You can learn more about Missouri Disaster Relief (MODR) through its website, modr.org, and you can give to MODR by visiting this webpage: https://modr.org/give. And remember, your faithfulness in giving to the Cooperative Program and Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) makes the amazing work of MODR possible. Thank you!