Moved by compassion

By Jon Konnerup

BBFI Mission Director

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17)

As of this writing, nearly half a million dollars has come through the BBFI Mission Office for hurricane relief since September. Anecdotal reports are that $200,000 to over $300,000 were given directly to the affected churches in the form of cash and relief supplies. Another $277,000 was given to tsunami relief since January. Also, in response to the hurricane that hit southwest Florida less than a year before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, just one of the churches received over $50,000 in help from other churches. Our Fellowship has definitely opened her bowels of compassion to those in great need.

          The relief efforts have had a side benefit as well. Mike Landry, pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle of Shreveport and chairman of the Louisiana BBF, says that the relief work of their Fellowship and the funds sent through the Mission Office to assist their efforts have drawn a number of pastors into fellowship with the LABBF who previously had little or no connection with them. A recent meeting drew more than double the normal number of pastors and churches represented.

          Some have speculated that the giving of our BBFI churches has reached the saturation point. Especially when it comes to missions, some think there is not enough money within the churches of our Fellowship to adequately support new missionaries as they are approved. And yet in less than a year’s time, BBFI churches have given (because their people have given) more than a million dollars beyond their walls that arguably may not have been given at all.

          Dare we conclude that when pastors and their people are moved with compassion, that our God makes a way through His people to help those in desperate situations? Should we be asking the Lord to break our hearts and move us to compassion for those who are not only in desperate situations physically because of natural disasters, but also for those whose most desperate situation is spiritual, because they are dead in trespasses and sins?

Use pic of Jon (this is not World Scope, but you can use the same pic)