Editorial

I hate to bring it up – but have you noticed that we’ve now begun Hurricane Season, 2005?

I cannot imagine there is a Floridian today that lived in the state last fall who needs to be reminded that June 1 officially began the hurricane season. The turning of the calendar – and the realization that the tropics are now primed for what forecasters are predicting will be an even busier season than last year – is a good opportunity for all of us to be reminded of the extraordinary efforts of God’s people known as Florida Baptists in the midst of four powerful hurricanes in just six weeks last fall.

And, it’s an appropriate occasion for all of us to be reminded how much poorer our disaster relief efforts would have been in the absence of the God-ordained and blessed Cooperative Program.

If we ever needed the ingenuity and blessing made possible by the Cooperative Program – the Southern Baptist missions lifeline – we unquestionably needed it in the wake of those four storms. Cooperation fueled the relief efforts of Southern Baptists who came to our aid, as well as the labors Florida Baptists gave each other as the hurricanes inflicted destruction throughout the state. Where would Floridians be after four hurricanes without the cooperation that is central to what it means to be a Southern Baptist?

Without the cooperation – both financially and personally – of untold numbers of Southern Baptists in our state and across the nation some of that ministering simply could not have and would not have been done, at least not on the scale with which Florida Baptist Convention staff blanketed this state.

I was reminded of this last week during the meeting of the State Board of Missions, May 26-27 at Lake Yale (look for a full report in the June 9 issue).

Glen Owens, assistant executive director of the Florida Baptist Convention, told the State Board of the extraordinary mobilization of FBC staff to assist in disaster relief and recovery. Virtually every staff member was pulled away from their typical ministry assignments to provide assistance all across the Sunshine State in midst of the storms and in the weeks and months that followed.

Owens talked about the impact of the storms on the Strategic Plan of the Florida Baptist Convention, noting that because staff members were employed to assist with disaster relief, they were unable to do some of the conferences and other ministry that had been planned years in advance.

As a result, “only” 66 percent of the Convention’s goals were met or exceeded last year, considerably lower than in the first two years of the strategic plan.

Nevertheless, Owens told the State Board, “When you combine the efforts of our staff in their regular duties, as per the Strategic Plan, and add the efforts exerted during the unprecedented time of disaster relief and response, 2004 was the greatest year of ministry in the history of the Florida Baptist Convention.” The State Board strongly affirmed Owens’ assertion.

Serving Jesus is the motivation for participating in disaster relief; cooperation among Southern Baptists throughout America is what makes it possible.

Incredibly, even after a hurricane season literally of historic proportions, Florida Baptists have responded this year with robust support of the Cooperative Program.

It seems that Florida Baptists – having been recipients of the blessings of CP – have responded with a renewed commitment to its support. By the end of April, gifts from churches pushed the CP to more than $1.2 million above budget.

Executive Director-Treasurer John Sullivan said this “wonderful report” was due to the generosity of the churches, which deserved the thanks of all Florida Baptists.

Now, more than nine months after the first hurricane slammed our state, people are still in need. And, cooperation is the means of addressing those needs.

The State Board also heard a report from Hal Burke, state coordinator for the Disaster Rebuild Office, concerning his efforts to provide physical and spiritual assistance to the under-insured or those without insurance whose homes were damaged by the hurricanes.

Organized into four regional coordinators, Burke said that even without any hurricane activity this year in Florida, it will likely take another two years to address all the needs created by last year’s hurricane season.

Burke and his colleagues organize teams from churches and associations to meet needs in the areas hit by Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. For more information, call Burke at: (941) 371-8889 or e-mail: disasterrebuild@flbaptist.org.

In the midst of a horrible hurricane season, Florida Baptists took comfort in the knowledge that while we did not know these storms were coming, our God was not surprised by the hurricanes. Our God teaches us in His Word, that cooperation is His means of doing His work in His earth.

Cooperation is a vital part of what it means to be Southern Baptist – as well as any faithful Christian. This hurricane season – and throughout the year – let’s all remember our obligation to cooperate and serve to the glory of God and for the expansion of His Kingdom in this state.