BWA Executive Committee Resolution 1968-08.3

1. We the Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance in Monrovia, Liberia, July 30-August 1, 1968, are deeply concerned about the many people in the world who are presently suffering hunger and who are great need of other necessities of life. The alarming aspect of this situation is the fact that the number of those affected is growing constantly.

2. We recognize with appreciation the generosity of the developed countries that already are supplying large amounts of surplus foods to remove this need.

3. We are greatly disturbed, however, that there are still high supplies of surplus foods in storage going to waste or being destroyed. It is our fervent hope that the governments in the countries where this is occurring will do everything possible to make this food available to welfare organi-zations and that these states will provide shipping costs when necessary.

4. We urge all Baptists around the world to put forth every effort to meet the needs of hungry people. We recommend that each member of our Baptist churches be challenged to contribute at least one day’s earnings in 1968-1969 for this cause to the relief fund of the Baptist World Alliance or the national Baptist relief works. We also request the Administrative Committee to take whatever steps it deems necessary in promoting this worthy project.

Hobbs MOVED the adoption, and the motion was seconded.

A discussion followed: Williams stated that it would be tragic if we did nothing specific in regard to Nigeria. Hobbs replied that he understood a separate motion would deal with that. Claas underscored we ought to do something here now.

Routh called attention to the fact that some conventions have other pro-cedures for providing relief and wanted it to be clear that we are not giving a mandate for a special relief offering.

Hobbs referred to the General Secretary’s report in which he raised the question of what would happen if we all gave one day’s pay for relief. It was the desire of the Resolutions Committee to take note of this suggestion and put behind it the approval of this body, referring it to the Administrative Committee to work out the details.

Nordenhaug asked for guidance how the staff can bring to the hearts and and the attention of our people the crying need around the world. Our relief program is very small, and very unsystematic. We wait for

gifts to come in. We alert people to the needs, and we get some very generous gifts considering the capability of the conventions participating. We need to say something or do something that would stir the imagination of our people on a purely voluntary basis, on a purely individual basis, and that perhaps a spark may be kindled whereby we as Baptists can do something commensurate with our great numbers. We have a relief program of around $150,000 a year. We claim we have 26,000,000 members in the Baptist churches affiliated with the BWA. There are many other relief programs going on under the auspices of missionary societies. But is there not a way in which we can adequately come before our people with a presentation of the need and get the help to the point of the need?

MacRae urged that conventions respond immediately to the need in Nigeria. Russell said that many Baptists use other agencies such as the World Council of Churches. He suggested that we do not set an exact sum here, but instruct the Relief Committee to devise definite ways of relief.

Hobbs pointed out that this resolution deals generally with all countries. Another resolution will be presented in regard to Nigeria.

The resolution was adopted.

Keywords

BWA; Hunger; World Relief.

Citations

Original Source Bibliography: Nordenhaug, Josef, editor. Baptist World Alliance: Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee Held at Monrovia, Liberia July 30-August 1, 1968. Washington, D.C.: Baptist World Alliance, 1968.

Original Source Footnote/Endnote: Josef Nordenhaug, ed., Baptist World Alliance: Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee Held at Monrovia, Liberia July 30-August 1, 1968 (Washington, D.C.: Baptist World Alliance, 1968), pp. 44-45.

Online Document Full Citation: BWA Executive Committee Resolution 1968-08.3 World Relief; https://baptistworld.org/resolutions.

In-text Online Document Citation: (BWA Executive Committee Resolution 1968-08.3).