Our Response to the Wildfires in Maui, Hawaii

To the staff of all our Brentwood Baptist campuses, we wanted to share an update regarding crisis response. Many of you have already heard the questions, “What are we doing to help?” or “What can I do to help?” concerning the situation in Maui, Hawaii. Here is our answer: there are three parts to the ways we can and do respond.

  1. We Partner. We work with those partners who have access to and/or have feet on the ground to know what is going on in the area. These partners know the healthiest way to come alongside needs as they develop, both in the current climate of trauma and in the days ahead. We do not want to make assumptions about what is needed but rather hear and learn from those experts accessing the situation.
  2. We Pray. There is a great deal of trauma associated with any crisis. We pray for those affected and those the Lord has placed there specifically to walk with those in the midst of these moments of trauma. Pray for wisdom in how we respond and that the gospel will be proclaimed and demonstrated through this crisis.
  3. We Give. We will work through our partners and ministry relationships as needs come to our attention. We look for ways we can join in the work in a hands-on way, and your giving is what allows that support to happen.

We want to share a little bit about what is happening in our immediate response to Maui and also how our support continues for the situation in Ukraine.

We are working with our Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) partner and Send Relief to assess what the many needs are, who is best suited to address those needs, what the timeline needs to be, what resources are needed, and other pertinent information.

We have already released funds for disaster relief to go toward the effort in Maui with TBMB, and we will be looking at additional needs as they are made known.

We continue to work with our partners (Mission Eurasia, IMB, and Send Relief) around the on-going Ukraine crisis. We have sent and are planning to send Mission Journey teams to Moldova and possibly Ukraine to continue working with refugees and their children. Food and health care insecurity continue to be major issues as well as general safety and dealing with trauma.

We are thankful to walk with our trusted partners in communities experiencing trauma, and we are committed to longevity in the work ahead.

For questions or to know more about getting connected please reach out to Vicki Howell at [email protected].

Grace and Mercy,

Vicki Howell

Community and Mercy Missions Minister

Our Response to the Earthquakes in Turkey & Syria

Two deadly earthquakes (7.8 and 7.6 on the Richter scale) occurred in Turkey and northern Syria earlier in February, and the impact has been staggering. We are deeply saddened at the devastation and loss of life for many.

Currently, we are in contact with friends and partners who have been directly impacted and are gathering information on the situation. We want to be sure our efforts will be useful and are praying for wisdom as well as engaging in conversation with contacts in the region. We have already released funds to a partner on the ground with a network already in place. We’re also in touch with Send Relief and the International Mission Board to help shape our plans and will have more opportunities to serve and give as the needs become clearer.

As a reminder, we want to step in at the right moment and not create more chaos, and we want to continue supporting the people impacted by the devastation long after the news cameras have moved on. However, there are several things you can do to help right now:

  • Pray for those affected, for many to turn to God during this time, and for His church to rise up.
  • Give toward our efforts. For this disaster, we will be using the International Crisis Relief fund. We will also direct some of our resources to SBC disaster response efforts.
  • Wait for clarity and direction. Many people want to help immediately, but our best efforts are used to focus on long-term rebuilding.
  • Remember the greater church has trained professionals & volunteers for disaster response situations. Our support to the SBC helps make this happen.