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First there were the desperate cries for mercy as Southern Baptists learned of Hurricane Katrina’s widespread destruction. From winds wiping out churches and residents in Gulf Coast cities of Alabama and Mississippi to the intense storm and subsequent flooding that included much of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the surrounding area, the resulting tragedy was unimaginable.
Then came the offers of money as Southern Baptists contributed designated gifts for Katrina relief in the offering plates of tens of thousands of churches. Within several days of setting up an online giving link on the website of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, thousands of dollars were transferred through credit card payments. Checks arrived at the SBTC offices from as far away as Anchorage, Alaska and West Sussex, England.
A strong year of giving through the Cooperative Program missions-funding method allowed the 16-million member denomination to be ready to be even more generous through allocation of existing funds, potentially offering $7 million towards Hurricane Relief from budget surpluses.
By Labor Day weekend, well over 30,000 new volunteers?most not Baptist?were trained through SBTC alone, preparing for the quarter million evacuees housed in major cities like Houston and Dallas. Baptist volunteers staffed feeding units that headed to Louisiana before the rain ended. By mid-September, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers had served more than 2 million meals in the affected area.
SBTC churches quickly lined up with offers of short-term and extended housing to meet the needs of many of the Louisiana evacuees. Many spread the word to meet transportation needs, reuniting displaced families or helping them resettle to new quarters.
Now a long-term initiative announced by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) will help damaged Southern Baptist churches recover through the “Adopt a Church” initiative. SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards is urging the more than 1,700 affiliated churches in Texas to consider adopting the more than 100 churches wiped out by the hurricane and another 200 that were damaged.
Participating churches agree to help with clean-up, rebuilding, pastor’s salary and outreach. Smaller churches could join together to accept the assignment of one small church, while many of the large Texas congregations could handle a multi-staff Louisiana church on their own.
By helping Louisiana congregations whose facilities were badly damaged or destroyed, the affected church can get back on its feet in 12 to 24 months. Mission and construction teams would assist in recovery and rebuilding, provide care packages, collect special offerings, offer training to encourage and strengthen staff and assist pastors by replacing ministry libraries lost or damaged.
After a church registers for Adopt a Church through a NAMB link at www.sbtc.com/katrina, the SBTC will assume the responsibility of matching partner churches, individuals and families. Those without Internet access may call the SBTC at 877-953-SBTC for Katrina relief-related inquiries.
