BALTIMORE, Md., June 10, 2014Southern Baptists voted to embrace and support the new Global Hunger Relief initiative during its annual meeting today in Baltimore, Md., as a response to the extreme hunger that afflicts nearly one billion people around the world.
Formerly known for three decades as the World Hunger Fund, Global Hunger Relief is a partnership of The Executive Committee, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, LifeWay Christian Resources, Womans Missionary Union and Baptist Global Relief.
Cooperative Program support provided by Southern Baptist churches allows the partners to make effective use of hunger donations by eliminating the overhead costs often associated with humanitarian and relief agencies.
According to the resolution passed during the Tuesday afternoon session, Global Hunger Relief funds will be used 80 percent for overseas hunger relief and 20 percent for domestic hunger relief.
"Southern Baptists' efforts in global hunger relief is not just an issue of charity, and not just an issue of compassion, but is also an act of spiritual warfareas faithful men and women all across our churches labor to be a gospel witness and reflect the attitude of our Lord who shows compassion to the needy and destitute as he points them to the Bread of Life," said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
The resolution passed states that hunger ministries reflect the compassionate heart of Jesus.
We encourage churches to embrace the Global Hunger Relief initiative, said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. We live in a day when we must find ways to demonstrate God's love by meeting significant human need while sharing Christ.
The resolution states that Southern Baptist hunger ministries are designed to include the proclamation of the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ alongside a demonstration of the Gospel through loving deeds.
GHR paves the way for the seed of the gospel to be sown by Southern Baptists. Demonstration leads to proclamation among some of the least reached peoples in our world, said Tom Elliff, president of the International Mission Board.
Jeff Palmer, president of Baptist Global Response, said, I've always believed Southern Baptists are people who care. This resolution says we care about the world's almost 1 billion chronically hungry people. We care about them as people, created in the image of God. We care about them as souls in need of God's truth. And we care about sharing the abundant life Jesus desires for all people.
The Southern Baptist Convention is Americas largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.8 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is the SBCs ethics, religious liberty and public policy entity with offices in Nashville, Tenn. and Washington, D.C.
– END –
To request an interview with Russell D. Moore
contact Elizabeth Bristow at (615) 782-8409
or by e-mail at [email protected]
Visit our Web site at www.erlc.com
Follow us on Twitter at @ERLCPressRoom
