Brent Leatherwood among evangelical leaders who met with Benjamin Netanyahu before address to Congress

By Baptist Press Staff 

WASHINGTON (BP) — Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) President Brent Leatherwood attended a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 23. The meeting occurred the day before Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress. Netanyahu was speaking about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis.

“I thanked him for the work his government did in coordination with [the] U.S. State Department and with us at the @ERLC to ensure the safety of so many SBC churches that had groups in Israel on that terrible day,” Leatherwood said in a post on X.

This summer, messengers to the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting passed a resolution calling for “the international community to redouble its efforts to support the nation of Israel toward a just and lasting peace, addressing underlying issues such as terrorism, human rights violations and regional instability, consistent with biblical calls to defend the oppressed and promote justice, especially among non-combatants and civilians.”

“I relayed how these efforts helped fuel the passage of a significant SBC resolution in June signaling the SBC’s belief in both Israel’s right to exist and defend itself from Hamas terrorists. Once again, resolutions are profoundly helpful for our work,” Leatherwood posted.

In the address to Congress, Netanyahu said he looked forward to a day when Israelis and Palestinians could live at peace.

Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7. Hamas still holds dozens of hostages taken on Oct. 7, including Americans.

“The Prime Minister expressed his deep appreciation for evangelicals, especially Southern Baptists. We are coordinating a meeting with the Israeli Embassy to formally present this resolution later this year on behalf of our churches,” posted Leatherwood.

Send Relief’s Backpack Sunday to boost local church outreach efforts

By Send Relief Staff

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Meeting material needs often opens doors for believers and churches to share the gospel, and Send Relief has identified a simple, straightforward way of doing so that serves as a great conversation starter — backpacks filled with needed resources.

That’s why Send Relief has designated Sunday, Aug. 4, Backpack Day in recognition of Send Relief Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Dozens of churches have coordinated with Send Relief to receive free backpacks so they can fill them up with supplies and plan on giving them away to those in need in their communities or during mission trips.

“Backpacks have proven to me a time-tested, simple way to meet a number of different needs in the community among Send Relief’s Ministry Centers,” said Josh Benton, Send Relief’s vice president of North American ministry. “Whether it’s for students needing school supplies, those in poverty, human trafficking victims or refugees, you can fill a backpack with whatever resources best fit the needs of those in your community.”

Last year, Church at the Cross in Orlando, Fla., reported to Send Relief that they witnessed one salvation during a festival-style event that featured popsicles, games and a prayer tent as part of their efforts to support their community with free backpacks.

East Sedalia Baptist Church in Sedalia, Mo., put together backpacks that staff at a nearby cancer center accepted to give away to patients coming through their facility. The backpacks included a New Testament and a prayer card recipients could use to connect with the church.

A church in Summerville, S.C., Old Fort Baptist Church, filled backpacks with school supplies that were given out during a “meet the teacher night” at a school in Baltimore.

Send Relief aims to equip local churches with the resources and training they need to implement effective, gospel-proclaiming compassion ministry efforts in their own neighborhoods. To that end, Send Relief has developed multiple, free ministry guides, including a Backpack Ministry Guide, that provide helpful tips and best practices.

Send Relief is the compassion ministry arm of Southern Baptists, a cooperative ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB). To learn more about Send Relief and how churches can become more involved in compassion ministry, visit SendRelief.org.

IMB medical missionaries use custom mobile clinic to serve in Europe

By IMB Staff

Harrison Martin* and his medical team were in a quandary.  They were restricted in offering proper care while serving in Europe.

“We’d set up medical clinics in churches or community centers,” said Martin, a missionary nurse practitioner for the International Mission Board (IMB). Most were one-room clinics that we divided into exam spaces by hanging blue tarps from the ceiling. This didn’t provide much privacy.”

During disasters and war time, Martin said a lack of supplies often hampered their response and whether the location had electricity or enough petrol for a generator.

The solution was a mobile medical clinic, custom made for carrying out global health strategies in Europe. However, such a vehicle did not exist in Europe. Martin and his team would have to design the truck themselves.

“We researched, googled and found a plain box truck,” Martin said. “We had an electrical system with solar panels attached and then, we were on our own for the rest of the renovations.”

Building something in a country where language barriers can exist can be challenging. Martin said he would go to a hardware store with a picture of what he needed and Google Translate queued up.

“Slowly our clinic took shape in the back of the truck,” he said.

Instead of creating a sterile clinical environment, Martin said they would incorporate Bible stories into the room decor.

“I installed a boat-shaped bed to depict parables Jesus used around the Sea of Galilee and other things to start gospel conversations,” Martin said. “When you have a short time with each patient, prompts get people curious enough to ask questions.”

Now Martin and his team are fully supplied and equipped to provide the care needed wherever they go in Europe. Not only are they equipped medically but also with a gospel witness.

Martin thanks those who support the Dr. Naylor Preach and Heal through Medicine Fund, which made this mobile medical clinic a reality.

“As we begin using this truck regularly, please pray that we find favor with customs at border crossings, and they allow us to enter their countries with this unique ministry aid,” Martin said. “Ask God to use this truck to open gospel access in places that might be closed to traditional methods of evangelism.”

*name changed due to security