ALPHARETTA, Ga. — In 2025, Send Relief’s ministry footprint stretched from neighborhoods shaken by wildfires to communities rebuilding after hurricanes, from U.S. cities mobilizing volunteers to international partners providing care amid war and natural disasters.
In each setting, the strategy was consistent: churches sharing the love of Christ through tangible service and gospel witness, powered by collaboration and an unwavering commitment to show up where the needs were greatest.
Southern Baptists respond to L.A. wildfires, other crises at home
The year opened with urgent mobilization around the Los Angeles wildfires, where Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) and other Send Relief partners coordinated financial and prayer support while deploying teams to meet practical needs.
Southern Baptist partners engaged in a swift response and called for broad participation from churches nationwide. In the aftermath, one Send Network church plant met neighbors at their point of need, modeling how local congregations can serve as resilient hubs of compassion when crises strike.
In the United States, Southern Baptists continued their efforts to assist communities as they recovered from 2024’s Hurricane Helene. The trail of destruction necessitated months of cleanup and rebuilding.
One year later, volunteers were still helping to rebuild homes, a testament to the staying power of Southern Baptists and the power of partnership across the local, state, and national level. Hundreds of homes in North Carolina and Tennessee have been rebuilt as part of the effort.
When Texas flooding triggered another season of need, Texans rallied through prayer and volunteer mobilization, and Send Relief supported the work of SBDR as they served communities devastated by the loss of life from the flash flooding.
Global crises require global partnerships
Internationally, Send Relief partnered with churches to respond to disasters, mobilizing through partners who were able to access the impacted areas.
In Jamaica after the destructive Hurricane Melissa, Send Relief worked alongside Jamaican congregations to assess needs and distribute aid. Through long-term partnerships established in Cuba and other islands in the Caribbean, local churches used generators to support survivors in the aftermath of the storm.
A major earthquake in Myanmar compounded existing turmoil in the region. Local Baptist leaders, with support from Send Relief, organized relief efforts under challenging conditions, where conflict and displacement exacerbate the vulnerabilities.
Send Relief’s support also continued amid civil war in Sudan, where ministry teams persisted in care for displaced families and partner churches, providing a lifeline of food, shelter, and hope in an unstable environment.
Serve Tour mobilizes thousands to serve tens of thousands, Ministry Centers engage churches for mission
Beyond disaster zones, Send Relief’s Serve Tour demonstrated how local churches can engage their communities with the gospel through practical acts of service. More than 4,00 volunteers served approximately 28,500 people, and 429 people professed faith in Christ as a result of the national and international Serve Tour stops.
In San Diego, volunteers focused on reaching the next generation, connecting acts of kindness with conversations about faith. The stop in Evansville Ind., resulted in seeds planted for long‑term ministry through strategic partnerships with local churches, which will carry forward the momentum after the tour’s conclusion.
Volunteers in Virginia Beach engaged in more than a thousand gospel conversations while meeting practical needs—an example of how compassionate service opens doors for meaningful spiritual dialogue. Hundreds were served in Columbia, S.C., and dozens professed faith, illustrating the tour’s dual emphasis on relief and evangelism.
The stories shared from the Fort Collins, Colo., Serve Tour stop highlighted the role churches play in responding to everyday needs—food insecurity, loneliness, and household repairs—which strengthens a congregation’s gospel witness through consistent presence.
Serve Tour also went international with a week-long mission trip to Lima, Peru. Volunteers joined national believers to participate in several compassion ministry projects that build in-roads for gospel proclamation. They hosted medical and vision clinics, helped repair playgrounds and other facilities, and saw dozens of people make professions of faith.
There will be 9 Serve Tour stops in 2026.
Send Relief’s Ministry Centers served local communities year-round and offered churches the chance to engage in and learn about compassion ministry. For example, a mission team from New Philadelphia Ministries in St. Petersburg, Fla., served the city of Chicago through Send Relief’s Ministry Center.
Milestones and Ministry Highlights
The year also noted a milestone for Send Relief. The ministry marked five years as a joint effort between the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB). The two boards serving together give Send Relief a global reach.
Bryant Wright announced his retirement after five years serving as Send Relief president, a season marked by expanded partnerships and a sharpened focus on equipping churches for compassion ministry. NAMB President Kevin Ezell and IMB President Paul Chitwood now work together to provide overall guidance for Send Relief.
At the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Send Relief spotlighted the “power of collaboration,” emphasizing how cooperative giving, volunteerism, and local church leadership multiply impact across communities and continents.
Send Relief Sunday and Serve Sunday provided on‑ramps for congregations of every size to step into compassion ministry—whether launching new outreach or renewing an existing commitment to serve neighbors in Jesus’ name.
The year also offered an opportunity to remember the legacy of Southern Baptist compassion ministry that preceded Send Relief. Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, SBDR leaders traced that major response’s enduring legacy—decades of training, deploying, and caring in Jesus’ name—while inspiring the next generation for service in disaster response.
Whether confronting the next disaster or serving in ordinary neighborhoods, Send Relief remains committed to equipping churches and volunteers to share Christ’s love in word and deed—responding quickly, serving faithfully, and recognizing that compassion opens doors for the gospel.
The year’s reports underscore this truth: when churches collaborate, communities are transformed, and hope takes root—one act of service, one conversation, and one faithful step at a time.
Published December 26, 2025