ALPHARETTA, Ga. — This Sunday, August 3, is Send Relief Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Since its inception nearly 10 years ago, Send Relief has become a global effort that supports churches in a variety of compassion ministries, as well as the efforts of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers in times of crisis.

First launched in 2016 by the North American Mission Board (NAMB), Send Relief became a joint compassion ministry with the International Mission Board (IMB) in 2020, the first such partnership between the two mission boards.

“Send Relief is your global compassion ministry,” IMB President Paul Chitwood said when addressing Southern Baptists during the SBC annual meeting in Dallas this summer. “The partnership between the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board, through which Southern Baptists are bringing help and hope in North America and to the very ends of the earth, is a unique partnership. It’s an historic partnership. It is a partnership that is making an incredible gospel impact.”

Send Relief has five focus areas for compassion ministry: strengthen communities, protect children and families, care for refugees, fight human trafficking and respond to crisis.

“In North America, Send Relief Ministry Centers provide churches with missions opportunities that enable their people to participate in that center’s compassion ministry outreach and learn best practices that they could take home and model in their own community,” said Josh Benton, vice president of North American ministry.

Internationally, IMB missionaries and other national partners work with Send Relief to engage in compassion ministry, meeting needs and opening doors for life change through the proclamation of the gospel.

“Send Relief is a Great Commission ministry,” said Jason Cox, vice president of international ministry. “Engaging in ministries of compassion creates chances for both evangelism and discipleship as we reach new people with the gospel and train believers to obey Jesus’s commands to love and help those in need.”

This Sunday, hundreds of churches will engage in a backpack ministry with support from Send Relief, distributing thousands of backpacks to families who need the assistance as their children go back to school.

Send Relief is also encouraging churches this month to give to Global Hunger Relief, a SBC initiative dedicated to combatting world hunger and sharing the gospel.

Through the Send Relief Serve Tour, churches can send volunteers to communities in North America and around the world to meet needs and support the churches and other ministries who are on the ground engaging that community. Send Relief also offers other mission trips throughout the year.

Then, during times of crisis, Send Relief supports the tens of thousands of SBDR volunteers by providing financial support and administrative assistance during major disaster responses, such as hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires. With hurricane season approaching, churches can take steps now to become a disaster ready church and individuals can learn how to become a trained SBDR volunteer in their state.

Ultimately, every church can discover needs in their communities that they can take measures to meet, and Send Relief aspires to come alongside your church with resources and training from practitioners who are engaged in compassion ministry every day.

“Ministries of compassion offered through the local church give your church members a chance to emulate Christ’s ministry,” said Benton. “Jesus met needs and proclaimed the good news of God’s kingdom. That’s what Send Relief has set out to help churches do.” 

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Elrod writes for the North American Mission Board.)