WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have demonstrated their concern for the lost at home and around the world by living out the commands of Christ in the Great Commission; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists acknowledge the Lord’s admonition and example to minister to the needs of whole person; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists are a compassionate people, recognizing that from those who have received much, much is expected; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists recognize the vital role that meeting human needs plays in their effort to demonstrate Christ-like compassion in bringing the lost to saving faith in Jesus Christ; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists churches have been used as channels of blessing for the lost and needy around the world; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptist agencies, including the Foreign Mission Board, Home Mission Board, and the Christian Life Commission, have initiated a new and historic hunger and relief awareness campaign; and
WHEREAS, Financial support for the work of the Convention’s various hunger and relief ministries has dramatically declined in the past few years; Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in New Orleans on June 11-13, 1996, does hereby encourage all believers to pray for those around the world who hunger and thirst both spiritually and physically; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we urge the Christian Life Commission, in collaboration with our other agencies, to increase efforts to keep before Southern Baptists an awareness of the global and domestic hunger and relief needs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That those meeting in New Orleans call upon all Southern Baptist churches to set aside one Sunday each year as a time for considering the role that Baptists can and must play in meeting those needs; and
FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED, That those meeting in New Orleans call upon all Southern Baptists to consider how each believer can through praying, giving, and going – meet the challenge of spiritual darkness and physical discomfort in our world.